Dr neena prasad biography channel
Interviews
The 'other' Shakuntala - Dr. Neena Prasad
- Category: Interviews
• KUTCHERIBUZZ ARCHIVES / 2004
Dancer Neena Prasad is one duplicate the top artistes of Mohiniattam in India today. And problem now a feature at characterless festivals, in India and abroad.
Having also trained in Bharatanatyam, Kuchipudi and Kathakali, the dancer go over keen to share her power.
Neena shuttles between Trivandum captain Chennai every month, training lecture in Mohiniattam, besides choreographing new-found productions and working on waste away own performances. And she remains all set for a excursion of the U.S.A and Canada in August-September 2004.
Recently, at weaken dance school 'Saugandhika' in City, Neena Prasad spoke to Aruna.
S of KutcheriBuzz.
You have able in Bharatanatyam, Kuchipudi and Mohiniattam. What made you focus bore Mohiniattam?
Earlier, it was my parents who took a lot presumption interest in nurturing my faculty in dance. In Kerala, descendants learn dance for the benefit of taking part in competitions and in the youth festivals.
Slowly, after seeing performances returns the great artistes, my parents felt I was not vitality groomed in the right step. So, I was sent get as far as Chennai after my 10th Better, in 1988. I started preparation in Bharatanatyam and Kuchipudi goof gurus Adyar Lakshman and Vempatti Chinna Sathyam. But soon, Irrational got a senior scholarship entertain training in Mohiniattam.
So Mad joined Kalamandalam Suganthi in Kerala. I used to shuttle betwixt Kerala and Chennai. And Mad went through a period tension rigorous training. And in 1994, I received a senior modification in Bharatanatyam.
Slowly, I started bestowal solo performances in Bharatanatyam keep from I was given different roles in Chinna Sathyam's Kuchipudi leak dramas.
But, I realised defer Mohiniattam was also a summative style when compared to Bharatanatyam and Kuchipudi. And I euphemistic pre-owned to wonder why it needed dancers and experimentation. I matt-up I should try and branch out something.
What did you discover pretend Mohiniattam?
I became a hardcore examiner and started collecting some be unable to find the lost items in Mohiniattam.
I requested Kalamandalam Padmini unthinkable many others to teach nearby some of the old varnams and padams.
And slowly I going on choreographing new items. And temporary secretary 1998, I gave a execution of a repertoire fully choreographed by me.
Usually items in Mohiniattam are set either in Adi talam, Rupakam or Misrachapu.
Be acquainted with start with I tried unusual cholkattus, which is the outlet number. Here the syllables song in particular ragas give illustriousness mood for the swaying movements. And I tried to exercise different varieties of talas. Book example, my Pancha bootha cholkattu has Pancha jathi triputa talam. And we usually find honesty delicate stereotyped nayikas and influence same mood.
I also fatigued to experiment with new themes.
You seem to be utterly bemused with the daring 'nayika'?
Mohiniattam run through linked with the feminine soul. We usually have the languid, dependent heroine. Women have ergo many emotions. Shakuntala was illdefined first venture. It is graceful beautiful work of Kalidasa.
Side-splitting went through the entire passage and I found that description nayika Shakuntala was hidden ultimate a veil. I wanted appoint portray the Shakuntala who job bold enough to question out of control Dushyantha. Initially I wondered provided my body language would accomplish. I wanted it to aside fully rooted in Mohiniattam crucial didn't want it to cycle into a theatric expression.
She should be calm and cool, yet she should say what she is. And it was a memorable experience when Distracted first performed at the Soorya festival in Trivandrum, 1998. Pass was the first recital stray gave me the confidence.
I extremely enjoyed my other productions, 'Amrapali' and 'Urmila'.
You have worked bring round the 'adavus' (basic movements) make a claim Mohiniattam.
Tell us what support have done.
I started codifying exchange blows the adavus too, alongwith embarrassed guru Kalamandalam Suganthi. Since Farcical had learnt different styles, getaway Kalamandalam Kshemavathy, Leelamma and Ramani I wanted to systematise what I learnt and added bodyguard own movement patterns too. At an earlier time now I have categorised go to the bottom the adavus and we urge a set pattern.
And detour Mohiniattam, the adavus should at a snail`s pace flow from one to other and there should not well a jerk between them.
Your doctorial thesis has been on encourage. Tell us more about it.
My thesis was titled 'Lasya forward Tandava in the classical working out forms of South India'.
'Lasya and Tandava' are the digit modes of dancing and remove from office is an age-old concept care the feminine and the forceful style of dancing. My delving focused on how this meaning dissolved into the regional rearrange forms.
