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When we follow our heart's calling, all we need
is given to us, says dancer Ramaa Bharadvaj
By Mallika Jayanti
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Ramaa Bharadvaj is an acclaimed choreographer, performer,
dance activist and a writer. She studied dance in
Chennai, India, under legendary gurus Vazhuvoor
Ramaiah Pillai and Kamala (Bharata Natyam) and Vempatti
Chinna Satyam (Kuchipudi).
As the founder and Artistic Director of Angahara
Dance Ensemble, she has won multiple Lester Horton
Dance Awards in Los Angeles. In 2003, she was selected
as a Master Artist of California by the Alliance
for California Traditional Artists and was the only
performing artist to be honored with California
Arts Council’s Directors’ Award for
exemplary contributions to the Arts in California.
She is included as one of 21 exceptional South Asian
women living in the United States whose lives and
stories are presented in the book Spices
in the Melting Pot released in 2005.
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Ramaa with her daughter Swetha on the cover of
Dance Magazine. Photo credit: Bala Bharadvaj |
A thought-provoking writer,
her dance commentaries have been published by the
Congress on Research in Dance, New York Foundation
for the Arts, National edition of Indian Express
(India), Narthaki web magazine, among others. Ramaa
is on the Dance Faculty at Orange Coast College
and Pomona College and also teaches at yoga conferences,
retreats and spiritual centres.
In July 2000, Ramaa and her daughter Swetha became
the first Indian dancers in over 45 years to be
featured on the cover of the prestigious Dance Magazine
(July 2000). Their critically acclaimed choreography,
JWALA-Flame,
which depicts the story of the immigrant experience
of search, discovery and returning to the roots,
was telecast nationally on PBS (December 2007).
In a free-wheeling interaction with Mallika
Jayanti, she discusses very many topics
related to these two great dance forms.
Website: www.ramaadance.org
Email: info@ramaadance.org
You have learnt both Bharatanatyam
and Kuchipudi. What fundamental differences do you
find in these dance forms?
Answer: It’s mostly
an energy shift that happens. It is necessary to
tap into the male energy – almost as if the
dancer is impersonating a man who is impersonating
a woman. The speed is also much higher than the
slightly relaxed pace of Bharatanatyam. As a dancer
who was first trained in Bharatanatyam, I found
Kuchipudi more intense. The variations in footwork,
especially the traveling on the toes and the heels,
are practically non-existent in Bharatanatyam, thus
(as my daughter Swetha pointed out) requiring different
groups of muscles in your legs to work. The foot
positions such as knotting of the toes and crossing
of the feet while creating pure dance rhythms also
require attention. In contrast to the definitive
crispness and sharp angles of Bharatanatyam, a Kuchipudi
dancer creates more rounded and softer edges that
are luscious to watch. The leans and lunges are
deeper and farther. There is an up and down bobbing
movement, which is also very unique to this style
and which Dr. Sunil Kothari describes as “the
playful jumping of a baby goat.” The movements
flow with great deal of lyricism, in a continuous
stream of sways and twirls, restraint and release,
high leaps and bounces. Another important aspect
is the outward hip thrust in certain lunges and
poses. I often use the comparison of a Kuchipudi
dancer’s movements to that of the sway of
a bamboo tree.
It is also my opinion that some of the movements
might have drawn their inspiration from everyday
village activities. For example, the pure dance
movement in which the dancer extends the arms in
front with two Katakamukha gestures and pulls them
back and forth over the shoulder while bobbing up
and down with the feet might have been inspired
by the rhythmic twist of the village women churning
butter.
What is the
difference in music for Bharatanatyam and music
for Kuchipudi?
Answer:
This is a complex subject and I am going to refer
your readers to my guru Vempatti Chinna Sathyam’s
website which has a thorough article by P. Sangeetha
Rao, who was Vempatti master’s long-time music
composer for many of his dance dramas. www.kuchipudi.com
Have you learnt them simultaneously?
How difficult or easy do you find learning them?
Answer: My initial training was
in Bharatanatyam. It was my guru the legendary Kamala
who took me to Vempatti master when I was 14 years
old and requested him to teach me Kuchipudi. Many
years later, while traveling in a bus from Boston
to New York City, Vempatti Chinna Satyam told me
of the immense admiration and respect that he had
for Kamala. He said that when he was young he would
save the small allowance he received in order to
buy a ticket for Kamala’s performance. The
sculpturesque quality of her dance inspired him
to later expand the vocabulary of Kuchipudi movements.
