ABHIMANYU CHAKRAVYUHA

"RUDRAKSHA FOUNDATION", under Guru Sri BICHITRANANDA SWAIN, Bhubaneshwar presented a Dance feature and in its third segment of their ODISSI recital on 26th August 2018 at ADA Kala Mandira, Bangalore. Presented ABHIMANYU's CHAKRAVYUHA episode. This presentation proved that DANCE is NOT A PREROGATIVE of WOMEN. MEN CAN DANCE LIKE MEN even in a sensual, sublime and sculptural dance form of ODISSI. The tragic and yet heroic episode from Mahabharata, the daring and valiant Abhimanyu entering the battle formation from which he could not escape was the focus. The stamina, The sculpted bodies, Sukumar Tandava movements, the satwika abhinaya, of all the artists held me spellbound. The music, the choreography, the simple and yet effective stage levels, the lighting, elegant costumes were absolutely ethereal.

This proves that there is no dearth of subject for dance features and producers need not borrow stories from beyond Indian shores and borders. If the subject is often repeated, yet the different perspective, a new approach to presentation, a different grammar of classical dance, new choreography skills, unexplored and unexposed body kinetics all within the framework of CLASSICAL DANCE OF INDIA still works wonders and are always the epitome of grandeur.

My pranams to Guru Bichitrananda Swain Ji and my great appreciation for the dedication. Passion and submission to guru by the eight male dancers, who make proud firstly their Guru, The classical dance ODISSI, and our rich cultural heritage. A MUST SEE PERFORMANCE IF THIS COMES TO YOUR TOWN.

Equally fantastic was the opening item of obeisance to SOORYA DEVA, and deftly used YOGA ASANAS weaved into Odissi movements was fantastic. The explosion of male virility was seen at its best in the TAAL TARANG. Guru Bichitrananda Swain took a grand detour from the standard repertoire of presentation, sans Pallavi, sans Moksha, sans Geet Govinda, sans Bhatu and sans other items, and it was a grand visual that rooted me to the seat, from which i hesitantly got up when the curtain call came up. I wish I could drown into this performance for hours and hours, nay days and days.
THANK YOU RUDRAKSHA TEAM. Picture credit Shiva Murthy, Program credit Guru Smt Debjani Sen, Odissi Dance Center, Bangalore