SAMANVAY
“SAMANVY” a well-known dance company under the direction of Smt. Veena Murthy Vijay, is conducting classes in creative dances. A well-known creative choreographer will be conducting these classes. Dancers and non-dancers with athletic or martial arts practice are welcome to attend the audition. For details, contact 9845227800.
ADMISSIONS OPEN, SCHOLARSHIPS AVAILABLE HERITAGE INDIA FOUNDATION
The Fine Arts College of Bhaskara in Southern India specializes in traditional Indian classical dances, music, yoga and Indian philosophy. It offers a free five-month scholarship, which includes free food and accommodation and a concessionary tuition fee for that period.
The college conducts short-term courses of three and five months duration; it also offers one-year diploma, three-years honors diploma and three-year degree programmes in Bharatanatyam, Odissi, Mohiniattam, Carnatic music, Yoga and Indian philosophy. It proposes to start a course in Kathak in Nov. 2005. For more details, visit http://www.heritageindiafoundation.com.
CHILD-FRIENDLY BHARATANATYA REPERTOIRE
SHISHU SADHANA: A Book by Mamata Niyogi-Nakra
Canada-based danseuse, founder of Kala Bharati, Smt. Mamata Niyogi-Nakra has completed the task of producing a child-friendly Bharatanatya repertoire Shishu Sadhana that includes a DVD of the repertoire visually offering what has been written in the book, making a child enjoy learning dance. This work has been created in the spirit of sharing the author’s experience of over two decades of teaching dance to children, with younger Bharatanatya dance teachers at Kala Bharati.
“The repertoire is innovative and covers the expanse of Bharatanatya which hold unlimited potential for artists who desire to compose and choreograph newer items in the styles propounded by our ancestors,” says Prof. U. S. Krishna Rao who was also Smt. Mamata Niyogi-Nakra’s guru.
The book, along with the DVD, was introduced to a Montreal audience on 16 January 2005. For more information, visit http://www.kalabharati.ca or call Drishti at 23377466.
PARISHATH’S NEW GALLERY
Karnataka Chitrakala Parishath has opened a new gallery meant exclusively for the display of traditional Mysore paintings.
The 100-odd paintings on display form part of over 200 such pieces of art collected, preserved and studied by Prof. S. K. Ramachandra Rao. The Mysore tradition, which dates back to the Vijaynagar kingdom, faded away after the collapse of that dynasty. But it came into prominence during the rule of the culture-oving, Krishnaraja Wodeyar III.
Myore Chitramala, a book on Mysore art, authored by Prof. S. K. Ramachandra Rao has also been released. The book examines the tradition, innovations, technique and philosophy of Mysore paintings in erudite detail.
“KALABHARATI”
A VISUAL AND PERFORMING ARTS SCHOOL
“Kalabharati”, Bhavan’s School of Performing Arts, will offer classes in painting, tabla, Kathak, and Kuchipudi.
Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan, in association with the Susheela Iyengar Education Trust, has launched a management school and a school for the visual and performing arts on Bull Temple Road, Bangalore.
Admissions to the above mentioned courses are open. Enquiries can be made at the BVB Kendra office on Race Course Road (22267303) or the BVB Centre on Bull Temple Road in Basavangudi (51508085).
APPLICATIONS INVITED FOR SWARA AWARD
Hombale Pratibharanga has invited applications for Swara Mandara award. Cassettes of devotional songs, folk songs, vachanas, daasara pada, and light music released between January 1 and December 31, 2004 can be sent. Any number of cassettes can be sent by the contenders. The award will be presented on May 29 at a function to be held at Ravindra Kalakshetra, Bangalore. Artists or music companies have to send two copies of cassettes to H. Palguna, No 21, Divya, 1st Floor, Madduramma Temple Road, Pipeline, Srinagar, Bangalore – 560050. For details, call 94480 87887.