The complete extensions of the arms, the frozen
poses and full leaps found in Vempatti Chinna Satyam’s
style of Kuchipudi are, to me, very reminiscent
of Kamala’s dancing. In my performance of
Kuchipudi I experience the helpful influence of
Kamala’s Bharatanatyam technique - the perfect
confluence of styles from two living legends flowing
like liquid gold through my limbs.
Do
you have any particular preference? Like Kuchipudi
for certain items and Bharatanatyam for some?
Answer: Not really. When you get
into each style, it has its own appeal.
What difference do you think
it makes while learning from teachers like Vempati
Chinna Satyam and Vazhuvoor Ramaiah Pillai and some
dance teachers and schools? What is their style
of teaching? What thing you would want the dance
teachers to learn from them?
Answer:
When learning from the masters, a lot of focus and
observation were necessary. There was no taping
of songs or video taping the classes and things
like that. They also did not kinesthetically break
down the movements when they taught. These days
dance teachers find it beneficial for students to
learn when they can break down the movements in
terms of space, weight, balance etc. This is also
good in a way. But we never heard those words when
we studied under the gurus. It was more a reverential
surrender – not intellectual understanding.
Recently I was reading
an article that makes me ask you this question-
what do you think that differentiates a Nattuvanaar
to a dance teacher?
Answer:
The same difference as between a cook and a chef.
A cook (Nattuvanar) simply follows a recipe given
to him/her to create a meal. But a chef (dance teacher)
is also the creator of the recipe.
You
have achieved a certain position in the field of
dance now. How difficult or easy has been the journey.
What did you learn that you would like to pass on?
Answer: I wish I could tell stories
of how I walked 5 miles in bare feet over mountains
to get to where I am. But actually it was nothing
like that. There is something called the Law of
Attraction on which the Universe operates. When
we follow our heart’s calling, all that we
need is given to us. All lessons (both pleasant
and painful) are taught to us so that we may accomplish
our soul’s purpose. One of my colleagues,
who was an actor, used to quote an African saying
“Blessing is next to the wound.” My
journey has been full of many blessings to be grateful
for. As the Sufi saying goes, “all experiences
are but preparations for something else”.
So the idea of disappointment and difficulty does
not arise. |
The formula for success
in art (and life) is this:
* Practice equanimity and be neutral to both
praise and criticism. Otherwise, it will be
a long, tedious roller-coaster ride of elation
and depression.
* Do not get attached to your work or let
it define who you are. You define your work
not vice versa. That way, your work will be
able to change and grow as you do.
* Be objective about your work and invite
constructive criticism but at the same time
listen to YOUR heart and what inspires YOU.
Many trend-setters have all been pooh-poohed
away in the beginning by the public and the
critics.
* Invite every experience into life with gratitude
and surrender to the Divine Will.
* Feel free to make mistakes but once a lesson
has been learnt never make the same mistake
twice.
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Ramaa Bharadvaj Solo
Photo credit: Scott Ellis
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* It is not enough to
simply present your work. You must also represent
it both artistically and politically. So get involved
and don’t shy away from writing and speaking
and expressing yourself in other arenas.
Why did you choose the U.S.
and not India?
Answer:
That was destiny, not choice. It was the typical
arranged marriage story. But it is the freedom (financial,
artistic and personal) that this country has gifted
me that is responsible for my growth as an artiste
and a woman. I am grateful for that and wouldn’t
change a thing.
How
different is the audience perception towards these
art forms in India and the U.S.?
Answer:
To the western audience, these dances are international
experiences (like travel) through which they see
colors, sound, stories and movements that are different
from their own – whether it is Kuchipudi or
Bharatanatyam or Odissi or Kathak really is not
discernible to them. It is Indian. And to them,
Indian is mystical, Indian is spiritual, Indian
is ancient and so on. They don’t really bother
about the micro details such as there are 22 official
languages in India, that Vaishnavism influenced
Kuchipudi, that Tabla is different from a Mrdangam
and is different from a Pakhwaj, that Hindustani
music and Carnatic music do have their differences.
They seek the “authentic” and so I have
had presenters even asking me if all members of
my dance company are of Indian origin. This is not
to say that there are not successful Indian dance
companies that have multi-cultural dancers in them.
