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Dance lessons for slum kids
 ‘Natyarangam’, the project-oriented wing of Narada Gana Sabha, Chennai, has committed itself, since its inception in 1995, to the twin objectives of providing an encouraging platform for talented young danseuses of significant merit and creating a purposeful awareness among the discriminating audience about the varied aspects of dance appreciation.
In pursuance of this objective, Natyarangam conducts annual festivals with new themes (‘Bharatam’), workshops for dancers (‘Natyasangraham’), dance-cum-quiz competitions (‘Aadavallaar’), monthly lec-dem series, educative programmes and most importantly, takes dance to newer audiences at
their own venues - ‘Jana Bharatam’. The weaker sections of society are given special priority.
One such Jana Bharatam programme by an experienced group of five dancers headed by ‘Nrithya Vidya Ratna’ Lakshmi Ramaswamy, disciple of Chitra Visweswaran, was recently conducted at ‘Sathya Nilayam’, Tiruvanmiyur, Chennai. The hundred-strong audience comprised slum children in the age group of five to fifteen. Keeping in mind the venue and the schoolchildren audience, no religious icons were displayed on stage.
Lakshmi and her acclaimed group - Aruna Subbiah (disciple of Sudharani Raghupathy of Shree Bharatalaya), Priyashri Rao, Sasirekha Rammohan and Guhendran - presented a well-structured educative programme suited to the enthusiastic audience. The group opened with the traditional ‘Pushpanjali’ and introductory talks. Dance terms adavu, alaarippu, trikaalajati, jatiswaram, aangika, vaachika, abhinaya, mudras were lucidly explained in simple language (in Tamil) followed by illustrative demonstrations. One member of the dance group did the talking (theory), while another member demonstrated appropriately.
Expressions (bhava), music and tala were explained both by word and demo. Simple dance sequences like Bharathiyar’s ‘Chinnan Chiru Kiliye Kannamma’ were enjoyably presented. A story-dance sequence on ‘Gajendra Moksham’ delineating the Puranic episode of the elephant-king and his terrible ordeal with a huge crocodile, and his subsequent liberation by God was picturesquely portrayed.
Talks and dances on drama and characters, kavuthuvam and a kummi (folk dance with colourful sticks and rhythmic hand-clapping) were delgihtfully offered. There was an interesting quiz with members of the audience vying with each other to win the chocolate prize for the correct answer. Later, the children were invited to offer their own mime portrayals. The ninety-minute programme was carefully structured in the ‘Margam’ style, with each member of the Jana Bharatam group cooperating examplarily with the others.
Natyarangam leading lights Sujata Vijayaraghavan, Major Balasubramaniam and Charukesi Viswanathan were present providing participation, guidance and encouragement. Music for the dance was only on recorded
cassettes, as stipulated. Light make-up, rehearsal dance costumes - simple and elegant - highlighted the evening’s programme. It was heart-warming to see children from the lower strata of society getting the benefit - at their doorsteps - of much-needed lessons in the fine arts.
R Srinivasan
18-A (New no. 33-A)
IV Main Road
R.A.Puram. Chennai - 600 028.
Phone: 24355576.
Published on 23rd March, 2004
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