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FESTIVAL DANCERS

Vishwa Shanthi Dance Academy

DANCE ORIGIN: India
GENRE: Bharatanatyam
ARTISTIC DIRECTOR/CHOREOGRAPHER:  Shreelata Suresh
First Appearance in SF EDF: 2008
Website: www.shreelatasuresh.com

Bharatanatyam is a South Indian classical dance form. The name derives from bha for bhava (mime and physical expression), ra for raga (song), tha for thalam (rhythm), and natyam (dance). Ancient story claims it originated with Lord Shiva, and ancient artworks show how it developed and flourished in the temples of Tamil Nadu in southern India over two thousand years ago. Traditionally, young maidens called devadasis (servants of God) danced this form in praise and prayer, and to tell ancient Hindu stories.

Shreelata Suresh is trained in both bharatanatyam and kuchipudi Indian classical dance forms. She studied in India with Vyjyantimala Bali, and presently studies with V. Krishnamoorthi of New Delhi, whose unique and innovative choreography has encouraged her to create a distinct style of her own. Shreelata has given numerous stage and TV performances, dancing in most regions of the globe. She has received many awards for her efforts to restore and share the sacredness and spiritual significance of South Indian dance. Shreelata is also a contemporary teacher of bharatanatyam in the pure classical style. She founded Vishwa Shanthi Dance Academy to promote peace through dance and other allied arts and to help dancers find joy and a higher expression of their true self through dance.

2012 PERFORMANCE

TITLE: Poorthi (Fulfillment)
ARTISTIC DIRECTOR/ CHOREOGRAPHER: Shreelata Suresh
DANCERS: Sonali Aatresh, Pujitha Anur, Nisha Balaraman, Saatchi Bhalla, Ambika Gopalan, Bindu Nair, Savita Pillai, Chandini Ramesh, Sameeha Rau, Shreelata Suresh
MUSIC/LYRICS: P.R. Venkatasubramanian
RECORDED MUSICIANS: N.K. Kasavan (mridangam), Guru V. Krishnamoorthi (vocals/rhythmic syllables), T. Bhavani Prasad (veena), N. Srinivasan (flute), P.R. Venkatasubramanian (keyboard/special effects)
MUSICIANS: Vani Suresh (temple bell), Anupama Ramesh (veena)

Poorthi (Fulfillment), is the story of the beautiful Queen Shantala Devi. The music for this performance was composed and recorded in 2006, using traditional instruments, as part of a dance drama that will debut in 2009. The original choreographer is Shreelata Suresh, and the piece was adapted for this stage.

In the 12th century, in present-day Karnataka, India, King Vishnuvardhana commissioned the construction of the Chennakeshava temple for Lord Vishnu. Inspired by his queen, he planned an exquisite dance hall with twelve sculptures of dancers and musicians. The King died after the eleventh sculpture was installed, the kingdom fell into turmoil, and construction stopped. As years passed, his queen—Queen Shantala Devi—grew restless, and one night, in her dream, she entered the incomplete dance hall. She heard music, and danced as an offering to the Lords Vishnu and Shiva—

Oh Lord Vishnu, you danced so gracefully in your feminine form of Mohini.
Seeing this, Lord Shiva, God of Dance, complemented you by dancing with vigor.
And together you danced with joy.
We sing your praises. Om Namo Narayana!

The Queen's sheer joy and ecstasy brought the 11 stone dancers to life. When the song ceased, Queen Shantala Devi became the twelfth sculpture, completing the temple and fulfilling her desire to remain a dancing devotee.


2009 PERFORMANCE

Titles: Jathiswaram, Pushpanjali
Choreographer/Soloist: Shreelata Suresh

In honor of People Like Me's 15th Anniversary (World Arts West's arts education program), Shreelata Suresh performs as a soloist in the abbreviated version of Return of the Sun, the story of Amaterasu, the Japanese Sun Goddess. She adapts two bharatanatyam dances for her role as Goddess of Dawn.

Shreelata's first piece is Jathiswaram (danced to create the mirror for the Sun Goddess), an example of the pure dance form of bharatanatyam. Usually danced as the second piece in a performance, the choreography is simple, introducing the audience to basic movements and postures. As the dance progresses, the dancer performs increasingly complex steps, displaying her skill. Jathiswaram is based on Carnatic music—the South Indian classical music using composed melodies, ragas, and improvisation—and the dance follows the improvised melodies of the musicians. This form originated with dancers who loved the exceptional beauty of Carnatic music, and wanted to respond to it with their own art form. In Jathiswaram, the dancer blends sequences of rhythmic syllables—expressed in footwork, gesture, and posture—that follow the instrumentalists' rhythmic cycles and melodic phrasing.  

Shreelata's second piece, Pushpanjali, (danced to entice the Sun Goddess out of her cave) is another bharatanatyam pure dance item. In Sanskrit, pushpam means "flower" and anjali means "offering with folded hands." Here the dancer offers flowers to Mother Earth; then she offers her respects and invokes the gods controlling the eight directions. She offers respect to her guru as well as respect and welcome to the audience. The dance concludes with pure dance movements in a rhythmic sequence.

2008 PERFORMANCE

 

TITLE: Poorthi (Fulfillment)
ARTISTIC DIRECTOR/ CHOREOGRAPHER: Shreelata Suresh
DANCERS: Sonali Aatresh, Nisha Balaraman, Ambika Gopalan, Anupama Mandya, Bindu Nair, Sarika Patel, Savita Pillai, Divya Ramakrishnan, Sveta Shandilya, Priya Sohoni, Shreelata Suresh, Ganesh Vasudeva
MUSIC/LYRICS: P.R.Venkatasubramanian
RECORDED MUSICIANS: Guru V. Krishnamoorthi (vocals/rhythmic syllables), T. Bhavani Prasad (veena), N. Srinivasan (flute), N. K. Kesavan (mridangam), P. R. Venkatasubramanian (keyboard/special effects)
MUSICANS: Hrishikesh Chary (veena) and Shoba Gopalan (bells)

Poorthi (Fulfillment), is the story of the beautiful Queen Shantala Devi. The music for this performance was composed and recorded in 2006, using traditional instruments, as part of a dance drama that will debut in 2009. The original choreographer is Shreelata Suresh, and the piece was adapted for this stage.

In the 12th century, in present-day Karnataka, India, King Vishnuvardhana commissioned the construction of the Chennakeshava temple for Lord Vishnu. Inspired by his queen, he planned an exquisite dance hall with twelve sculptures of dancers and musicians. The King died after the eleventh sculpture was installed, the kingdom fell into turmoil, and construction stopped. As years passed, his queen—Queen Shantala Devi—grew restless, and one night, in her dream, she entered the incomplete dance hall. She heard music, and danced as an offering to the Lords Vishnu and Shiva—

Oh Lord Vishnu, you danced so gracefully in your feminine form of Mohini.
Seeing this, Lord Shiva, God of Dance, complemented you by dancing with vigor.
And together you danced with joy.
We sing your praises. Om Namo Narayana!

The Queen's sheer joy and ecstasy brought the 11 stone dancers to life. When the song ceased, Queen Shantala Devi became the twelfth sculpture, completing the temple and fulfilling her desire to remain a dancing devotee.

 

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