Many books on dance talk about how the layman likes quick movements and rhythmic pieces. There is a certain amount of condescension when dancers write about quick eye-movements and complicated-looking footwork because all of that is eye-wash. It is easy showmanship for an uninitiated audience. The true connoisseurs of art, say dancers, are those who realise the beauty of slowness and depth rather than eye-catching speed.
In 2012, we had three performances in France – two in Renage, and one in Voiron. After our Renage performances, we asked our friends and members of the audience which pieces they liked so that we could decide on the pieces we would perform at Voiron. And the answers took us by surprise.
The favourite pieces, we discovered, were the slower, deeper pieces. Those that explored a rasa like bhakti, devotion. Those that gave full sway to abhinaya.
Because abhinaya, whether the audience understands it or not, is the core of classical dance. It is what makes the dance sublime.
Learn more at our workshop on Abhinaya.
Dates: 26th and 27th July, 2014
Time: 5-7 pm
Registration fee: Rs. 1,500
Age-group: 16+
Venue: The Cultural Centre, Pune
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