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
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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.
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