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Graceful dancer from Switzerland
Ueli Morgenthaler... perfect movements, subtle abhinaya.
WHEN Ueli Morgenthaler appeared on the stage after the curtain went up, one was surprised to see an extremely delicate body frame and fragile limbs. There was a serene expression on the face which had a broad forehead with copper hair brushed back tightly into a small knot on the back. Morgenthaler was bare-chested and wore a heavy silk and gold half female costume. One wondered whether such a frail frame would even be able to hold a Natyarambham position of Bharathanatyam.
The Pushpanjali and the Alaripu were slow and steady. Ah! one thought. He has made it up to this. Will he be able to finish a Varnam? The Jatiswaram in the Raga Malayamarutham was announced and the dancer seemed to be one possessed. He completed the taxing Jatiswaram composed by Padma Subramaniam with a pounding earthiness. The Jatiswaram and the Varnam in the Raga Nattakurinji that followed had very little of the Karanas that Padma Subramaniam is so famous for. Ueli Morgenthaler's Guru Vadivudevi Pandiarajan is a disciple of Padma Subramaniam and she choreographed the Varnam very cleverly by retaining most of the Adavu system of the Thanjavur Quartet and adding the Karanas of the Padma style judiciously in the most appropriate places like the Charanam "Nataraja Deva'' in the Varnam. The varnam has a time tested heaviness to it and the trend is to speed up but the kalapramana here was slow and gave ample opportunity for the dancer to complete each movement perfectly and for the audience to enjoy the music to its fullest. The effect was simple, imaginative and striking.
Ueli Morgenthaler then performed the Padam, "Meenakshi Thaye'' in the raga Abhogi. The movements were perfect and the Abhinaya was subtle. "Adi Kondan'' a Nritapadam in Mayamalavagowla further taxed the dancer who seemed to have enormous stamina.
The depiction of Siva's tandavam and Kali natanam were particularly well-conceived and choreographed and the dancer did full justice to the item. The most impressive aspect of the performance was Morgenthaler's absolute sincerity and hardwork that was evident. Not a movement was given a casual treatment. Everything was completed and the hands spoke gracefully through the Nritta Hastas and the Mudras. He has had training in classical ballet in his hometown in Switzerland and Hata Yoga (that explains the stamina!).
Aqualified medical attendant and an aroma therapist, he learnt Bharathanatyam for ten years in Switzerland.
He then decided to come over to Thanjavur and learn dance from Vadivudevi at her Padmasri Natyalayam. He had his arangetram at the Saraswati Mahal palace in Thanjavur in October and the Chennai performance at the Mylapore Fine Arts Club is his first performance as a solo dancer. But he performed like a veteran.
Musical supportto the dance was exceptionally good and the dancer and the orchestra had a good rapport.
Nattuvangam by Vadivudevi Pandiarajan, vocal by Meera Sampathkumar, mridangam by Sankara Subramanian, flute by Bhagyalakshmi and violin by Raghavendra Rao synchronised beautifully with the dance.
V.R. DEVIKA
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