Worth Telling

I am sharing a baratanatyam rehearsal video of a performance very recently held in the capital city.

The piece is performed by (including the three male dancers in the video) a total of 6 Indian classical dancers, established in baratanatyam. 

The intriguing thing about the performance is that, 3 of the dancers aren't even Indians. One of the male dancers is French and of Cambodian Chinese lineage whom has established a niche for himself in the Indian classical dance scene with credibility around the world. The other two dancers are Malays; one female and one male. 

I know that the instinctive thing to do would be to compare them to Guru Ramli Ibrahim but then again, Guru Ramli is accomplished, well-known and very synonymous with Indian classical dance; his immense contribution in the process of bringing Indian classical dance to whole new level, dimension and reverence, applaud-worthy.

These people however are fresh raw talent and this small video only left me speechless! To be able to dance alongside dancers like Geethashankaran Lam, Parveen Nair, Uday Win Thang and Hemananthini, one has to be equals to whom are revered, respected and highly esteemed. Their larger than life talents are so intimidating that one humbly receives the honour of even being associated with them, what more being able to dance alongside them. I can only imagine the amount of desire and push the two new'er' dancers possess to undertake such a feat and receive such a blessing nevertheless. 

Hats off to Aswara, one of the nation's most promising dance schools, from which astonishing dancers, performers and artists are created, nurtured and exposed.

I am now more than ever convinced to work my ass off for odissi!!!