‘Synergy 2017’ presented by actor-dancer Hema Malini, was a grand spectacle, a potpourri of colour, glamour and flamboyance. Off stage it was the beautiful and poised actor who drew the shutterbugs but once the show began, the graceful, nimble-footed dancers from the Georgian National Ballet Sukhishvili and their Indian counterparts, the Johnson Phaomei group (Pung Cholom), the Vaibhav Arekar Group (Bharatanatyam) and the Aditi Mangaldas Group (Kathak), took over.
The two-hour show was part Georgian folk, part Indian classical - a strange mix that worked as each was given their space with no compromise expected. The first hour was a pageant of folk dances from Georgia. The opening duet (Qartuli) was ethereal where the couple were dressed in their traditional grandeur- the female dancer in a long, flowing white gown with a headdress and long braids and the male dancer in a matching white knee-length overcoat with shirt and boots, as they glided across the stage together in small, lightning quick steps, in a dance of courtship.
The next was a high energy warfare dance (Khorumi) in which the male dancers were dressed as bandits in black with head bands. The power emphasised by the ominous red lighting, the big leaps and extreme physicality, with one throwing the other up in the air, was offset by precise landings and perfect coordination. This was no impromptu folk dance. The perfection in body alignment and synchronisation and in the expert footwork on the toes like an eleve in ballet, spoke of rigorous training and discipline.
Poetic moment
The Caucasian Women’s Dance (Uchkhresti) was the most beautiful of them all. The graceful and statuesque dancers looked like European dolls come alive with flowing beaded gowns, crowns and long braids. The pastel gowns lit by white laser spots from different directions and minimal back lights was a poetic moment. The folk dance with the spears and shields (Khevsuruli) was vigorous, with the clashes between the weapons producing sparks on stage. Another, a modern folk Shepherd Dance (Khanjluri) where the male dancers landed and twirled around the stage on their knees was awe-inspiring.
The live musicians were seated unobtrusively at the back of the stage. Some of the instruments were native ones such as the Doli (drum), Panduri (3-stringed instrument like a banjo) and Duduki (wooden flute made from the plum tree), apart from the clarinet, accordion and bass guitar. The sole outsider was the tabla player (Kuntal Das), who melded into the team easily. Rhythm dominated the musical score, the percussive effect occasionally coming from the expert accordionist as well.
The Indian section was crisp; the young teenage dancing drummers from Manipur were acrobatic as they made rhythm on the mridangas, altering speeds and emphasis while they leapt and twirled on their feet and on their haunches. The Gambhira Nattai Mallari (khanda Triputa) and Kadanakuthuhalam thillana (Adi) by the Bharatanatyam dancers had clean lines and striking formations. The thillana performed under a rich canopy of orange lighting (Narayan Singh Chauhan) felt otherworldly.
The Kathak segment was electrifying with its creative visualisation in rhythm, movement, choreography and lighting.
The group moved in unison across the stage presenting staggered endings and a chorus of ‘dha’, to signify the sam in the parans, tihais and tukdas. Narayan’s sophisticated lighting created stunning imagery alongside. His timing was as dramatic as those of the dancers.
The finale brought back the live musicians. One by one, the groups came in to the folk beats of Lazuri, a dance from the Black Sea Coast. It was a lively coming together of cultures with the universality of rhythm binding them together.
Hema Malini was escorted in, and mimicked some of the Georgian folk steps to bring the curtains down on an artistic high.
In mother’s memory
Resplendent in a red and gold Kanjeevaram sari, actor-dancer Hema Malini was happy to talk about her event ‘Jaya Smriti.’
“My mother, Jaya Chakravarthy, was not only a strong and talented woman, she was also interested in promoting art . When I wanted to do something in her memory, I thought it would be a good idea to encourage talent across the country.
“I have presented ‘Jaya Smriti’ only in Mumbai so far, but this time I have taken ‘Synergy 2017’ across the country. When I watched the Georgian National Ballet, Sukhishvili, in Georgia I was impressed and wanted to share this experience with everyone back home.
“I also wanted to present some of our best classical dances, so we made it an Indo-Georgian show. This is my first attempt at an international collaboration. Choreographer Shiamak Davar helped with the visualisation.
“Sukhishvili was established in 1945 and has seen three generations of artistes.
(It was a star-studded evening with Vyjayanthimala, Baba Ramdev, Naseer, Suhasini Maniratnam, Latha Rajnikanth and Prince of Arcot in attendence.)