Productions

“The Dawn After” – the first ever trilogy of Kathak, Western Classical Ballet and Spanish Flamenco:

“The Dawn After” set new paradigms in presentation of classical dance forms and international understanding as it showcased points of similarities in treatment of movements. In fact it was the perfect example of the age-old Riga Veda shloka ‘ekam satya viprah bahuda vadanti”. This presentation was performed to overflowing houses in Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, Chennai, Bangalore and Hyderabad and received raving reviews. Presenting a combined pattern with three so diverse dance forms, ‘The Dawn After’, presented in co-operation with ballet dancer Christian Rovny and Flamenco dancer, Dario Arboleda and Shovana in Kathak style, it raised the issue of humanity where the harmonious and peaceful world created by God is being destroyed by man’s ego. The western classical ballet with its light movements and flights performed by Christian Rovny depicted harmony and peace while the Flamenco dancer Dario Arboleda with his fiery tapping and dancing emulated ego and evil destructive elements. The ‘akashganga’ or the cosmos depicted by Shovana Narayan, represented the prakriti or the human being who is constantly under the sway of these conflicting emotions. This maiden cross-cultural experiment was widely appreciated by art critics and people from different walks of life. ‘Fusion with flair …. Novel choreography …’ ….. (Amrita Bazaar Patrika, Calcutta, Nov 22, 1994) ‘Spell binding show’….. (The Hindu, Madras, Nov 25, 1994) ‘A unique fusion of Kathak, Ballet and Flamenco held the audience enthralled…’ …. (The Economic Times, Calcutta, Nov 19, 1994)

           Presentation: Multi Style

           Duration: 45-50 minutes

“Khwahishein”- collaboration between an environmental artist and Kathak)

“Khwahishen” revolved on the coming alive of a damsel in poster and her aspirations. This was based inspired by The Street Dancer of Sadhona Bose. In the dead of night, the damsel in the poster comes alive. Stepping out she introspects her life. The woman is like a flower – revered if placed in a garland and offered to the Lord but the opposite if she adorns the wrists of the paramour visiting the boudoir! How she would like to dance at the feet of the Lord. Instead she is the object of comments and various glances by every passer-by. The night passes and as dawn breaks, she is back to being the ‘poster girl’.

           Presentation: Group composition/ Mini ballet

           Duration: 40 minutes

“Rhythm & Schmooze” (1994) with American Tap Dancer Jane Goldberg (Kathak and Tap Dance)

It was in February 1994 that a unique partnership occurred with eminent American Tap dancer Janet Goldberg in an evening called Rhythm & Schmooze. In both, Tap and Kathak, footwork in various rhythmic permutations are key elements. If it is the bare feet of the Kathak dancer with the tapping of the sole of the feet highlighted by two hundred bells on each ankle that speaks, cajoles, dances out various emotions, in Tap, it is the special shoes with the metal tap on the heels and toes that becomes the percussion instrument. Both forms are innovative and fast paced. The ‘jugalbandi’ of the two artistes highlighted similarities and high points of the two forms. If rhythm tap and time-steps of Jane’s Tap exhibited the shuffle, the paddle roll, the single and double toe punches, Shovana’s Kathak explored and laid out the rich canvas of ‘ladis’, ‘tihai’s ‘tatakar’ in various jatis of tisra, catusra, khand and misra. In one sequence, Shovana exhibited how a love story could be told by just the various accents, slides and shuffles of the feet. Here was the shy gait of the lady love and there that of the confident youth; the exploratory coquetry between the two with slides and shuffles; the meeting; the lover’s quarrel with both stomping away from each other and the final explosive meeting of the two in unison. With stage lights only highlighting movement of the feet, the pair of feet became lovers incarnate!

           Presentation: Multi Style

           Duration: 45 minutes

Mohan & Rambha (1994): Synopsis of Mohan & Rambha: (from Mahatma Gandhi’s childhood)

For the first time ever in the history of Indian classical dance, the subject of Mahatma Gandhi and his thoughts were boldly taken up for enactment. With this play, the genre of dance enactments in English as a medium was boldly introduced. This in years later, were followed by several classical dancers.

