Bharatanatyam artiste Jyotsna Vaidee traverses the beautiful yet complicated nature of love in ‘Anbe – My Love’
She holds a Masters’ degree in Computer Engineering, is a product manager and visionary, and romances the stage with as much élan. “I do pursue two careers and I see that a lot of the younger generation is doing the same,” Bharatanatyam artiste Jyotsna Vaidee tells us at the beginning of our conversation. For Jyotsna, dance was a hobby when she was all of five years old. But soon enough Bharatanatyam turned into her life’s mission. “Art is how I battle against the indifference of humans and offer new ways of viewing the world,” she says, adding, “I don’t take Bharatanatyam lightly, for any dancer that has worked with me knows that I bring 100% to every rehearsal and expect the same. It does mean I can take on fewer performances but I try to make each one count.”
Jyotsna is all set to present her solo production Anbe – My Love as part of the Pongal Dance Festival and we caught up with the artiste to know more.
Excerpts:
Anbe – My Love delves into the complexities of love through different relationships. How does Bharatanatyam allow you to express such varied aspects of love in your performance?
Music and dance are universal languages. Bharatanatyam is my language. Both the highly developed movement vocabulary and the wide array of music, poetry and literature that is available to us as artistes make it possible to convey any theme traditional or contemporary via the authentic technique of Bharatanatyam.
In your upcoming performance, you explore love in many forms. How do you approach the different dynamics of these relationships through the physicality and emotion of Bharatanatyam?
In my upcoming performance which is in a margam format, I have drawn from my life experiences as a friend, a wife, a daughter as well as a mother. These life experiences bring additional depth in how I handle the poetic lines.
How do you blend the traditional elements of the dance form with contemporary themes like love, which are emotionally complex and multifaceted?
For the upcoming performance, I have chosen repertoire pieces that show the many shades of love. We have all been through stages of trusting friends and possibly being betrayed. There is a Tamil padam which is a conversation between two friends, where the nayika goes from curiosity to doubt that something isn't right, ultimately exploring the emotions of anger and sadness on being betrayed. I believe that while we are using a traditional Tamil padam, these emotions transcend time and the performance itself.
Having performed globally, how would you compare the reception of Bharatanatyam in the West to the classical audiences in India? Do you notice any differences in how the art is perceived and appreciated?
Yes, I do believe that there are still challenges in bringing Bharatanatyam to diverse audiences and there is a lot of pressure dancers feel to simplify it or package it differently in order for it to be accepted. However, Bharatanyatam is a rich language and depending on the context, I have created works that deal with contemporary themes relevant to any audience. One of my productions, The Earth Speaks raises awareness for climate change via the authentic technique of Bharatanatyam. For this, I sourced multi-lingual poetry from the Prithvi Sukta, Andal, Kalidasa and other poets, but used in the context of a very contemporary storyline.
You’ve dedicated so much of your life to Bharatanatyam. What keeps you motivated and connected to this art form?
Dance has been a huge part of my life. Being a performing artiste means discipline (both mental and physical), hard-work, but above all, it is a constant quest of seeking knowledge, purpose, growth; and the more I revel in it, the more I discover.
Finally, what message do you hope your audience will take away after experiencing Anbe – My Love in Chennai?
I am presenting a few special pieces, an opening titled Janani: An Ode to Motherhood; a varnam that is a conversation between a nayika and her Lord, who in this case is our very own Mylapore Kapaleshwara; followed by a Tamil padam on love, friendship, betrayal; a javali that speaks of unattainable love; and I conclude with a very special piece - Skanda Shashti Thillana, choreographed and taught to me by Rama Vaidyanathan.
I hope the audiences will connect their own life experiences with each piece I bring on stage. And I also hope they allow themselves to experience the complexities and shades of love, to feel, and ultimately, to be moved.
Tickets at `200.
Available at the venue.
January 10, 7 pm.
At Krishna Gana Sabha, T Nagar.
Email: rupam@newindianexpress.com
X: @rupsjain