But this has been my experience.
In India when you perform within the cultural realm
where the dance comes from (eg, Bharatanatyam for
Chennai or for a Tamil audience) the nuances are
understood and appreciated.
What
changes do you want to see in Bharatanatayam and
Kuchipudi- be it in the margam structure, costume,
jewellery, music, length of items etc.?
Answer: The one thing that I have
been bringing up is the role of certain javalis
in a traditional margam structure, especially while
teaching it to children or performing it to an uninitiated
audience. I would refer your readers to my article
in Indian Express about this and would invite their
response. www.newindpress
I was the brain behind
www.onlinebharathanatyamacademy.wordpress.com.
Now I moved out and am building www.bharatadance.wordpress.com.
What is your take on so many online teachers these
days? While you are at it, please also tell us your
opinion on DVD teaching.
Answer:
DVDs can serve as references and inspiration. But
you cannot learn dance from an inanimate source
like that. Baba Ramdev said this in one of his yoga
camps recently about Yoga learning from a guru versus
electronic medium and I am going to quote him here.
“You can meet your partner on line –
but can you make babies on line?” We are talking
about human bodies here and the watchful eye of
an expert teacher is required to make corrections
on alignment and posture not to mention facial expressions.
Moreover, there is direct energy transmission that
happens between teacher and student when they are
face to face.
On the
DVDs, it is clearly stated that it is legally wrong
to reproduce it in any form- your comments please.
Answer: Copyright! In the U.S.,
it is taken seriously. And I am all for it.
How do you find Bollywood
Bharatanatyam? Bharatanatyam on Mozart’s compositions
or shall I say the English Bharatantaym?
Answer: There is no such thing
as Bollywood Bharatanatyam. That is a misnomer.
Holding a few gestures and imitating footwork does
not make it Bharatanatyam. It has a definite structure
of its own and it is also a spiritual (I don’t
mean religious) dance form. That means it can make
you feel connected in a deep way with what you are
seeing beyond the sensual physical aspect. We don’t
have to necessarily tell the story of Hindu Gods
and deities. I am reminded of Dhananjayan’s
breathtaking choreography of a pregnant deer in
a forest. My choreography Jwala-Flame about the
struggles and discoveries of the immigrant experience
and dedicated to the Statue of Liberty elicits that
kind of deeply spiritual response from the audience
every time we have performed it. Now tell me, what
is spiritual about Bollywood dance? It is entertainment,
that’s all.
Dancing to Mozart or Beethoven or Tchaikovsky is
a completely different category. These were great
classical composers who were divinely inspired.
The choreographers who attempt such dances have
put a lot of thought into it. They do not sacrifice
the structure of the dance form. Only the music
changes. It is beautiful when two classical art
forms from two different worlds can merge like that,
transcending linguistic, cultural and geographical
limitations. I have seen Padma Subrahmanyam’s
stunning portrayal of an episode from Ramayana and
so I know how effective it can be.
If we can use Hindustani music and Bhajans (which
do not belong to the Carnatic music system) in Bharatanatyam,
why should Mozart be a problem?
There
have been many talks on different forum for all
the dancers to come together and help each other
so that there could be some good classical dance
and some funds. I personally have faced such situations
where I had to perform without any money; respect
is something I rather not comment on. But as an
artist you would understand the importance for one
to perform on stage. Do you believe in forming a
group/team to help one another?
Answer:
Yes. Union power always helps. We do not and cannot
live in a vacuum. In Chennai, they started something
like that called ABHAI (Association of Bharatanatyam
Artists of India), although I don’t know much
about it. There is a disproportion in the rate which
musicians charge in relation to what dancers get
paid (or do they even get paid anymore?). This kind
of greed has to stop. Dancers, musicians, lighting
designers and set designers must all be part of
this team.
As for performing without money, I think it is a
sad state of affairs. The art must be self sustainable
otherwise very few will take it up seriously. It
will become the prerogative of the rich and that
is wrong. Five years ago when I received my Lester
Horton Dance Award in Los Angeles, I spoke about
this on stage - about the need for economic stability
for concert dancers. Here is a direct quote from
my speech which should answer you.
“How
many of you have heard presenters say to us, “we
cannot pay you but we can give you great exposure?
My answer to them is this: “Darling, if I
want exposure I will strip naked and run on the
beach. California is full of them.”
