Samarpana Festival
OPENING NIGHT FRIDAY 5TH SEP
SAMHATI
The opening night of Samarpana- the Asian Festival of Classical Dance presents SAMHATI, a collaboration between internationally renowned Carnatic singers Priya Sisters and the dazzling Abhinava Dance Company. A specially commissioned production for Samarpana, the concert brings together two superlative teams to produce a symphony of music, dance and euphoria.
Priya Sisters-Shanmukha Priya& Hari Priya- often referred to as the brightest stars in the carnatic classical music firmament, stormed into the world of music in 1990. Their music is marked by clear diction, perfect synchronization, classicism and bhava. Their renditions of all the composers are purest to the core.
THE ARTISTES:
Priya Sisters
Their musical foundation was strongly laid at home by their father Sri.V.V.Subbaram. To further their music training and knowledge, Priya Sisters came under the tutelage of the world renowned vocal duo Kalaimamani Smt.Radha& Jayalakshmi and then furthered their expert training under Prof. T.R. Subramaniam. They have performed in more than 2500 concerts in India and internationally and enjoy one of the largest fan followings in the Carnatic music world globally. Priya Sisters have recorded close to 100 albums. Their numerous honours and awards include Isai Peroli (Kartik Fine Arts), ShanmukhaSangeethaSiromani (Shanmukhananda Sabha), MS SubbulakshmiPuraskar, MLV Memorial award, among others. They are the asthanavidushis of SringeriSaradaPeetham, Sringeri.Abhinava Dance Company is one of the premier Indian dance companies based out of Bangalore. It is led by the award winning dancer duo - Nirupama and Rajendra. ADC, as the company is popularly referred to, is known for creating refreshing experiences for their audiences world over. They have performed to over 5 million audiences across 5 continents. Their spectacular and breath taking choreography, soul stirring music, brilliant costumes, larger -than -life light and stage designs transport you to a different world.
Nirupama&Rajendra are award winning choreographers, producers and performers in their own right, dedicated to dancing excellence for 25 years. Uniquely, Nirupama and Rajendra have been trained by legendary figures in the two classical dance styles of Bharatanatyam and Kathak, as well as other styles, and they combine their experiences into dazzling and innovative choreography. Their works feature a range of creative expressions from deep Indian Classics to Contemporary.
Mridangam (for Priya sisters) Sri S Sairam
Violin: B Raghavendra Rao
Watch Abhinava's performances:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TfnHxX9zFdYhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6l0P6IQtbO4
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kMh0QFzkcnI
Listen to Priya sisters:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HF3_oTOHmDUhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-9Bb25LTiyQ&list=PLJNvEp993yHsBQxnD4SyA48cNPtrwP62F
Ticket prices: SGD60, 30
Early bird discount 10% (until 5 August 2014)
PAssion card discounts from 6 August onward
Student, senior citizens, NSF discounts applicable.
15% discount for cat. 1 tickets for 3 shows or more (min. 2 tickets per show)
SATURDAY 6TH SEP 2014 UPCOMING ARTISTE
AGNI
One of the most promising youngsters who are training in classical dance in Singapore today, DIVYA RAMESH debuts with her first thematic production Agni (Fire) at Samarpana 2014, specially commissioned for the festival.Agni is one of the 5 elements (Panchabhoota) with Water, Air, Earth and Ether.There are few elements as destructive or as purifying as fire. Fire is the vital spark of life, and so a part of Agni is in all living things.Agni is in the heat of love, the flame of passion, the embers of separation. Agni is the silent flame of knowledge. Lord Shiva, the embodiment of the Panchabhoota, holds Agni in his upper left hand, symbolizing creation. The third eye in the centre of Shiva's forehead symbolizes the fire of destruction.
Divya's depiction of Agni is a journey through the story of fire, seen emanating from Lord Shiva's form.
