An enjoyable visual treat

A GREAT American choreographer, Agnes de Mille, once said, ``Everything passes. Art alone, enduring, stays to us.'' The key words in this statement are ``art'' and ``enduring'', words that were starkly brought to mind as I witnessed the thoroughly enjoyable performance of the Dhananjayans presented under the auspices of the Bharat Kalachar.

There were two surprise elements that evening. First, the extraordinary turnout - almost a full house during the season, unlike the usual meagre numbers scattered at the various sabhas in the city, secondly, the amazing energy, vitality, versatility and endurance of the dancing duo proving that age cannot wither nor custom stale their infinite variety and their immense talent.The opening Deepanjali in Mohanam, followed by a Chaturashra Alarippu, set the mood for what proved to be a very enlightening and enlivening performance, mridangam Vidwan T. V. Gopalakrishnan's Nattakurinji Varnam on Ganesha, ``Varana mugava'', which lasted nearly an hour was a visual treat in every aspect, with excellent Korvais, and elaborate sancharis, performed with the Dhananjayans' usual inimitable virtuosity.

Shantha's controlled and very mature abhinaya in the Kanada ``Charumathi ee upacharamu'' was an excellent foil to Dhananjayan's evocative ninda (minus the stuti) in Bhadrachala Ramadasa's ``Pahi Rama''. The perfect understanding between the dancing couple was amply evident in the Brindavana Saranga ``Swara korvai'' with a beautiful Navarasa Slokam on Shiva as its Sahityam. The artistes sheer enjoyment of dance itself was so palatable that it carried the audience with it and held them enthralled from the beginning till the end.

RATNA KUMAR

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