“EARTH is my Mother; I am her son” (“Matha Bhumih Putroham Pritviyah”)
Dancer-choreographer Ajith Bhaskaran Dass will perform a thematic bharathanatyam show that pays homage to the Earth
Entitled Bhumi Pranam, the dance is inspired by the hymn to the earth, found in the ancient Sanskrit verses of the Atharva Veda.
The show will feature the Johor Baru-born Ajith, Nadarajan Muniandy, the dancers from the Suvarna Fine Arts and Subraanjali Dance Theatre.
The presentation, with live music accompaniment, is set to an original music score with lyrics by Singapore’s V. Balakrishnan.
The dances will tell of the creation of the earth as eulogised in ancient hymns, the rescue of Bhu Devi by Varaha Murthi, the path to liberation, the killing of the evil Narakasura by Sathyabhama, another avatar of Bhu Devi, and Sita, born of the earth, who finally returns to her mother’s lap, Bhumi Devi.
The choreography and artistic direction are by Ajith and Nadarajan.
Ajith, who gave up a career in law to pursue Indian classical dance, seems to have found his mettle with innovative interpretations of bharathanatyam and odissi. He is also the artistic director of Suvarna Fine Arts based in Johor Baru.
Ajith has performed all over Southeast Asia, India, the United States and Europe, giving dance performances, lecture demonstrations and workshops.
Nadarajan, a graduate in the Kalakshetra style of bharathanatyam, is a performer, teacher and choreographer. He set up his Subraanjali Dance School in 1997, adhering to the Kalakshetra tradition.
Bhumi Pranam continues the pair’s vision from the 2011 production of Vismaya Vriksha, Dancing, The Tree (Vismaya Vriksha means The Enchanted Tree in Sanskrit). It revolves around trees and the pivotal role they play in man’s life. It also draws from the poetry of Rabindranath Tagore, especially the poem Bano Bani or the Song of the Forest.
Bhumi Pranam is the fourth collaboration between Ajith, Nadarajan and producer-dancer Meena Kumaree, which began with Ananda Absolute! in 2009.
Bhumi Pranam
Where: Lim Bee Auditorium, SJK (C) Chee Wen, USJ1, Jalan Subang Mewah, Subang Jaya.
When: July 28-29, 7.30pm
For information, contact Meena Kumaree 017-331 0609, Shanta Nantha 012-309 6369.
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