Three art forms come together at national dance festival in Bengaluru

BENGALURU: Swift movements, soulful music and engrossing tales sums up Drishti Art Foundation’s performance on Saturday. The 14th National Dance festival at Chowdiah Memorial Hall saw a Mayurbhanj Chhau performance by celebrated artiste Rakesh Sai Babu and the Trikaya dance Company, New Delhi; Kuchipudi performance by Vyjayanti Kashi and the Shambhavi Dance Ensemble from Bengaluru; and a Bharatanatyam production ‘Aikyam’ by Anuradha Vikranth along with the Drishti Dance Ensemble.

“All the three forms of dance are energetic and unique in their own ways. This will give our audience a glimpse of the beauty of each form of dance,” said Vikranth, founder and director of Drishti Art Foundation, adding, “Dance is all about multi-tasking. While the entire body works in different ways while dancing, controlling it and following a certain rhythm is the beauty of dance.”

The evening began with a Bharatanatyam performance by the Drishti Art Foundation, which presented ‘Aikyam’, a performance that symbolised the amalgamation of Satyam, Shivam and Sundaram. Vikranth explained the idea behind her choreography and said, “Satyam represents the eternal truth that Prakruthi and Parameshwara are formidable. Shivam represents the combination of Shiva and Shakti that protects the progress of mankind and Sundaram beholds that all the creations in this universe are unique,” she explained.

It was followed by a Kuchipudi performance by Vyjayanthi Kashi and Shambhavi Dance Ensemble. The final performance, a Mayurbhanj Chhau act by Rakesh Sai Babu and Trikaya Dance Company from New Delhi, combined folk and classical elements. “The city is artistic and colourful, and it’s been exciting performing here,” said Babu, founder of Trikaya Dance Company.

The guests for the evening, included Padma Shri recipient and senior dance critic Sunil Kothari and scholar, historian and dance critic Leela Venkataraman, both from New Delhi.