A Bharatanatyam artiste who wants to explore her art form through experiences that life has offered her, Deepali Salil; and Sayani Chakraborty, whose journey as an artiste is driven by a constant desire for growth and enrichment, are all set to present Breath, a Bharatanatyam performance as a part of the second edition of La Nuit Blanche, an annual all-night celebration of arts and culture, organised by Alliance Française of Madras.
Excerpts:
What is Breath all about?
Deepali: Breath is about emotion, breath, spirituality, and connections. It is about how it is the unifying force of all things physical and ethereal. We have titled it Breath simply because the concept felt very heavy for us, so we wanted the title to be light and relatable.
Bharatanatyam usually sees a woman pining for her lover, how is this piece different?
Deepali: Bharatanatyam has many dimensions and layers. In Breath, we have used the vocabulary of the form to explore the connection breath has with emotions and how it has the power to regulate us. How it is the force that can help us explore our spirituality as well. Our teacher Rama Vaidyanathan has explored this in one of her pieces titled Shvasam, which is also our concluding piece.
We have personified Breath itself, so I play the role of Breath.— Deepali Salil
And I embody the human form, carrying emotions in both conscious and unconscious states.— Sayani Chakraborty
What are the roles both of you play in Breath?
Deepali: We have personified Breath itself, so I play the role of Breath.
Sayani: And I embody the human form, carrying emotions in both conscious and unconscious states.
Deepali: We show how sadness, anger, and fear impact our breath and how if we just let breath take its own natural course, it will help us regulate these emotions, and not overwhelm/paralyse us. We then take it forward by talking about Breath being the gateway to explore our spirituality.
Please elaborate on the choreography.
Sayani: We begin by introducing Vayu, the life force that activates the human body through the five senses when it enters as breath. We explore how this breath interacts with and suffers through emotions like sadness, anger, and fear. Ultimately, the body realises the presence of the supreme being, Shiva, in the form of swasam or breath. Our message to the audience is simple: to connect with the divine, listen to your breath, respect, and respond to your emotions.
Has Bharatanatyam changed over time?
Deepali: Change is inevitable and so even Bharatanatyam cannot escape that. But something I truly love about our Indian classical forms is that you can still do the traditional pieces because their tapestry is so rich.
Sayani: Once a solo performance rooted in mythology and devotion, it now serves as a language to express contemporary themes, thanks to its rich vocabulary and dynamic presentation.
Entry free.
October 19, 8.30 pm to 9.30 pm.
At Alliance Française of Madras, Nungambakkam.
Email: rupam@newindianexpress.com
X: @rupsjain