The monsoon calendar seems lined up with dance performances for the metro aficionados. Coming up is Odissi dancer-guru Sharon Lowen maiden venture, ‘Manasa-Art without frontiers’, a three-day wholesome treat beginning this Wednesday with seminars, photo exhibition and dance performances by prestigious present-generation artistes.
Says Sharon, “After a really long hiatus, I’ve been able to put my thoughts into action. Way back in the ‘90s, I did hold the Videshi Kalakaar Utsav as an annual fare where artistes living abroad showcased their art forms. Then I took a really long break.” Her brainchild Manasa is a metaphor for the connect between heart and head (mind) while she envisages art as erasing divisive lines be it in various cultures across the globe or varied art forms because at some stage, all visual, performing arts are universal in nature and appeal. “It is by no means a fusion. By wiping out the boundaries that restrict art to place, time and space, a better understanding of oneself as well as others happens. I wanted the concluding day to be Guru Purnima as a sense of salutation to the source from which art springs,” says the senior dancer, an American herself, who has spent her entire life in the cause of Odissi and in India. The highlight of this festival is the presence and performance of French artiste Brigitte Chataignier, a traditional Mohiniattam dancer.
Joining hands with Sharon Lowen is eminent Bharatanatyam guru and former Doordarshan director archives Kamalini Dutt. The veteran guru says, “This fest also celebrates Sharon's 45 years in the field of dance. The workshops conducted in the fest are unlike the run of the mill stuff.”
Adds Dr. S. Vasudevan, senior dancer-performer, “The festival is interesting from the point of view of new thought and lyrical content that is being offered on a platter on day two. A whole lot of artistes have been given an opportunity to cull out and explore new poetry and adapt it to dance. There are six of us doing our solos in six lyrical languages wherein we are bringing out the soul of contemporary poetry and classical dance. The final day will have Sharon Lowen’s senior pupils paying their tribute through dance to their guru and the guru’s guru, Kelucharan Mohapatra.”
While the seminars by eminent artistes are being held at India International Centre Annexe, the evening performances are at IIC main auditorium.