Poornima Risbud (PR): Boston is a culturally bustling town, especially for the Indian arts. There are so many groups who put events together, dance and music alike, but the most enjoyable event (at least for us) and the one we look forward to each year, is the Learnquest music festival. We thought such a concept for dance is so much needed here. We perhaps have more dance teachers in the area than any other performing art and we have no avenue to appreciate each other’s talents and learn and grow.

Pallavi Nagesha (PN): As a dancer who started her career very late, I am eager to absorb as much as I can from as many people as I can. The idea of a festival, or a conference like atmosphere holds a lot of promise. I presume there are many youngsters who are at the threshold of their learning like me, and would love to have that spark which will propel them forward.

PR & PN: This gap and the need for furthering our own knowledge generated this seed of an Utsava. An event that would become a hub of dance for dancers. An arena where we showcase the best of dance and dance learning from the world over.

Kedar Risbud (KR): We need to preserve our culture and do something that has never been done before. We took inspiration from the Learnquest Music festival and both music and dance are mirroring aspects of our art and we  wanted to do something that compliments LQ festival perfectly.

PR: We are bringing together all genres. We are elevating classical dance to a level where its appreciated for itself. That is art for art’s sake. That way the audience can experience the pure joy that the dancer feels. We also want to educate the audience and the dancers about the various dance forms and get them to appreciate it.

PN: Yes, there are many dance programs. But our goal is very different from community or charity events. Our vision is to create a sacred space where the dialog between the artist and the rasika transcends all levels of conscience and brings an "aha" moment. Our (all the dancers) collective artistic abilities uplift the aesthetic sensibilities of the connoisseurs.

In it’s entirely, the event must excite all senses through its universality.   

Venkatesh Nagesha(VN): I imagine Nrityotsav as a continuum with multiple dimensions and pathways, and one can hop on at an access port that matches their current sensibility. More simply, there will be something for everyone, a rasika with varying levels of appreciation, young dancers who have just finished their arangetram, or an elite performer with the proverbial 10,000 hrs of practice. We hope that we will be able energize our audience and put them on a journey of wanting to explore this realm and collaborate and innovate.

KR:We have had shows where only one group performs at a given event. If it is multiple groups, then it is mixed with other forms of performing arts, and tends to lose its gravitas. By presenting dance for dance sake, we have elevated the stage to focus on dance and all the unique aspects of dance, including music and poetry. We have collaborations that would not otherwise occur and learning opportunities at the same venue. Entertainment and education, the best of both worlds.

        

PR: The value is for the art itself and in the appreciation of it. For example Kathakali is an ancient art form, yet, it is seen so little in the art world. To watch that and to appreciate it increases the worth of the dance, the appreciation of the practitioners and the knowledge of the viewers.

PN: To embrace diversity is to live on the precipice of bliss. Each art form has its own distinguishing marks. You understand so much about our culture and heritage when you see these dance forms from different parts of India. They all have the same foundations, in Natyashastra, yet they appear so different, so for me, understanding those nuances creates a unique Rasa that then transforms into joy which is discernible in both my outlook and my performance.

PN: You will learn how Nirupama and Rajendra innovate in Classical dance. Typically, people learn a repertoire and build on that, but their approach is to re-examine the movement in dance and create anew. Vanita Shastri will lead this discussion.

PR: Kathakali is also such a specialized dance form that most of us here have not been exposed to it to a degree that we can follow along, we have asked the Kalamandalam dancers to explain their art to the audience. So their dance will be followed by an interview with Revathi Pillai as our interpreter. 

PN: Do you know how long these dancers take to get ready?

PR: Well, you can find out when you tour their dressing room on the 8th. These artists have graciously allowed small groups of people to observe the process of putting on their make up. This is going to be a special treat as the process is complicated and takes several hours.

PR: Yes, we hope we have the continued support of the artists and art lovers to do this year after year.

PN: Our vision is to make Boston an annual destination for dancers and rasikas from the world over.

