New Bharatanatyam concert festival explores divinity

Leading Bharatanatyam dancers are poised to present the traditional classical Indian dance in fresh modern settings, using inventive approaches stylised to reach out to fresh and diverse audiences, in a new festival.
Three top contemporary dancers - Rama Vaidyanathan, Meenakshi Srinivasan and Mythili Prakash - have been roped in for the maiden event here of "The Divinity Series," a festival that organisers say attempts to "channel all things divine".
"I have handpicked dancers for this festival. Each of them are fabulous and at the top of their careers. Each of them has a different approach and will present different nuances to the traditional dance form," Jyotsana Shourie, who conceptualised and organised the event along with husband and industry veteran Deepak Shourie, told PTI.

The three-day festival scheduled to begin from September 27 at the Chinmaya Mission is set to incorporate modern concert details like program notes for the audience.
US-based Mythili Prakash, who has been introducing and presenting the dance form to audiences in the West, including United States, Canada, Europe and the Middle East plans to showcase a selection of pieces that hold central to them the concept of "divinity" as she perceives it.
"The art form is really one of the most comprehensive, dynamic, vibrant, and elevating forms that I have ever experienced. The physicality, theatricality, musicality, and simultaneous inherent spirituality make it a shining art form that can completely transport the viewer," Mythili said.

Meenakshi who is based in Chennai and also an architect by training, is excited about the evolution of the traditional dance form.
"Society has changed now. I think each artist has her own personal exploration of art and a lot more artists are exploring now. It does not mean that the art has changed it is only evolving," she said.