Aishwarya Roshan will present ‘Satya’, the Sanksrit word for truth, with pieces that explore the meaning of reality and devotion beyond distinctions of time, space, and person. Rhythmic and intricate, yet graceful and deeply spiritual, this traditional art form is one of the most cherished of the eight Indian classical dance styles. The beauty of Bharata Natyam is seen in its multidimensional nuances of hand gestures, complex footwork, its ardhamandi (demi plie), and the geometry it presents in space. Nurtured by the rich heritage of carnatic music and its associated poetry, Bharata Natyam is rooted in praise to the Gods and an appreciation of art.
This production is choreographed by Jai Govinda, the Artistic Director of Mandala Arts and Culture. Mandala Arts and Culture is a Vancouver-based company dedicated to producing, developing, and presenting Bharata Natyam, and will be co-presenting Satya. The show will take place on July 7th, 2018 at the James Cowan Theatre at the Shadbolt Centre for the Arts. Doors will open at 6:30 pm, and the show will commence at 7:00 p.m.
While I have not yet acquired the extent of knowledge to that of my Guru, I was more than ecstatic to at the very least share my passion of the dance form to students. I learned several weeks before, that the target age group would be between 8-12 years of age so I had already known that the deliverance of the lesson would be of upmost importance. The age group of the students were distinctively prime- captivating their attention could possibly lead to their involvement in Indian arts in the future, or perhaps any creative art form for that matter. I wanted to cease this opportunity to make a life fulfilling difference in one’s life.
Fortunately, the students at the workshop were everything any teacher could ask for. My education in bharata natyam from a young age made me forget the difficulty in sitting in aramandi, or hold mudras. Inevitably, the lesson plan I had prepped more than three weeks prior changed continuously throughout the lesson, as I spent more time helping them to understand the basics. After they got the hang of two adavus, we decided to move onto an excerpt from an item I had choreographed for them.
Finishing one minute of the song in less than thirty minutes, I was extremely proud of the progress they had been making. As the class neared its end, the students insisted that I dance for them. Wanting to show them the end piece of months of my Guru’s choreography, teaching, and my practice , I decided to perform for them. I chose my Thillana as it was upbeat, fast, and showed the geometric complexity bharata natyam had to offer.
Finishing the dance, I took a quick bow only to meet the eyes of students. The looks of amazement in their eyes filled my heart with happiness, as though they would go home and tell everybody about their day of cultural immersion. Immediately after, arms shot up for a question period. I was asked a variety of questions, that made me content of the day I shared. Afterwards, I was greeted on individual basis with students thanking me for teaching. At that tender age, I know they were appreciative of the art form that captivated the hearts of many, and I hope they continue to foster that passion.
A beautiful class of lovely people. Couldn’t be happier to experience my first teaching experience with such amazing students.Leading the Namaskaram prayer at the beginning of classTeaching one of my favourite adavus to students.
