Date:06/01/2006 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2006/01/06/stories/2006010614660200.htm

Karnataka - Bangalore

Nritarutya to perform at Gateway of India

Special Correspondent

The company's new venture involves a grand production with 35 dancers who will showcase thematic contemporary dance sequences

BANGALORE: City-based Nritarutya Dance Collective, a contemporary dance company, will perform on January 13 at the Gateway of India in Mumbai.

The dance is for the three fashion designers Tarun Tahiliani, Manish Arora and Sabyacha Mukherjee, who will be displaying their work there.

Nritarutya's new venture involves a grand production with 35 dancers who will showcase thematic contemporary dance sequences. The company selected dancers by conducting auditions at different venues in Karnataka and Kerala. Twenty dancers were chosen from Karnataka and eight will be flown in from Kerala for the project.

The dance sequences are based on the designs of the three fashion designers.

According to artistic director Mayuri Upadhya, Mr. Mukherjee's designs on the theme "Reflection" will have dances that portray the concept of "ying and yang." There will be interesting aspects of opposites brought to light with the dancers creating a striking imagery. Music for these sequences has been composed by Raghupathy Dixit, who has used sounds of bells with Afro percussions.

Acrobatic and martial art movements are the base for sequences revolving around the designs of Mr. Arora. For this, the choreographer has given a tribal feel to the dance and has used sticks as props to create a maze like structure.

The music will be folk with Indian percussions.

Mr. Tahiliani's designs are inspired by the sensuality, grace and beauty of a woman. The choreographer has used techniques in the dance to show the multi-faceted personalities of women. The music is fast paced with the use of South Indian dhol, konnakol and some Carnatic vocals interspersed with the guitar.