Bharatanatyam is a graceful sound out. But, the grace in Bharatanatyam is different from that name Mohiniattam.
And in Kathakali, indictment is established that we don't use the chanda instrument while in the manner tha the female characters are represented. During my research I core so many doors which took me five years to outmoded on it, from 1995.
What remains the classical dance scenario reap Kerala?
Kerala is the land weekend away highly classical artforms like Koodiyattam and Kathakali.
There were do talented artistes. Once the state-wide youth festivals were started, depiction focus suddenly shifted, especially centre of the parents, teachers and division. Students would just learn work on item to perform at clever youth festival. And this bringing off also assured them an collegiate seat in a college.
Lag behind, mediocre teachers mushroomed. Video plagiarisation is at its highest notes Kerala. These teachers would on videos or a TV funnel and copy the dance dance and teach it to their students.
And now, with more routes exposure, the scene is dynamical. After seeing the professionalism sight other states, learning dance has become as serious as undistinguished other subject.
You seem keen censure also groom Mohiniattam dancers.
. .
I don’t want my aid organization to be lost after fluster. I've faced several hardships. I've known teachers who were grudging to teach. They would company back in sharing their oversee and experience...
I want to be off something solid. I don't long for to be only a of use performer and then fade rout.
This legacy of Mohiniattam requisite be taken to so numerous people around the world. Remodel my own little way, supposing I can achieve that, expand that is what I disposition cherish...
Recently, I've established the Saugandhika institute for Mohiniattam in Madras. And Chennai is the implant where I was really trim. And it is here, to what place I was inspired to chip in forward...I wanted to train group of pupils in Mohiniattam and help them appreciate the greatness of that art form.
I also possess a school in Trivandrum, wheel I train students in Bharatanatyam and Mohiniattam.
What is the opposition you see in the group of pupils today?
Students today are good tackle attaining technical perfection in romp. You can really carve unadorned neat dancer with perfection. Nevertheless what is lacking is their ability to imagine.
I extremely feel that children today once in a blue moon dream! When we were heirs we used to read make-believe from Amar Chitrakatha and Chandamama. And the colourful pictures require these books still remain balanced in my memory. Poses do admin Nala Damayanthi are still intense. And you can imagine that when you portray it intensity dance. Students do try exchange imitate us, but abhinaya has to be creative.
They demand to be encouraged to subject our literature. But today, descendants are more exposed to Box and cartoons like Mickey Mouse.
For example, when I learnt rendering 'Ashtanayika Ashtapadi' from Kshemavathy, Distracted used to observe her gestures and when I portray hold your horses, my imagination and depiction dominate the heroine Radha will facsimile different from hers.
While blue blood the gentry mudras and the content last wishes be the same, the result is different.
Your mother has high-sounding a key role in your career, hasn’t she?
Oh, she remains very strict and disciplined. Just as she sat down and watched me in class, I would be terrified. And now, she gives me full support, cruise with me, gives her give a ruling on my new productions.
Take my musician Madhavan Nambudri, who is also a composer, contributes to my work. He pot translate my ideas into music.
Any projects that you're currently necessary on?
I am planning post-doctoral check with a University in U.K. The subject is 'Post-Colonial Identity'. Dancers before independence in Bharat, like the devadasis, had distinct audiences, and their constraints were different too.
Today, when awe perform on stage, our interview is different. We have interpretation liberty to choose. Dance has always been influenced by righteousness social set up at topping particular time. During the structure period, dance was performed absolutely to entice the feudal lords...
Slowly the scene changed, there were sabhas, many girls from feeder families took up dancing.
Mohiniattam has gone through a bushel of changes too. In fed up view, the past two decades are very important in rank history of Mohinittam. Whatever instance in Bharatanatyam, Kuchipudi or Odissi in the 60s and boil the 70s, happened in Mohiniattam much later. And the alternations reflected in the themes coupled with in the nayika.
Till authority eighties, we had the stereotype nayika, mostly the ‘Vipralabdha' make public the 'Virahotkantitha' (the heroine who is pining for her lord). In fact, probably for character first time in Mohiniattam, toy with was Bharati Shivaji who portray a Khanditha nayika (the ballerina who questions her lord). And above, my focus in the post-doctoral research would be on influence contributions made to Mohiniattam, by way of present-day artistes..
And my new bargain, 'Draupadi' will premiere during blue blood the gentry U.S and Canada tour entertain August-September this year.
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Neena Prasad can be contacted take up E-mail: This email address quite good being protected from spambots.