           Presentation: Group composition/ Mini ballet

           Duration: 30 – 40 minutes

“Mera Safar” – (by Ali Sardar Jafri)

With “Mera Safar”, Shovana commenced her journey at a philosophical level, delving into the philosophy and metaphysical questions on life. The choreography is based on the poem of Ali Sardar Jafri who although despairs in the thought of old age and death, but returns to an optimistic tone, while asserting his return in the varied forms of nature. Shovana has interpreted this poetry from a dancer’s perspective who realizes the onset of old age but sees in her disciples, the carriers of her art and effectively a medium, which would make her eternal.

           Presentation: Group composition/ Mini ballet

           Duration: 45 minutes

Mary Magdelene: The well-known story from the Bible was enacted by Shovana in the Kathak style at a performance in Vienna and Linz.

           Presentation: Group composition/ Mini ballet

           Duration: 20 minutes

“The Clown of Assisi” based on a medieval Christian story in collaboration with Prof Ramchandra Gandhi

The dance play revolves around a young orphan boy, Francis, from Assisi, who grows up to be a world famous juggler but becomes arrogant and vain. He is brought back to reform, the hard way, not long before he dies.

           Presentation: Group composition/ Mini ballet

           Duration: 30 – 40 minutes

“The Sadhu and The Sage”: an exploration of an incident in the life of Sri Ramakrishna Paramhansa in collaboration with Prof Ramchandra Gandhi

This dance play deals with the conflict between a sadhu’s religious seclusion and Paramhansa’s self-realization.

           Presentation: Group composition/ Mini ballet

           Duration:30 – 40 minutes

"Moonlight Impressionism" with German Pianist Herman Sausen (1993)

Music and love transcends all barriers."Moonlight Impressionism" is one of those unique experiments of the famous dancer-choreographer, Shovana Narayan, which sought to bring together Western classical music (Debussy’s Et la lune & Clair de lune and Ravel’s Ondine) played on the piano by Herman Sausen and Indian classical music through an exquisite Indian folk legend essaying the unrequited love of the night flower, Harsingar, for the moon, painted in the tradition of Kathak. The ‘thaat’ and ‘aamad’ elements of Kathak dance were used to highlight the mood and expression performed to Western Classical music pieces. Through the vibrancy of Indian percussions and vigorous ‘parans’ and ‘chakkardar toras’, Indian classical music denoted the mood of the fiery sun. In order to highlight the stillness of the night and to hear the gentle notes of the piano, the dancers did not adorn 'ghughuroos' so characteristic of Indian classical dance.

           Presentation: Group composition

           Duration: 35 minutes

“Panchhi : Khag Udte Rehna Jeevan Bhar”on a poem by Gopal Das Neeraj (8th Yuva Mahotsava of Sahitya Kala Parishad, February 1993, Sapru House)

Keeping in mind the nature of the Youth Festival, Shovana appropriately honed in a poem “Panchhi: Khag Udte Rehna Jeevan Bhar” by the famous literary giant, Neeraj. In this poetry the bird is symbolic of the journey through life and the obstacles that come in the way.

           Presentation: Group composition/ Mini ballet

           Duration: 15 -18 minutes

“Pralay ki Chhaya” by Jaishankar Prasad

Based on a long poem revolving around Padmini, princess from Gujarat, by the great Hindi poet, Jaishankar Prasad, the poem dwells on how pride and arrogance leads to a fall.

           Presentation: Group composition/ Mini ballet

           Duration: 25 minutes

“Raktamalin Matsarya” (to music only – inspired by Carmen) – play of emotion and psychology in human relationships

Two women, adversaries in love, clash with their supporters ending tragically. In this item, full use was made of various rhythmic patterns and formations in the fight sequence.

           Presentation: : Solo + Also presented as a Group composition

           Duration: 10 minutes