Ballet graduates from the Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts will for the first time dance to the tunes of Indian musical instruments nadaswaram and tavil at the Samskriti Festival.
Organised by non-profit organisation Kalpraviksha Fine Arts from Aug 4 to 6 at School of the Arts Singapore, the festival is a celebration of Indian arts.
The 90-minute show Mallari will predominantly delve into the evolution of nadaswaram across four eras – Bhakti, Royal, Popular Media and Modern. It will blend the captivating allure of nadaswaram music with the artistry of South Indian dance forms bharatanatyam and mohiniattam.
The bharatanatyam will be performed by Kalpraviksha students, led by Meera Balasubramanian while Sreedevi Sivarajasingam will be leading the Omkar Arts students.
The Medasvi School of Dance students, led by Haritha Haridas, will be performing the mohiniattam.
The performances will be accompanied by an accomplished group of musicians from Kerala, who will be playing the nadaswaram, tavil and mridangam.
There are two other shows later this year that have been slated for the Samskriti Festival.
Isai Darbar, a two-hour Carnatic music concert, will showcase the talent and artistry of young prodigy Abhishek Raghuram.
Kasi – The Infinite, a 90-minute bharatanatyam production, will explore the physical and metaphysical aspects of life through intricate choreography and dance storytelling. It puts the spotlight on Kasi or Varanasi, a spiritual city in India and its profound influence on culture.
Choreographed by seasoned dancer Meera, who is noted for her unique and innovative approach to presentations, Kasi – The Infinite will feature an ensemble of young and talented dancers from Singapore.
It will also have a special segment – an ode to the Benares gharana – by Kathak exponent Jyotika Joshi, a member of the Singapore Indian Fine Arts Society faculty.
“Samskriti aims to create awareness among young minds on the virtuosity of traditional Indian music and dance, and their evolution,” said Meera, who is also executive director of Kalpraviksha.
“The carefully-curated programmes are categorised under People, Places and Practices. Each category is intended to provide a unique and meaningful experience to the multi-ethnic audience.”
V.K. Santosh Kumar
