AN INAUGURAL TWO EVENING FESTIVAL OF DANCE AT NATIONAL HERITAGE MUSEUM, NOVEMBER 13 & 14
Featuring
LOCAL DANCERS:
JAYSHREE BALA RAJAMANI & THE BHARATHAKALAI SCHOOL OF DANCE AND JANANI SWAMY
WORLD RENOWNED DANCERS:
RAMA VAIDYANATHAN AND DAKSHINA VAIDYANATHAN
LIVE ORCHESTRA FROM GREATER BOSTON AND INDIA
A Festival Created by a Dancer for Dancers!
On Friday, November 13th, Indian classical dancer, Jayshree Bala Rajamani, and her Dancers from Bharathakalai School of Dance, perform Bharathanatyam, followed by Mad & Divine, a solo presentation by Rama Vaidyanathan.
On Saturday, November 14th, Indian classical dancer, Janani Swamy will perform solo Bharathanatyam, followed by Dwitha a duet by Mother-Daughter Team Rama Vaidyanathan & Dakshina Vaidyanathan.
On both evenings the show begins at 6:00 PM at:
National Heritage Museum, 33 Marrett Road, Lexington MA 02420
Dazzling footwork. Deeply meditative ragas. Intricate, invigorating Indian rhythms. Elegant, graceful, creative dance.
Dance runs through Jayshree Bala Rajamani's very DNA. Initially trained by her mother, she has been on a lifelong spiritual journey through Indian classical dance. She creates perfect fusion between body movement and music in her choreographies and has been lauded for her grace and lightning footwork. Her awards include the title, “Natyamani,†Jewel of Dance, conferred by the Indian Cultural Society, New Delhi, and the Sahitya Kala Parishad award for excellence in dance. “Breathtaking footwork.†– Indian Express, New Delhi. “Impressive… with a flair for Abhinaya [expression]… sensitively visualized.†– The Hindu.
Jayshree runs her Bharathakalai School of Dance out of Lexington, MA. She founded the school in 1987 in New Delhi, India. Since her move to the Boston area in 1995 she has been committed to propagating the art of Bharathanatyam through regular classes, workshops and performances. The Massachusetts House of Representatives honored her with a special citation on the occasion of her schools 25th anniversary in 2012.
She will be accompanied:
Senior Dancers, Ambika Jayakumar, Devi Patel, Manaswini Garimella, Sravani Chengole & Vennela Mannava.
Junior Dancers, Anika Tara Ruberti, Mayari Bala Rajamani, Mayuri Venkatesh, Nethra Vasudevan and Nithyani Anandakugan.
Janani Swamy has been a disciple of the renowned Vageyyakara, Guru Smt. Rajee Narayan of Nritya Geethanjali, Mumbai for over 30 years. Janani’s approach to Bharatha Natyam imbibes her Guru’s strict adherence to the classical tradition in its framework and presentation. Janani has also trained extensively in Carnatic music and is recognized as an accomplished dance vocalist. By profession, Janani is a Chemical Engineer and is Vice President of Biologics Operations at Genzyme in Framingham, MA.
Accompanying Musicians:
Local Artistes:
Nattuvangam: Jayshree Bala Rajamani
Vocal: Srivatsan Raghavan
Violin: Aadith Vijey
Mridangam: Gaurishankar Chandrashekar
International Artistes:
Nattuvangam & Vocals: Dr. S Vasudevan and K Venkateshwaranan
Mridangam: Ramamoorthy Sriganesh
Flute: Rajat Prasanna
MAD AND DIVINE
An insight into the life and teachings of the 13th Century Saint Janabai and the 14th Century Saint Lalleswari or lalded as she was fondly called. Both were female mystic poets who went through tremendous hardships before they were finally recognized for their spiritual awakenings. They crossed all barriers of social norms to fearlessly express their love for the supreme. Many real life incidents have had a profound effect on their lives.
Janabai was a Vaishnavait while Lalded was a Shaivaite. Janabai believed in the form while Lalded believed in the formless. Janabai took the path of devotion while Lalded took the path of tantra. They both appear to be different, but there is no denying that they were both Mad and Divine.
Mad and Divine was first presented as a commissioned work by Anita Ratnam at the Natya Darshan Conference for the Kartik Fine Arts in Dec 2011. Since then it has been presented in New York, New Delhi and at NCPA Mumbai.
DWITA – Duality Of Life
DWITA, a Sanskrit term that means duality, explores the double take on different aspects of Man and God. A mother and her daughter represent the duality in that very relationship, both of which are mutually empowering, since one symbolizes the present, the other the future. There are always two sides to a coin, two perceptions and two paths to a goal. The challenge is to recognize that both can exist - and do.
Rama Vaidyanathan is a leading exponent of Bharathanatyam, a popular classical dance form of India. She is undoubtedly one of the most sought after artistes of her generation having carved a name for herself in the Bharathanatyam World. She has trained intensively under the legendary dancer Yamini Krishnamurthy and the renowned Guru Saroja Vaidyanathan. Everyone who has seen Rama perform is struck by her unique thought process and fresh approach to dance. While deeply routed in tradition She has evolved her own individual style without forsaking the core principles of Bharata Natyam. She brings to her dance a rare sense of devotion and dedication, which leaves the audience with a sense of spiritual fulfillment.
The more one watched Rama Vaidyanathan dance, the more one was amazed..Her dancing is vibrant and deeply involved. She is equipped with technical skill but is also full of innovative ideas."
V. R. Devika in The Hindu....Chennai, 2003
Her execution was so clear that the fascinations of the Bharatanatyam genre itself were objectively evident.......Alaistair macaulay in The New York times 2011
Dakshina Vaidyanathan is passion for dance personfied, She is a young and talented dancer who comes from a family of eminent Bharatanatyam dancers. She has undergone rigorous training at Ganesa Natyalaya under the able tutelage of her Grandmother Guru Saroja Vaidyanathan and her mother Rama Vaidyanathan. From the tender age of 10 Dakshina has been accompanying her Grand Mother and her Mother for various performance tours in India and abroad.
Whatever you bring to her performances, Dakshina Vaidyanathan is sure to make you forget. … but if you’re lucky enough to make eye contact, the intensity of her stare is enough to mistake her performance being for you alone.
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