Event Details

Storm before the Calm
Bharatanatyam by Rama Vaidyanathan & troupe

Chitrangada
Rabindranritya by Sruti Performing Troupe & artistes from Santiniketan

Rama Vaidyanathan, a leading exponent of Bharatanatyam, is one of the most sought-after artistes of her generation. She has trained extensively under Yamini Krishnamurthy and Saroja Vaidyanathan. While deeply rooted in tradition, Vaidyanathan has evolved her own individual style without forsaking the core principles of Bharatanatyam. She is one of the directors of Ganesa Natyalaya, one of India’s premier Bharatanatyam institutes and has received numerous awards including the Sangeet Natak Akademi Award and the Kalaimamani award from the Tamil Nadu State Government, among others.

When the status quo of placidity is interrupted and the inner self is stirred, what emerges is change, movement and regeneration—the dance of the cosmos, the dance of the body and the dance of the mind. The process of churning within a dancer is inevitable and it happens on multiple levels. Storm before the Calm takes us inside a dancer’s mind and traces the crucial journey from the studio to the stage where the elixir of joy is experienced.

The Sruti Performing Troupe has been presenting experimental theatrical performances for more than two decades. This platform organises workshops, seminars and performances to promote the rich cultural heritage of our country. It also provides a platform for young talents by arranging recitals and exhibitions. The troupe explores and conducts extensive research and scholarly work in the field of arts and culture with members of the troupe presenting papers at national and international conferences. The organisation undertakes interdisciplinary work focused on allied subjects like human rights, performers’ rights and the legal dimensions of the performing arts field.

Rabindranath Tagore’s Chitrangada took a new turn when transformed from a poetry drama (1892) to a dance drama (1936). With this work, Tagore put forward the issue of gender equality. Chitrangada has been choreographed using Tagore’s script of the dance drama to honour the tradition in Santiniketan.

Box Office now Open.