SANJUKTA WAGH

Sanjukta Wagh

Every culture has its creation myth and India's epic poem, the Mahabharata dates back about three millennia. At the heart of the tale is a dynastic war; since history is told by the victors, it can always be questioned with reference to which are the bad guys and which are the good guys.

A 20th c. scholar/anthropologist/educator, Irawati Karve, undertook to re-examine the story of Gandhari, the mother of 100 sons lost in battle. She was married off to a prince and felt betrayed when she learned that he was blind; she blindfolded herself for life. Karve re-interpreted the act as not a sacrifice but rather an act of rage. In the story, she gives birth to a stone that she hacks into 100 pieces and all of them were her sons.

Celebrated dancer/choreographer/writer/director Sanjukta Wagh created this award-winning piece "Rage and Beyond: Irawati's Gandhari" which was presented last night at Symphony Space as part of World Music Institute's "Dancing the Gods".

Ms. Wagh is an absorbing artist whose performance entranced us for the full hour and a half. Her dancing was eloquent. Every small gesture was replete with meaning. We particularly enjoyed and completely understood the part where she prepared for her wedding--washing, styling her hair, and applying cosmetics. After all those preparations, of course she was distressed that her husband could not see her!

The part in which she shows her pregnancy and delivery and the hacking up of the stone was similarly effective. We also liked the ending when she removes the blindfold, joins hands with the mother of the winning dynasty, and leads her blind husband into the mountains where they would all die in a forest fire.

Her chanting had a marvelous sound, especially when the syllables she chanted mimicked the sound of her stamping feet, which was augmented by the bells she wore around her ankles.

She also sat in a chair and related the words of Ms. Karve. We thought this interrupted the flow of the piece and might have been better presented in one chunk, either at the beginning or the end.

Obviously, there are socio-cultural and politico-historical aspects to the story which seemed academic and unnecessary. The piece could stand alone as dance/theater art, since Ms. Wagh is such a superb storyteller.

Musical accompaniment was performed by Hitesh Dhutia  who also was responsible for the sound design. We had expected traditional Indian instruments--sitar, tabla, harmonium and such and were surprised that he played the guitar. The music was very lovely, even so, and sustained the mood perfectly. However, we did not care for the sound design which involved unattractive amplification both for his guitar and for Ms. Wagh's vocalizing.

In sum, we had a fascinating glimpse into another culture and an exposure to a work that left us feeling both enlightened and entertained.

(c) meche kroop

DANCING THE GODS

Rama and Dakshina Vaidyanathan

Under the auspices of the World Music Institute, an absorbing program of Indian dance was presented at the New York University Skirball Center for the Performing Arts. We were completely entranced for the better part of two hours by the two gorgeous women, their resplendent costumes and the intensity of their movements.

The choreography by Rama Vaidyanathan seemed a perfect blend of the traditional and the modern, the spiritual and the worldly. The music was provided by four musicians from India. Most impressive was the flute of Rajat Prasanna whose teasing melodies were underscored by the percussion of Nattuvangam; the Mridangam (a type of drum) was played by Ramamoorthy Sriganesh and the chanting, some of it in Sanskrit, was provided by Dr. S. Vasudevan and K. Venkateshwaran. We heard the sound of an harmonium but we didn't see one onstage.

We know very little about this type of dance but we watched with rapt attention and observed how important is the articulation of joints in the fingers, wrist and neck. Every little movement seems to convey meaning, even the eyes.  We also noticed that the fingertips and the soles of the feet are stained red to emphasize the hand movements and the foot stamping.

There were movements that took our breath away, one of which involved graceful twirling of the wrists until the form of a lotus was created.

Looking very much like sisters, the two women are mother and daughter. Our favorite piece was "Protect and Set Free" in which a mother contemplates three parables that help her to let her daughter grow up and leave. The scenes of her braiding her daughter's hair (in pantomime) and showing the resemblance of their faces in an imaginary mirror were very touching.

Our second favorite piece was a Varnam (the most elaborate of the Bharatanatyam repertoire) in which Rama expresses her passion and devotion for Lord Siva. The hand gestures and body movements clearly suggested the text of the poetry which she read to the audience before the dance. She saw Siva as remote as the heavens and the mountaintops and wanted to draw him closer so that they might sway together and their hearts beat as one.  Only in the Hindu culture can sexuality, sensuality, and spirituality become united!

We see how traditional forms can be augmented with modern touches without losing authenticity. These women are artists of the highest degree. Their performance left us artistically and spiritually nourished.

(c) meche kroop