Introduction
With reverence for this tradition of Bharatanatyam the dancers enter the stage for a floral offering to the Deity Nataraja and pay respectful Namaskarams to their Guru, Orchestra and the Audience.
A prayer to Lord Ganesha who removes obstacles from our midst. He guides us through the mist of existence and gives us Buddhi and Siddhi, Wisdom and Success.
Varnam forms the centerpiece in a Bharatanatyam Recital and provides a challenge to dance artists by combining Nritta, Pure Dance, Nrittya, Expressional Dance and Natya, Dramatization. This Varnam is in praise of Thiruvotriyur Thyagaraja Swamy, Lord Shiva. The temple is revered by the Tevara Hymns of 7th Centruy Tamil Saint Poets.
The epic Ramayana reveals the grandeur characteristics of Prince Rama of Ayodhya. This is a Story that is seated like a crown jewel in the minds of all Indians. It extolls the great virtues that made Rama the perfect human being. Here the poet addresses Him as the Lotus-eyed one, who is our true companion and guide in times of need.
Sweet innocence in the face of this child of Gokula, who was an enchanter and coveted every heart of the residents, is described in this song. Krishna’s magic was everywhere. He was a mystical figure with a Mission.
Alamelu Manga, the consort of Lord Venkatapathi is dancing gracefully while flowers are showered upon her. She is dancing behind half closed curtains and the Lord is enjoying her attractive gait and form.
A Thillana adds verve and vigor and serves as an epitome of pure dance artistry. The dancers move in ecstasy through this grand finale, and give a portrayal of the complexity and beauty of this dance form, Bharatanatyam.
Thank you all for being part of the event. It is a momentous day for our family. There is no better way than to celebrate this with all of you, the family, friends, and well wishers.
The Combination of Swarams or Musical Notations and Jathis or Intricate Footwork Patterns are Woven in this Pure Dance number that spells the grammar and precision within the Tala Cycles known as Avartanams.
Vocal: Sri. Kaushik Champakesan
Sri. Kaushik Champakesan is a professionally trained Carnatic Vocalist and percussionist. He is currently under the eminent tutelage of Sri A.S.Murali. He has also learnt to play the mridangam at the age of 12 under the guidance of Nanganallur Swaninathan and Srimushnam Rajarao. Kaushik is the recipient of "Ganamrutha Ratna", "Isai Selvan" and has won several other titles. He also holds degree in Bio Chemistry and Executive MBA in HR from National Institute of Business Management.
Percussion: Sri. Ram Shankar Babu
Sri. Ram Shankar Babu is a renowned Mridangam artist. He holds a "Vadyavisharad" diploma in Mridangam and has trained under guidance of Mridangam lecturer Sri V.P. Ramadhas. He has also taken advanced training from Sri N. Govindarajan (Ghatam Maestro). He was awarded title of "Satya Laya Jala Sundaram" by Smt Anitha Guha's Bharatanjali School of dance. He performs for Kuchipudi and Bharatanatyam troupes both abroad and India.
Violin: Sri. C.K. Vijayaraghavan
Sri. C.K. Vijayaraghavan is a professionally trained violinist from Tamil Nadu and started learning violin at the age of 7. He is grandson and disciple of Kalamamani Sr. Chittoor Gopalakrishnan. He is eighth generaraion violinist from his family of musicians. He is recipient of many awards like "Violin Isai vendan" from Flute institute, London and "Violin Nada Sinronmani" from Prasanna Bharathya Vidyalaya, Chennai. He is also the Asthana Vidwan of Shri Kanchi Kamakodi Peedam. He holds a Master's degree in music from Madras University.
From solos to complex dance ballets, creative vitality and vivid imagination are the hallmark of her choreography. Guru Vishal is the recipient of many prestigious awards and recognition from various organizations in India and abroad. A few to mention are, the "Award for excellence in Arts and Humanities" from the Federation of India Association, the Gold and Silver trophies at the International Amateur Dance competitions in Barcelona, Spain and most recently the honor of "Nrithya Seva Mani" at the Cleveland Thyagaraja festival.
Dancer: Sireesha Sunkara Vemulapalli
Sireesha has been learning Bharathanatyam under the tutelage of Guru Vishal Ramani for 5 years. She is busy working mom, but still finds time to learn this beautiful art form. She is excited to perform her Bharathanatyam with her daughter and looks forward to many wonderful years of learning this beautiful art form. She is very active volunteer at her home away from home, Shri Krupa Dance Company and performed in many Shri Krupa Dance performances. In her non work time you can always find her enjoying dance, classical music, connecting with family etc. She has also been learning Carnatic music from Guru Madhuri Chaturvedula. She would like to thank her family and friends for their support. Her goal is to increase her medal count so that Swati does not catch up.