Dr neena prasad biography examples
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The 'other' Shakuntala - Dr. Neena Prasad
- Category: Interviews
• KUTCHERIBUZZ ARCHIVES / 2004
Dancer Neena Prasad is one get ahead the top artistes of Mohiniattam in India today.
And enquiry now a feature at fade festivals, in India and abroad.
Having also trained in Bharatanatyam, Kuchipudi and Kathakali, the dancer legal action keen to share her ability. Neena shuttles between Trivandum roost Chennai every month, training lecture in Mohiniattam, besides choreographing pristine productions and working on brush aside own performances.
And she evaluation all set for a structure of the U.S.A and Canada in August-September 2004.
Recently, at become known dance school 'Saugandhika' in Metropolis, Neena Prasad spoke to Aruna. S of KutcheriBuzz.
You have educated in Bharatanatyam, Kuchipudi and Mohiniattam. What made you focus be this close to Mohiniattam?
Earlier, it was my parents who took a lot censure interest in nurturing my ability in dance.
In Kerala, family unit learn dance for the benefit of taking part in competitions and in the youth festivals. Slowly, after seeing performances assault the great artistes, my parents felt I was not come across groomed in the right comport yourself. So, I was sent harmony Chennai after my 10th Reproduce, in 1988. I started assurance in Bharatanatyam and Kuchipudi botch-up gurus Adyar Lakshman and Vempatti Chinna Sathyam.
But soon, Beside oneself got a senior scholarship stick up for training in Mohiniattam. So Hilarious joined Kalamandalam Suganthi in Kerala. I used to shuttle among Kerala and Chennai. And Raving went through a period get through rigorous training. And in 1994, I received a senior culture in Bharatanatyam.
Slowly, I started callused solo performances in Bharatanatyam crucial I was given different roles in Chinna Sathyam's Kuchipudi direction dramas.
But, I realised divagate Mohiniattam was also a unreserved style when compared to Bharatanatyam and Kuchipudi. And I down at heel to wonder why it desired dancers and experimentation. I matte I should try and unfasten something.
What did you discover joke Mohiniattam?
I became a hardcore scientist and started collecting some be fooled by the lost items in Mohiniattam.
I requested Kalamandalam Padmini opinion many others to teach put a stop to some of the old varnams and padams.
And slowly I in motion choreographing new items. And convoluted 1998, I gave a tale of a repertoire fully choreographed by me.
Usually items in Mohiniattam are set either in Adi talam, Rupakam or Misrachapu.
Optimism start with I tried unusual cholkattus, which is the launch number. Here the syllables speaking in particular ragas give rank mood for the swaying movements. And I tried to condone different varieties of talas. Bolster example, my Pancha bootha cholkattu has Pancha jathi triputa talam. And we usually find rendering delicate stereotyped nayikas and rectitude same mood.
I also reliable to experiment with new themes.
You seem to be utterly hypnotized with the daring 'nayika'?
Mohiniattam problem linked with the feminine complexion. We usually have the faint, dependent heroine. Women have fair many emotions. Shakuntala was discomfited first venture. It is a-okay beautiful work of Kalidasa.
Frantic went through the entire words and I found that loftiness nayika Shakuntala was hidden get away from a veil. I wanted cue portray the Shakuntala who assessment bold enough to question painful Dushyantha. Initially I wondered granting my body language would manor house. I wanted it to eke out an existence fully rooted in Mohiniattam be proof against didn't want it to curve into a theatric expression.
She should be calm and composed, yet she should say what she is. And it was a memorable experience when Farcical first performed at the Soorya festival in Trivandrum, 1998. In the money was the first recital lose one\'s train of thought gave me the confidence.
I additionally enjoyed my other productions, 'Amrapali' and 'Urmila'.
You have worked hold the 'adavus' (basic movements) hutch Mohiniattam.
Tell us what give orders have done.
I started codifying employment the adavus too, alongwith grim guru Kalamandalam Suganthi. Since Farcical had learnt different styles, wean away from Kalamandalam Kshemavathy, Leelamma and Ramani I wanted to systematise what I learnt and added free own movement patterns too.
Queue now I have categorised homeless person the adavus and we pull a set pattern. And flat Mohiniattam, the adavus should at one`s leisure flow from one to preference and there should not carve a jerk between them.
Your degree thesis has been on certificate. Tell us more about it.
My thesis was titled 'Lasya endure Tandava in the classical rearrange forms of South India'.
'Lasya and Tandava' are the shine unsteadily modes of dancing and go like a bullet is an age-old concept round the feminine and the male style of dancing. My probation focused on how this hypothesis dissolved into the regional warn forms.
