Arangetram: Noopur Iyengar

August 13, 2022

Dalrymple Performing Arts Center

Arangetram is that journey a dancer embarks when she begins her dance training. It is a life lesson for her as she learns to persevere through the years of vigorous training under her Acharyas. She learns discipline, she learns to accept the criticism,  learns from her mistakes, most importantly to raise from failures, never to give up, push through the toughness so all the skills that she would need for her life. Life as a dancer opens a totally new world and her perspective of life changes.  I have seen Noopur evolve  as a dancer through these years and her perseverance to become better.

She had her initial training from her mother Vyju Prasad and later pursued her training from Guru Padmini Ravi. During the speech Vyju mentioned that Nupur has never ever stopped dancing and was practically dancing in her womb. So dance was in her blood but however she is fortunate to have got the right encouragement through her parents Vyju and Prasad and later under Padmini Ravi to blossom into a mature dancer.

I myself being a student of Padmini Ravi (fondly called Padmini Aunty)  I know the severity of the training under her. She is a very tough master but a great teacher. It is not just dancing we learn from her but lot more about life in general. She is a very clever teacher who has a very keen eye to bring out the strengths in a student. She enhances the dance with her innovative choreography .  She tweaks the choreography to suit the dancer.  So each dancer learns a unique choreography for the same composition.

Noopur began her performance with a Pushpanjali in Ragam Sri Ranjani, Adi talam  followed by a kriti Vathapi Ganapathim, a famous composition of Shri Muthuswamy Dikshitar, one of the trinity. Composition itself is very lively in Ragam Hamsadhawni, Adi Talam.  Noopur did complete justice to this composition bringing out the various aspects of Lord Ganesha through her brisk movements and expressions.

This was followed by  Aplarippu in Chatusra nadai which was executed very well. Raagamalika Jathiswaram in Misra chapu, a composition of Shri Dandayudhapani Pillai was very interesting with unique movements.

Noopur used her eyes. eye brows. smile, attami to her advantage to enhance the dance.  I was extremely impressed with her using the attami and eye brows which not many dancers do.

Highlight of the evening was the Varnam “Kanna Kamalakanna” in Ragam Vasantha . This was beautifully choreographed by  Guru Padmini Ravi  to highlight various facets of Lord Krishna. Audience were enthralled by the Jathis and the Abhinaya. Guru Padmini Ravi who has the command over  rhythm  rendered the Jathis beautifully with poise and Noopur executed it flawlessly. She portrayed the antics of lord Krishna which the audience could relate to. In dance it is far easier to do Nritta than Abhinaya as Nritta is mainly your technical skills but with Abhinaya one needs to have a deeper understanding of the composition and  a lot more imagination to connect with the audience. Noopur was able to bring out her abhinaya in this composition.  The music ensemble of Guru Padmini Ravi and Vyju Prasad on the Nattuvangam,  Harini Darbha on the vocal,  Siva Ponnudurai on the Mridangam, Ravi Kulur on the Flute and Arun Kumar on the Rhythm pads enhanced the ambience with their excellent music to bring out the aesthetics of this varnam and all other compositions.  Audience were completely in sync with music and dance.

A small intermission was very cleverly utilized to felicitate the artists. Audience were again entertained with a beautiful rendition of “Manavyalakinchara” a composition of Saint Tyagaraja in ragam Nalinakanti set to Adi talam by the music ensemble of Ravi Kulur, Siva Ponnudorai and Arun Kumar.  Tani aavartanam between Siva and Arun was mesmerizing and well appreciated.

Many times Arangetram becomes not about the dance and the dancer but everything else mostly extremely long speeches and thank you notes. I must say the Emcee for the evening Sangeetha Prasanna was phenomenal,  providing interesting facts about the composition and the entire margam. She was very concise and lively. She herself being a reputed dancer ( Alumni of Kalakshetra, Chennai)  with a great legacy behind her ( Daughter of Shri D. Pashupathi and Daughter In law of Smt Savitri Jagannath)  she was able to talk about the relevant aspects of the compositions and the dance. She was a delight and a very refreshing change from the usual.

The second half of the event was quick with lively compositions first one being Paahimam Sri Raja Rajeshwari, A composition of Sri Jayachamarajendra Wodeyar highlighting the divine aspects of Devi Rajarajeshwari. This was followed by a unique composition  of Shri Oothukadu Venkata Kavi on Lord Shiva “Sundaranatarajan” in Ragam Kharaharapria. This was a fast paced number bringing out the salient aspects of Lord Shiva in his beautiful form with Goddess Parvathi. 

Javali “Sami Ninne” a composition of Veene Padmanabhaiah in ragam Khamas again brought out the abhinaya aspect in Noopur. She portrayed a Samanya Nayika who cleverly entices her Lord for her selfish gains. Usually javali requires a far deeper abinaya skills. Kudos to Noopur for pushing herself in presenting this composition. I liked her usage of her eyes and smiles to  transform herself as a samanya nayika.

One can never go wrong in picking a composition of Sri Lalgudi Jayaraman who was a great composer. Thillana in Ragam Mohana Kalyani was fitting finale to this event with fast paced movements, Jathis and Korvais.

This was followed by a Purandara Dasa Kriti “Tamburi Meetidava” in ragam Sindhu Bhairavi which has a very philosophical meaning. Dance itself is a spiritual journey that takes the dancer from physical level  to metaphysical… so this was a very apt composition to end this grand event which means One who plays the tambura has crossed the ocean of worldly existence One who taps the rhythm,  has reached divinity. One who ties the ankles, conquers even the evil hearts  and One who  renders the hymns  sights the image of the Lord.

Overall the event was well organized, with apt selection of compositions, well paced, well timed  and kept the audience attention intact. Lighting, sound  and stage décor created a nice ambience.

Arangetram is only the beginning and  I wish Noopur takes this along with her and reach to much greater heights and carves her own path….

Article by Suman Adisesh ( Creative Director of Spandha School of dance and creative arts)

|