THEATRE GROUP GETS LIMCA AWARD
The Limca awards were presented to the members of the Shataranga theatre group at a function organized at the Ravindra Kalakshetra on April 7, 2005. The artists associated with the Nandana group earlier, were recognized by the Limca Book of Records for staging 40 plays consecutively for 100 hours. The event included plays written by eminent playwrights such as Chandrashekar Kambar, P. Lankesh and Girish Karnad. The recipients are Palanethra, C. Kannappa, Bat Nagaraj, Prathiba, Dr. Laxminarayan, Shashidar Hebbsur, Srinath Swaraj, Shivukumar, Kadalipura Jayachandra, Gopinath, Rajesh, Laxman, Krishna and Chandru.
GANGUBAI HANGAL’S MUSEUM OF MUSIC
The Hangal Music Foundation, set up by noted Hindustani classical musical exponent, Dr Gangubai Hangal, has established a museum of Hindustani classical music in Hubli, which started functioning from March 13, 2005. Gangubai Hangal, who is now 93 years, says the purpose of setting up this museum is to encourage young and budding artistes to take up music as their profession and continue the tradition of Kirana gharana of which she has been an exponent. It was her dream to contribute something to the field of Hindustani music that got her name and fame.
There is an exhibition of the laurels she has received in the last five to six decades. There is a chart tracing the history of the Kirana gharana, listing musicians who have striven hard for the promotion of this particular style of Hindustani music across the country. Her collection of 100-150 gramophone records of yesteryear and also rare photographs of other artists are also part of the collection of the museum.
Pandit Jasraj, noted exponent of Hindustani music, inaugurated the museum.
DR SARWOTHAM KAMATH RECEIVES DOCTORATE IN DANCE
Professor of dance, Department of Performing Arts, Bangalore University, Dr. Sarwotham Kamath received a doctorate in dance for this thesis Kannada Sahityadalli Nritya Kale Vondu Adhyana. The research relates to literature in Karnataka between the 10th and 20th century AD.
On behalf of the dance fraternity, Drishti congratulates Dr. Sarwotham Kamath on this achievement.
A WHIRLWIND TOUR OF EUROPE BY NIRUPAMA-RAJENDRA
Renowned dancer-couple of Bangalore, Nirupama and Rajendra are in Europe on a whirlwind tour (14th March to 1st May 2005).
Monica Kunz, a Belgium-based dancer, director of Kala Yoga, Brussels, who has worked in close collaboration with Nirupama and Rajendra and produced many beautiful pieces in INdian dance, accompanies them along with Umalakshmi Rajashekaran, a young dancer from Abhinava Arts Centre, who has trained for ten years under the tutelage of Nirupama and Rajendra.
Their programme features traditional and creative pieces specially choreographed for the quartet, portraying the spirit and essence of Bharatanatyam and Kathak. The repertoire, among many others, includes an enchanting jugalbandhi in Madhurashtakam, Tillana-Tarana, Nigah – a vision of love and peace, and “East Meets West” – a creative rendition of Sanskrit mantras, sung in the symphony style of music.
The music for the programme is compose by Ajay and Atul from Mumbai, and Praveen Rao and Praveen Ghodkhindi from Bangalore. The programme showcases specially designed costumes and brilliant lighting effects. The duo will also be conducting workshops in various cities.
MUSIC WORKSHOP AT ANANYA
A workshop on Thala Prasthara for musicians will be conducted on April 23 and 24, 2005, at Ananya GML Cultural Academy, Malleswaram, Bangalore. The resource person is Vidwan Akella Mallikarjuna Sharma. The focus will be on singing of Mukthayi and Tala aspects, for singing in today’s Carnatic music concert.
Those who are interested can register their names with Nagendra Shastry, Ph: 080-23606380 or 09845415592
INDIAN ARTS MOVEMENT
A new initiative in India, the Indian Arts Movement is soon to be launched. The movement will have the following objectives:
- Drama/arts education for schools/special children.
- Creative arts for therapeutic purposes
- Drama and arts for corporate training
- Arts for peace
The association will be registered very soon. There was a preliminary meeting at Ashirwad, St. Marks Road, Bangalore on 27 March 2005, followed by a short performance by Playback theatre. “We have plans to join the International Drama / Theatre Education of which I am the Treasurer now. There are interesting possibilities for twinning with other organizations in the world. Projects of importance and value would go through the IAM (Indian Arts Movement),” says Parasuram Ramamoorthi. For details, contact Parasuram Ramamoorthi: velvi@touchtelindia.net.