PR: We began this tradition with the hope that young dancers can find a path to pursue their art and continue holding Nrityotsav for posterity.

PN: Poornima Kedar, Venki, Shekhar and Vanita Shastri and myself make up the core, but we have so many volunteers looking after all aspects of the event. When you meet each of them on Saturday, do not forget to ask them what excited them about Nrityotsav!

PR: We have an exciting line up with both Indian artists as well as well known local teachers performing. We are collaborating with Neena Gulati, Sapna Krishnan, Jeyanthi Ghatraju, Jayashree Mohapatra, Sailaja Tummala, Shamoyita Mukharjee, Hema Iyengar, Mari Shakthi Muthuswamy, Mouli Pal, Jothi Raghavan, Ranjani Saigal, Meena Subramanyam. This year, we want all of you to come and attend the event.  We encourage you to give us your feedback so that the process gets better each year. 

PN: Please get in touch with us if you wish to collaborate for Nrityotsav 2015. We plan on a meeting of like-minded folks to discuss the future of this festival. I fully believe that dancers are happy people, because dancing sparks joy in us. Our (respective) spouses, Venki Nagesha and Kedar Risbud often comment on this and encourage us to spread that joy. We collaborated with many teachers this year who are ready to be that spark and we would like to see many more. Not just dancers but artists of all genres coming together to create the ultimate form of moksha!

VN: I often remark that dance is a like a multidisciplinary academic field. The visual medium of dance needs elaborate musical and lyrical accompaniments to create a wholesome experience. I believe that dancers, musicians and lyricists can come together to create original, innovative compositions that can bring unique experiences and joy for artists and audiences. As a result, my sensibility of collaboration and participation extends beyond dancers and is more in line with the kinds of partnerships that thrive in India today.

KR: Many teachers have already joined us this year, helping us on and off the stage.  We hope many more will join in the coming years to keep this unique tradition alive. This is something we can pass to the next generation and preserve our roots.

PN: Join us on Saturday to experience this joy and in years to come to spark this joy in others.

A versatile artist, Poornima has choreographed and performed in several solo dance recitals both in India and in the US. Poornima, along with some of her senior students, participated in Krishna - A Dance Ballet, a fund raiser for Vision Aid. She has directed many Kannada language plays, and has conducted dance workshops. She has choreographed dance items for musicales at the Riverside Theatre Works of Hyde Park, MA. 

Most recently Rasarang celebrated its 10th anniversary with a grand production of Abhignana Shakuntalam. Poornima developed the concept and worked with the renowned musician Praveen D. Rao to compose the music for the dance -drama. Her superbly choreographed presentation won critical acclaim in the New England area.

Pallavi trained under Poornima Risbud in Bharatanatyam and folk styles. She has performed Bharatanatyam, folk & fusion around the US. She helps choreograph many Rasarang performances and has choreographed dance items for presentation at the annual World Fair in Wayland, MA. She is an active cultural advocate and theatre artist. She serves as the artistic director of Meru Education foundation. She has participated in many charity dance events like Vision Aid, Sankara Cancer Foundation and Shankara Netralaya to name a few. Pallavi teaches at the Wayland branch of Rasarang.

Venkatesh is a dance aficionado and a supportive advocate of Rasarang’s efforts. As a scientist, he brings in a unique perspective to the thinking chamber of the group and keeps everyone grounded. He has helped many organizations in planning and executing events, including Meru Education Foundation and New England Kannda Koota. When he is not helping Rasarang with its many ventures, he works as a Research Scientist at Apple.

Kedar is the backbone and the technical guru of Rasarang. He has been the sole photographer, videographer and sound and light engineer for the school for many years. He is an actor and a musician and actively participates in many of the New England Marathi Mandal productions. Recently, he helped NEMM bring the world Marathi conference BMM, to the New England area. With his meticulous planning and precise execution, Rasarang events run a tight ship.