And that’s my take on that!!!
Since
you have achieved such great heights in this field,
how do you help other struggling artists? Is there
a way one can approach you?
Answer:
I give a lot of my time to the dance community in
an advisory capacity. Making your presence felt
in the community is as important as spending time
in your studio. What drives me is a desire to create
a wider audience, a wider family that can provide
a nurturing environment for Indian dance. I look
at it as creating a family around myself, sharing
my knowledge and contacts and connecting people
with one another. Then people look up to you as
a link, a conduit that brings the community together,
as someone they can trust and turn to. That’s
how you grow and succeed. Otherwise you are just
a leech and nobody likes leeches.
What
do you want to say about old and out of shape dancers
who are not even graceful and flexible but are adamant
on giving performances based on their one time great
image?
Answer: There
are two separate aspects in this question. Old as
in chronological aging is never a deterrent for
there are so many nuances in classical dance that
can be touched upon at each stage of a dancer’s
performing life. Dancers like Vyjayanthimala, Dhananjayan
and C.V. Chandrasekhar look good doing it because
they know how to choreograph to their mature bodies
and yet bring out the strengths of Bharatanatyam.
They are not caught up in a time warp trying to
re-create what they looked like or danced like in
their younger days.
But being out of shape is an entirely different
matter altogether. One can be out of shape at any
age in which case one shouldn’t be dancing
at all. As for dancers who are both old and out
of shape, they do seem to have an audience! Otherwise
why would they continue to dance? So are we to question
the audience who go to see them or the dancers?
It is better not to get into those discussions.
As dancers we carefully plan and choreograph entries
and exits on and off the stage all our lives. But
when it comes to that final exit off the performing
arena, can we “exit” gracefully? This
is a choice that we all have to make at some point.
It is more important to focus on what we will do
when we reach that point rather than worry about
what somebody else is doing. As long as they have
an audience, let them dance.
Please
also quote on how Vazhuvoor style is different from
other styles
Answer:
It was said to be known for its superb grace. I
was watching Kamala’s old videos when she
represented the Vazhuvoor style at the height of
its glory. But I also notice that no one dances
like that anymore. That style is pretty much extinct.
With each passing generation, each dancer brings
something of herself/himself to the style and what
I notice is that this “style” or “pani”
is getting crisper and more streamlined not just
in the Vazhuvoor tradition but other traditions
as well.
So it seems like there are actually two styles now
– the old Vazhuvoor style and the new Vazhuvoor
style. The performing artist who is the most well
known in that style seems to define the style for
her/his generation. Let’s remember that dancing
is a body thing and no two bodies move the same
way – if they did we would all turn into robots.
Your final word to
our readers.
Answer:
I will end with a beautiful story of conviction
and confidence and an advice – both from a
very wise and dear friend Nala Najan, who was a
great Indian dancer.
The
story: Once Tiruvarur Gnanam, a
great Devadasi, was performing a padam (a lyrical
dance) to the song “Manchi Dhinamu”
which was a composition of the poet Kshetrayya.
She portrayed astrological charts through gestures,
to denote the idea of auspicious time. The Brahmin
priests, who witnessed the dance, were highly offended
by it. They felt that it was inauspicious and against
the sastras for a woman to use these symbols and
questioned her, to which, she is said to have replied,
“when you see Kshetrayya, invite him over
for tea, and I will discuss my improvisation technique
with him.” Then pointing to the sacred rudraksha
bead that she wore around her neck, she is supposed
to have said, “Do you see this? I AM the sastra.
I AM Siva.”
The
Advice: On our final meeting before
his death Nala said to me, "Don't let anyone
quote the Natya Sastra to you or tell you how you
should dance or what you should dance about. It
is you, the dancer, who creates dance. The Gods
might have inspired it, but you are the living tradition.
Without the human body, there would be no dance,
no sastra. You are the Natya Sastra. Remember that
always."
Feedback at: mallikajobs@yahoo.com
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Comments
Deepa Ramani - ramanideepa@yahoo.com
Lovely! I loved your thoughtful answers. One thing I disagreed with though, is that out of shape dancers should not perform. I have seen that gracefulness and shape are independent. I have seen in-shape people without much gracefulness and out of shape people with plenty of gracefulness. I thought some of the questions were very common questions people ask, but almost offensive/provocative, and I was amazed by your patient answers. You're an amazing advocate for your art!
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