Divya Ramesh, a Singapore resident, is a student of Smt. Gayatri Sriram who runs Shruti Laya School of Dance in Singapore, teaching Bharatanatyam in the Kalakshetra style. Divya performed her Arangetram in the summer of 2013, and has since given solo performances in Chennai and Singapore, including the SIFAS Festival 2014 in the Rising Artiste slot, to critical acclaim. Reviewed by Dr. Surya Prasad Rao of New Indian Express as displaying 'spirited and flawless exhibition of talent', Divya has been a key member of Shruti Laya's productions over the last few years, performing in Singapore and India. She regularly attends workshops and master-classes in Bengaluru conducted by Smt. Minal Prabhu, Mudrika Foundation for Indian Performing Arts, Bengaluru.
Choreography: Smt Minal Prabhu and Smt Gayatri Sriram
Vocals: Shri Balasubramanya Sharma
Nattuvangam: Smt Minal Prabhu and Smt Gayatri Sriram
Mridangam: Shri G Gurumurthy
Flute: Shri K Jayaram
Watch Divya's past performances here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZRgg49uzle0Ticket prices: SGD20, 10
Early bird discount 10% (until 5 August 2014)
PAssion card discounts from 6 August onward
Student, senior citizens, NSF discounts applicable.
15% discount for cat. 1 tickets for 3 shows or more (min. 2 tickets per show)
SATURDAY 6TH SEP 2014 EVENING CONTEMPORARY
ENRA
The second night of Samarpana- the Asian Festival of Classical Dance presents enra, a contemporary troupe from Japan who have wowed global audiences with their very different performances that defy any form of categorization.'enra' is an entertainment unit which presents the ultimate fusion of images and live performance. The group says, "We wanted to challenge different ways of expression and to create more complex work with a different outlook on the world." 'enra' is a project to present a one-of-a-kind entertainment in collaboration of images and performance by specialists of various genres. The images used in the presentation are not limited to graphics, but extended to writing and interactive staging, which used to be impossible to express before. The first generation of members includes top class performers with quality skills and expressions who come from various backgrounds of genres such as Kung-fu, acrobatics, ballet, juggling, rhythmic gymnastics and animation dance. Spectacular pieces like Pleieades, Primitive, Torque Starter and Fuma Kai feature in their spellbinding repertoire.
Their piece, 'fuma-kai' was performed in Tokyo for the visit of the IOC Evaluation Committee, who eventually awarded the 2020 Olympic games to the Japanese capital. Performers include Maki Yokoyama, SayaWatatani, Tachun, Yusaku Mochizuki, TsuyoshiKaseda. Nobuyuki Hanabusa the talented visual artist directs the projects.
Watch enra's past performances here
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0813gcZ1Uw8http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IALr6M2NXsE
Ticket prices: SGD60, 30
Early bird discount 10% (until 5 August 2014)
PAssion card discounts from 6 August onward
Student, senior citizens, NSF discounts applicable.
15% discount for cat. 1 tickets for 3 shows or more (min. 2 tickets per show)
SUNDAY 7TH SEP 2014 UPCOMING ARTISTE
NIRAM
One of the most promising youngsters in the field of classical dance today, MadhaviChandran performs a Mohiniyattam margam NIRAM.Having been trained in Mohiniyattam and Bharatanatyam from a young age by her mother, GirijaChandran, and her aunt GeetaKrishnakumar, both renowned dance teachers and artistes, it is but natural that Madhavi chose to excel in the arts.
Madhavi has trained in Mohiniyattam and Bharatanatyam, and has since the age of 10 been a disciple of the Dhananjayans. Madhavi has also learnt Kuchipudi, Kathakali, Kathak, Ottanthullal, the flute and Nattuvangam from experts such as KudamaloorJanardhanan, Vellinezhi Narayanan, KalamandalamGeetanandan. She has won the Kalathilakam title (both school and college level) and is also the winner of the prestigious National Balasri award in 2005.
"Mohiniyattam may look slow and be difficult to master, but it is one that I appreciate the most as a dancer because of its innate depth," she adds.
