MALA, an experimental Bharatanatyam solo (promo)

Mala literally means, a string of beads. Mala is presented in two halfs. The first half presents an excerpt from the traditional Bharatanatyam repertoire and the second half moves several aspects of the traditional form of Bharatanatyam into a contemporary context while shifting perspectives on approach to space, dynamics and emotive flow. The original context and vocabulary of the form of Bharatanatyam is retained, while redefining boundaries in the second half. In Bharatanatyam, the physicality is developed by the creation of a series of angular shapes within space. The movement quality that is dominant is the idea of cutting through space in linear direct motion while creating these shapes within the body. The idea of momentum and movement that arises through the shifting of weight are less explored. The ancient movement system in India, with it’s roots in the Natyashastra, an ancient text of dramaturgy was far more curvilinear and lent itself more to the idea of playing with body weight and momentum.