Group Productions

The Dhananjayans work on different themes, some of which culminate into dance dramas. These dance dramas afford them the opportunities to experiment with new ways of angika abhinaya. They have choreographed and produced varieties of traditional, contemporary, socially relevant themes in dance and brought in trend setting innovative techniques in Bharatanaatyam and contemporary dance scene in India. Besides themes on Hindu epics and mythology, the Dhananjayans have choreographed dances of Christian themes like Sthree, which is biblical. Sanghamitra is based on Buddhism, Nandanar Charitam has a philosophical theme and Jungle Book by Rudyard Kipling has a secular theme. Each production of the Dhananjayans has added something new to the existing possibilities of expression. A deep regard for tradition is revealed in their productions, as well as a sense of adventure and search.

The Dhananjayans have an eye for detail and their productions are generally marked by finesse and a professional touch. Interesting formations, skilful blend of mukha abhinaya and angika abhinaya to convey a mood, the importance of aharya for major as well as minor characters, good balancing of sound and good lighting plans are hallmarks of their dance productions.

�The team work at the FICCI show was nothing short of perfect and one must commend Shantha and Dhananjayan for their unerring eye for the aesthetics of group formations...well conceived items with dancers coalescing and dispersing with perfect understanding...entire repertory of dancers equipped with clean dance profiles and perfect grasp over rhythm. Not for this couple the undue dependence on a couple of good artistes carrying the main burden, with a host of lesser performers acting as fillers.�
- L V, The Hindu
Clarity is not sacrificed for the sake of subtlety. The productions are so conceived that every person in the audience feels the rasanubhava. Judicious combination of abhinaya techniques in Bharatanaatyam and Kathakali are used. The Dhananjayans also introduced the harikatha style of narration in some of their productions to communicate ideas in the vachika mode. All these enhance the existing techniques of the Kalakshetra style of dance.

In each production different types of entries and exits are used, in contrast to the style followed by Kalakshetra. Every production has a new line of thought and presentation. Dhananjayan does the choreography and Shanta does the engineering. �I am the architect and Shanta is the engineer,� says Dhananjayan.

Bharata Kalanjali was one of the first to create awareness of ambience on stage, in terms of special lighting designs for productions, aesthetically designed costumes and uncluttered backdrops!

�I am very particular about lighting. I even make my own lighting designs. We had learnt all that at Kalakshetra. Only a sophisticated audience, not the general audience, viewed the aesthetics of a Kalakshetra production, which never left the campus. When we left Kalakshetra, and used the stage techniques and aesthetics that we had learnt, in our productions, like good lighting plan and execution, a neat backdrop and so on, many others learnt from our productions and that led to improvement in the general standard of dance presentations.�

�Stage electricians, lighting designers and stage managers became more professional in their approach to a dance presentation.�

�I have been a vehement advocate of ban on banners on backdrops or anywhere on stage, typical of yesteryear Sabha programs. These are eyesores. Tourists, who visit during the December season, condemn this. They come to see good dance and music, not the ugly banners on stage.�

Today, the Dhananjayans feel they are at the fag end of their career and are happy to pass on their corporate show offers as well as the legacy of their repertoire to their senior students who have been a part of the growing process, so they can also come up in life.

Initial Performances
Solo / Duets
Introduction
Some special performances
Important solo / duet presentations
Group Productions, Dance Dramas
List of Group Productions
Student Productions