Madhavi's choreographies have given the cognoscenti something to deliberate. For example, the one in which she choreographed Gautam Buddha's wife, Yashoda, questioning him about abandoning her and her son. Performing this piece titled Yashodhara in the Samarpana festival,Madhavi explores the marital relationship of the Buddha. The main varnam, Niram describes the Mother Goddess whose likeness is etched on the kolam or drawing on the floor.
Literally meaning the Dance of the Enchantress, Mohiniyattam is deeply rooted in femininity, beauty and grace forming the quintessence of this dance form. The swaying coconut trees of Kerala in the gentle breeze are reminiscent of the soft and languorous movements of Mohiniyattam - the classical dance form of Kerala. The regional system of music that Mohiniyattam follows is the SOPANA style which is evocative of the spiritual element.
During the reign of the great Poet King, Maharaja Swati Tirunal, Mohiniyattam received considerable patronage. After his untimely demise, adverse circumstances led to the decline of this dance form till the 1930's when MahakaviVallathol founded the Kerala Kalamandalam and once again revived the dance form.
Watch Madhavi's past performances here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WBYJpH-Q4wATicket prices: SGD60, 30
Early bird discount 10% (until 5 August 2014)
PAssion card discounts from 6 August onward
Student, senior citizens, NSF discounts applicable.
15% discount for cat. 1 tickets for 3 shows or more (min. 2 tickets per show)
SUNDAY 7TH SEP 2014 SINGAPORE -INDIA COLLABORATION
Dhaara –the flow of divinity'
The closing finale of Samarpana- the Asian Festival of Classical Dance showcases DHAARA- The Flow of Divinity, a confluence of Bharatanatyam and English theatre, commissioned for Samarpana 2014.'Dhaara–the flow of divinity' traces the journey of Ganga, the celestial nymph who made her way to earth through the matted dreadlocks of Lord Shiva to wash away the sins of mankind. The river Ganga is very much a living force in mythical and modern India. This production is an innovative confluence of the two disciplines of classical dance and English theatre that intricately weave stories together to trace the mythical and geographical journey of the mighty river. Intertwined with the river are the stories of those that live along its banks, their hopes, despair, their challenges and their devotion. The folktales and contemporary stories are juxtaposed against a traditional narrative in pure Bharatanatyam. A spectacular finale on the banks of the Ganga where the cycles of life and death come together, also serves as a fusion of the two disciplines of dance and theatre coming together. With top notch professional actors and dancers, live music and spectacular lighting, Dhaara is a must-see production.
Singapore- based school of dance, Shruti Laya Singapore and theatre company, WeCanDoIt collaborate with Bengaluru- based Mudrika Foundation for Indian Performing Arts to present this production that crosses borders and genres.
Choreography - Minal Prabhu, Gayatri Sriram and Soniaponnamma Devaiah
Playwright- Gauri Gupta
Director- ShalakaRanadive (WeCanDoIt)
Actors- Aditya Mazumdar, Ankit Agarwal, Divya Ramesh, Gauri Gupta, Karan Kwatra, Rayana Pandey, SharulChanna
Dancers- Gayatri Sriram, AnanthNagaraj, SoniaponnammaDevaiah, KartikDatar, Manjunath, Aditi Deshpande, Laasya Sriram, MeenakshiVenkatraman, Neha John, SharanyaVenkataraman, Smita Ashok, SwaraliParasnis
Composers- Balasubramanya Sharma and G Gurumurthy
Lyrics- Dr Shankar
Lighting- Murugan Krishnan
Watch Shruti Laya, WeCanDoIt and Mudrika's previous collaboration here
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KrRQphR46iYTicket prices: SGD60, 30
Early bird discount 10% (until 5 August 2014)
PAssion card discounts from 6 August onward
Student, senior citizens, NSF discounts applicable.
15% discount for cat. 1 tickets for 3 shows or more (min. 2 tickets per show)