2 days ago
- Entertainment
- New Indian Express
Bharatanatyam dancer Vidhya Subramanian uses Varnam as a medium to explore dualities
Drawing inspiration from this instrument is Vidhya Subramanian, an award-winning dancer, choreographer, and teacher, who aims to interpret this philosophy to life through a Bharatanatyam ensemble. 'Several years ago, I wanted to present a work on the idea of balance. I realised I needed to philosophically delve into it. Years later, when I was thinking about the instruments of gods, I came across the damru. At one point, while doing my research, I connected the two — balance and the damru,' she shares when asked about the show's conception. Every recital would also involve the sounds of damru, though not constantly.
The choreographies explore various dualities like the synergy between the earth and the sky, the tangible and the intangible, young and old, among others, all conveyed through Varnams — a traditional Bharatanatyam format that often explores elaborate storylines. 'Traditionally, in Varnams there is an obvious duality between the nayika and the other, with the nayika yearning for union with the universe or energy (often personified as a deity),' Vidhya says, adding how these traditional confines have allowed her to shift the pillars, reimagine the structure, and create meaningful interpretations within the classical framework.
