Ujjain (Madhya Pradesh): Debasmita Thakur, an emerging Bharatanatyam dancer from Delhi, will be presenting workshop-demonstrations in government schools of Ujjain through this week. As part of the SPIC MACAY workshop-demonstration module, Debasmita visited two schools on Wednesday. In each of the schools she presented ‘devi stuti’ choreographed by Rama Vaidyanathan, SNA awardee.
In these dances devi mahatmayam in praise of goddess Durga as the vanquisher of all evil as well as being the benevolent mother. She is Chamundeshwari, wearing garlands of skulls around her neck, destroying demons like Mahishasura, and at the same time she is varadayini. Devi stuti set to Raga Malika and Adi Talam (a cycle of 8 beats).
Debasmita explained the classical dance, emphasising that classical tradition was based on the Shastras; how the dance of Bharatanatyam originated in the temples and was practised by the devadasis. She also showcased the two aspects of dance - abhinaya and nritta.
The children enjoyed learning the traditional bhumi pranam which is performed at the beginning and end of the dance, some basic stances of dance as well as a few hasta mudras and their uses. They also enjoyed enacting small sequences using facial expressions. Debasmita showed a small abhinaya through the story of school-going students. She presented ‘Gunjana van’ Meera Bai bhajan, through this dance she portrayed her abhinaya skill. Debasmita concluded her presentation with a thillana, this thillana was composed and choreographed by her guru Padmabhusan awardee Dr Saroja Vaidyanathan.
This thillana set to ragam Behag n adi talam (a cycle of 8 beats). A vote of thanks was proposed by lecturers GP Kachole and Rashmi Karjotkar, respectively.
SPIC MACAY national vice-chairperson Pankaj Agrawal informed that on Thursday she will first perform in Government Middle School Ninora at 11 am and the second performance will be at 12.30 pm in Government Middle School Ramwasa, Indore Road.
