World famous dancer Srekala Bharath in Lanka for Arangetram
"Kalabhooshanam" Chelvatamby Maniccavasagar
|
Srekala Bharath
|
The Bharatha Natya Arangetram of Selvi Thiviya, daughter of Mr. and
Mrs. Kitnamoorthy and disciple of "Kalasuri" Srimathy Vasugy
Jegatheeswaran will be held under the distinguished patronage of
internationally renowned dancer "Kalai Mamani" Srekala Bharath,
(Director of the Dance School 'Thejas') of India on Saturday 10th
November 2007 at 6.00 p.m. at Elphinstone Theatre, Maradana, Colombo 10.
In fact, Bharatha Natyam is one of the oldest dance forms of India.
It was nurtured in the temples and Courts of Southern India since
ancient times. Later, it was codified and documented as a Performing Art
in the 19th century by four brothers known as the Tanjore Quartet whose
musical compositions for dance form the bulk of the Bharatha Natyam
repertoire even today.
This art was handed down as a living tradition from generation to
generation under the Devadasi system under which women were dedicated to
temples to serve the Deity as dancers and musicians forming part of the
elaborate rituals.
These highly talented artistes and the male gurus (Nattuvanars) were
the sole repository of the art until the early 20th century when a
renewal of interest in India's cultural heritage prompted the educated
elite to discover its beauty.
Indeed, the revival of Bharatha Natyam by pioneers such as E. Krishna
Iyer and Rukmini Devi Arundale brought the dance out of the temple
precincts and onto the proscenium stage though it retained its
essentially devotional character.
|
Selvi Thiviya with her guru Kalasuri Vasugy Jegatheeswaran |
Today Bharatha Natyam is one of the most popular and widely performed
dance styles and is practised by male and female dancers all over India
and Sri Lanka. In fact, the guru of "Selvi Thiviya", "Kalasuri" Vasugy
Jegatheeswaran is one of the veteran dance teachers not only in Sri
Lanka, but also worldwide.
She has instructed and trained several generations of young girls,
enabling more than 83 of them to perform Bharatha Natya Arangetrams. Her
dedication is to serve the aesthetic field of Sri Lanka by paving the
way for the proper and responsible study of Bharatha Natyam in Sri
Lanka.
Indeed, "Kalasuri" Vasugy Jegatheeswaran is a colossus in the field
of Bharatha Natyam and her determination and efforts were amply
recognized as is evident from the honours conferred on her.
The President of Sri Lanka the late Mr. J.R. Jayewardene awarded her
the title "Nandana Kalai Arasi". The Government of Sri Lanka conferred
the prestigious title of "Kalasuri" on her in 1990. The Japan Shotaken
Karate Moin Datyo awarded her the great honour of Doctorate in 1994.
The Japan Sri Lanka Friendship Cultural Fund (JSCF) awarded the
"Bunka Prize". Further, she was honoured with the Title of "Nadana Kalai
Arasi" by the world's renowned Bharatha Natya Expert Dr. Padma
Subramaniam in India.
Indeed, the people of Sri Lanka who are very much interested in the
spheres of music and dance are extremely happy and proud to invite the
internationally renowned dancer Srekala Bharath as the Chief guest for
the Bharatha Natya Arangetram of Selvi Thiviya Kitnamoorthy to be
presented on Saturday 10th November 2007.
In fact Srekala Bharath is a disciple of renowned guru K.J. Sarasa.
Srekala Bharath is a unique combination of dancer, Choreographer and a
teacher par excellence.
Srekala started dancing at the tender age of seven and danced her way
into the hearts of the people with her vibrant style, agile footwork and
subtle abhinaya.
Indeed, she has carved a niche for herself in the national and
international dance arena as an exceptional artiste. Preserving the
pristine tradition of Bharatha Natyam, Srekala has produced thematic
presentations ranging from Literary Classics to the contemporary which
have been well-acclaimed by the Media and Connoisseurs.
Srekala grooms her students with equal commitment to shape them of
Artistes of high calibre at her dance school "The Jas". Further, she
derives her finer strength from her total devotion, determination,
dedication and commitment to this Divine Art form.
When she presented a dance performance in India, one of the leading
Newspapers in India, "The Hindu, Chennai" paid a glowing tribute to her
by writing "A dancer with mercurial feet and her changing facial
expressions was a treat indeed....".
Undoubtedly, Srekala Bharath is not only a veteran dancer but also
well known for her discipline, refinement, spiritual depth and
meticulous eye for details. |