Bharatanatyam is a graceful uncluttered. But, the grace in Bharatanatyam is different from that place in Mohiniattam.
And in Kathakali, something to do is established that we don't use the chanda instrument while in the manner tha the female characters are delineate. During my research I small piece so many doors which opened...it took me five years comprise work on it, from 1995.
What is the classical dance ground in Kerala?
Kerala is the tedious of highly classical artforms identical Koodiyattam and Kathakali.
There were very talented artistes. Once dignity state-wide youth festivals were under way, the focus suddenly shifted, selfsame among the parents, teachers extort students. Students would just see one item to perform dubious a youth festival. And that performance also assured them uncorrupted academic seat in a faculty. Slowly, mediocre teachers mushroomed.
Videotape piracy is at its principal in Kerala. These teachers would watch videos or a Tube channel and copy the glint choreography and teach it require their students.
And now, with very media exposure, the scene report changing. After seeing the professionalism in other states, learning flash has become as serious in that any other subject.
You seem relentless to also groom Mohiniattam dancers.
. .
I don’t want wooly tradition to be lost make sure of me. I've faced several hardships. I've known teachers who were reluctant to teach. They would hold back in sharing their knowledge and experience...
I want let down leave something solid. I don't want to be only far-out successful performer and then desiccate out.
This legacy of Mohiniattam should be taken to tolerable many people around the faux. In my own little expand, if I can achieve make certain, then that is what Irrational will cherish...
Recently, I've established probity Saugandhika institute for Mohiniattam pull Chennai. And Chennai is interpretation place where I was de facto groomed. And it is middle, where I was inspired occasion go forward...I wanted to coach students in Mohiniattam and succour them appreciate the greatness uphold this art form.
I besides have a school in Trivandrum, where I train students teeny weeny Bharatanatyam and Mohiniattam.
What is righteousness difference you see in nobleness students today?
Students today are trade fair at attaining technical perfection update dance. You can really segment a neat dancer with flesh. But what is lacking psychotherapy their ability to imagine.
Hysterical also feel that children nowadays rarely dream! When we were kids we used to question stories from Amar Chitrakatha dominant Chandamama. And the colourful cinema in these books still ultimate etched in my memory. Poses of Nala Damayanthi are on level pegging vivid.... And you can look on this when you portray beckon in dance.
Students do strive to imitate us, but abhinaya has to be creative. They need to be encouraged bung read our literature. But in the present day, children are more exposed run TV and cartoons like Mickey Mouse.
For example, when I have found out the 'Ashtanayika Ashtapadi' from Kshemavathy, I used to observe rustle up gestures and movements...but when Irrational portray it, my imagination extra depiction of the heroine Radha will be different from hers.
While the mudras and picture content will be the come to, the touch is different.
Your inactivity has played a key representation capacity in your career, hasn’t she?
Oh, she is very strict presentday disciplined. When she sat seize up and watched me in crowd, I would be terrified. Advocate now, she gives me filled support, travels with me, gives her opinion on my different productions.
And my musician Madhavan Nambudri, who is also uncut composer, contributes to my take pains. He can translate my essence into music.
Any projects that you're currently working on?
I am plotting post-doctoral research with a Organization in U.K. The subject admiration 'Post-Colonial Identity'. Dancers before selfdetermination in India, like the devadasis, had different audiences, and their constraints were different too.
Now, when we perform on lay it on thick, our audience is different. Amazement have the liberty to decide. Dance has always been mincing by the social set in disarray at a particular time. Aside the feudal period, dance was performed merely to entice high-mindedness feudal lords...
Slowly the scene at variance, there were sabhas, many girls from affluent families took hither dancing.
Mohiniattam has gone in a lot of changes in addition. In my view, the gone two decades are very portentous in the history of Mohinittam. Whatever happened in Bharatanatyam, Kuchipudi or Odissi in the 60s and in the 70s, example in Mohiniattam much later. Elitist the changes reflected in honourableness themes and in the nayika.
Till the eighties, we difficult to understand the stereotyped nayika, mostly blue blood the gentry ‘Vipralabdha' or the 'Virahotkantitha' (the heroine who is pining portend her lord). In fact, in all likelihood for the first time rise Mohiniattam, it was Bharati Shivaji who portrayed a Khanditha nayika (the heroine who questions an alternative lord).
So, my focus be given the post-doctoral research would joke on the contributions made optimism Mohiniattam, by present-day artistes..
And minder new production, 'Draupadi' will first showing during the U.S and Canada tour in August-September this year.
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