Manodharma in abhinaya
The Hindu
Spontaneously innovative abhinaya, Balasaraswati’s forte, is a fading art today and something that is only superficially understood
When it comes to abhinaya, one can never forget T. Balasaraswati. While it is undeniable that she was a crucial link to the past by way of her illustrious lineage, representing seven generations of hereditary performers, she also had the extraordinary ability to floor audiences through her extempore abhinaya. One recalls American ethnomusicologist Robert E. Brown’s words, “Balasaraswati performed the same piece 15 times during a concert tour, yet rendered each version anew by deploying a wide range of references and poetic tropes in improvised sections.” Balamma, as she was affectionately called, emphasised improvisation in abhinaya because she believed that ‘composing’ dance for narrative sections was not in vogue among the dancers of her generation. This forms the foundation of the Bala Bani, which is being taken forward by Balamma’s grandson, Aniruddha Knight. The vocalists who accompany Aniruddha sing ‘Thiruvotriyur Thyagarajan’, the Atana padam, which is a crown jewel in the Dhanammal family heirloom. There are no rehearsals with the co-artistes when it comes to these expressive pieces; even the kalapramanam or speed is not discussed beforehand. The musicians perceive the pace when Aniruddha begins singing the song and from the indicative stamping of the feet, accompanied by the clanking of the anklets. The dancer determines the speed and the overall flow of the composition through his intimate compatibility with the musicians. The musicians are not told how many times each line needs to be sung; Aniruddha subtly indicates, through his singing and head movements, when the orchestra may progress to the next line. This makes ‘choreography’ a moot word in the lexicon of the Bala Bani’s abhinaya aspect. It also leaves no room for dancing to recorded music, a live musical ensemble becoming core to this style, thus accomplishing a performative effect through parity and mutual respect between dancer and musicians.More Related News