This bharatanatyam performance in Bengaluru & Chennai contemporarises a message on climate crisis…

HCL Concerts, in collaboration with the Poornam Foundation, is excited to present Ikshana, a unique series of bharatanatyam performances that tackle the pressing global issue of the climate crisis. The title Ikshana, meaning ‘perspective,’ invites audiences to explore this urgent topic through an unconventional lens. The performances feature unexpected narrators, such as a discarded plastic bottle, to illuminate the story of environmental degradation.

Directed by the talented Tanya Saxena, this series dives deep into themes like consumerism, industrialisation and deforestation. By utilising the rich traditions of bharatanatyam, the performances aim to convey modern concerns in a compelling manner. The choreography draws parallels to the pancha-bhootas or the five classical elements, offering a fresh perspective on the hidden environmental costs of contemporary life. Tanya Saxena is a distinguished bharatanatyam dancer based in Delhi, celebrated for her innovative approach to this classical art form. With over a decade of experience, she seamlessly integrates multidisciplinary elements into her work, pushing the boundaries of a traditional performance. We catch up with her to find out more about the performance.

Let’s start with the most obvious question: how did the idea of doing something so different, using bharatanatyam, come to your mind?

To be honest, I was bored with what we were doing as dancers everywhere. A lot of youngsters feel it — a disconnect with the themes being represented in dance. I understand using these themes to build a repertoire and learn techniques. I mean, I would still personally go back to those traditional pieces sometimes because of the sheer familiarity of it. But, when you’re looking at the fact that audiences don’t come for classical performances. I mean, why do we have a dearth of patronage? Why are the arts, dance specifically, struggling? I think it’s because we keep doing the same thing. We make it a skill based, a skill sharing exercise rather than something which is content or message oriented. The idea however was not mine, it was Rama Kshirsagar’s. She reached out to me and asked if we can create something on the climate crisis. It was an interesting exercise, because how does one tell that story without being patronising? It prompted us to really dig deeper and figure out a way to tell the story without alienating anyone.

On that note, how did you change the way you perceived a performance like this?

I’ve been trained as a bharatanatyam dancer and so my body responds that way and so does my mind. There’s a certain musicality to the form. Drawing on those tools in building stage, in building stagecraft, we also used a lot of spoken dialogue, which I have put in there as a way to guide the mind of the viewer. Just in terms of the content, there’s not a lot of religiosity in it. We are dealing with the climate crisis, which I looked at from a completely scientific standpoint. I didn’t want to make it about devis and devas; I didn’t want to make it philosophical. I wanted to make it factual. I wanted to stick to history, sociology, anthropology and science — because those are facts that you cannot argue with at all.

We heard that you might be using several languages?

Yes. There is Hindi. Hindi in song and in spoken word and in dialogue. There’s also Bengali and Jhumur — a mixture of Bengali and Jharkhandi. But we also use Kodavatak,  Sanskrit and Tamil.

And how different will the costumes be?

I was very particular about this, that if we are making something on climate change, then our processes also have to be sustainable. So, we have ensured that the entire production only uses upcycled materials.

Finally, how did this collaboration with HCL Concerts come about?

I have actually performed with HCL before as part of their COVID series. It was really nice. I personally like the fact that they facilitate these artistic endeavors to happen and at the same time, let the artistes be. There’s zero interference from HCL — they really give you the space to make art and support you as much as they can.

Entry free.

Bengaluru: September 27, 7 pm onwards. At ADA Rangamandira.

Chennai: September 29, 7 pm onwards. At Sri Krishna Gana Sabha, T Nagar.

Email: romal@newindianexpress.com
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