Apeksha Niranjan’s fluid gestures and the grace with which she releases an ‘arrow’, while gently and rhythmically dropping her heels, invite thunderous applause from the audience.
The Bharatanatyam dancer communicates through abhinaya and navarasa while portraying Sita, Rama, Ravana, Brahma, Duryodhana, Bheema, Draupadi and Krishna during the two-hour Keertan Rang, a solo recital on Marathi abhangas (a form of devotional poetry). The compositions came from some of the greatest saints of Maharashtra; Gyaneshwar, Tukaram, Eknaath and Naamdev.
“In my presentation, I always incorporate bhakti rasa (devotion), rathi or shringar rasa (love between hero and heroine), and vatsalya rasa (love between mother and child),” says Niranjan.
For example, in Rajasasukumar madanacha putala (composed by saint Tukaram), Tukaram imagines himself as a gopi dreaming of her beloved, Krishna. Then, in saint Gyaneshwar’s composition Tujhya nidhale koti chandra prakashe, the song is presented from Yashoda’s point of view as she plays with Krishna.
The dancer believes in experimenting and innovating to make Bharatanatyam relatable to the audience.
“I choose popular compositions; for instance, for Keertan Rang, I chose abhanga, which the Mumbaikars are familiar with. At times I have even composed on Bollywood songs. In North India, I perform on Surdas and Meera bhajans. While in Europe, I incorporated Gregorian chants. People connect with me when I dance to music that is known to them,” says the 39-year-old.
Little wonder that when she is in Andhra Pradesh, some of her compositions are in Telugu; while in Karnataka she performs on Purandaradasa’s (composer-singer and one of the proponents of Carnatic music) work.
Born and raised in Kolhapur, Niranjan started learning the dance form at the age of seven. Initially trained under Kathak and Bharatanatyam exponents Pandit Badrinath Kulkarni and Alka Lajmi, she went on to practise for 10 years under Pune-based Dr Sucheta Chapekar, who discovered the dance style called Nritya Ganga, which is the amalgamation of Hindustani music and Bharatanatyam.
Niranjan, who is also a choreographer and Marathi film actor, teaches in different countries and has represented India on various global platforms.
“I have performed in Sri Lanka, Italy and Canada. My grandmother was Polish, so I frequently perform there,” says the dancer, who trains her students in the central European nation through online classes.
One of her most memorable performances was at the DAP Festival for ballet and contemporary dance in Tuscany, Italy, in 2021.
“I was the only Indian there. I also taught a few mudras to the ballet students,” recalls Niranjan, who is now busy with her upcoming shows in Delhi and Poland. Who motivates her? “I consider Carnatic singer Aruna Sairam my mentor. What she expresses in her songs, I try to do in my dance,” says the artist, as she ties her ghungroo for yet another practice session.