An Ode to Dance

When ‘ruby’ anniversaries come by, most dancers reluctantly hang up their ‘gejje’. But when it comes to the Nupura School of Bharatanatyam in Malleswaram, it will mark its fortieth anniversary with a rare coming together of its students and its alumni. 

One of the oldest schools in the city, it was founded by Guru Lalitha Srinivasan who is herself a dancer, choreographer and a research scholar, with an enviable reputation in Karnataka.

The performance this coming Saturday and Sunday at the Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan will showcase an explosion of talent as dancers recreate the grace and the form of the age-old Mysore school of dance. Rooted in the old, while speaking to the present, the alumni of Nupura, adhere to the traditional art form, with many of them taking the school’s legacy forward by starting their own dance schools across the world in countries as diverse as the U.S. and Canada, as well as  Germany, UK, UAE and of course, within India as well.    

“It is all about celebrating this rich and graceful style of Bharathanatyam and a journey of a guru who dedicated her whole life for dance. What makes Nupura different is its strict adherence to the indigenous form of Bharathanatyam on one hand and the innovative spirit it works with, to contemporize its highly communicative art on the other. Nupurites not just learn to dance but also learn theory and to teach, sing, do nattuvangam, under the care and personal attention of the Guru,” says Manu Srinivasan, Executive Member of Nupura.

Nupura’s troupe has traveled the world touring UK, USA, & Canada with its many productions including Prem Bhakthi Mukthi; Sri Krishna Parijatha, Chitrangadha, Lasyotsava, Devakannika, Koushika Sukritham, Gowdaramalli, Karnataka Nritya Vahini, Ananda Devi, Natya Tharanga for Doordarshan and modern concepts in Anveshane, Nisha Vibrahma & Kavya Nritya; Sulalitha Nritya, a production based on the research work on Suladi Prabandha of 17th century Damodara Panditha and many more.

Nupura today has become a flag bearer of the Mysore style of rendition and has made it a mission to imbibe its flavor, customize its intricacies and emerge with a style that embodies grace and dignity and a completely different way of rendering the abhinaya or emotive aspect of the repertoire. “Today Karnataka’s dance is very rich and highly active. Large numbers of male and female students learn dancing, even though very few make it to the top. But the energy in the field is palpable and most interesting. Commercialism is still not too strong here. Dancers and teachers hope to keep the old traditions, teaching them with sincerity to their disciples. Younger dancers find the need for newer and contemporary themes and work with intelligence and perseverance, which is a welcome development. The husk will drop off and the healthy grain will prevail for sure,” says Manu. 

When: December 29 and 30
Where: Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan, Race Course Road
Entry: Free