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| Silappadhikaaram... a story of women of substance (2004) | ||||||||||
Silappadhikaram is a story of women of substance. It was Choreographed & Directed by G. Narendra. The music was Composed by Bombay Jayashri Ramnath. Script by Kanimozhi Karunanidhi. Set Design by A.V.Ilango. Set Production by Depikka Nagaraj. Costume Design by Lakshmi Srinath. What the press said: The Cleveland Cultural Alliance has commissioned several works from outstanding Indian artists over the last 13 years. But never before has the organization produced so grand a theatrical spectacle as "Silappadhikaaram" ("The Authority of the Anklet"). "To re-create a work of the Silappadhikaaram kind is tough. Tougher still is to compress and present it in just under two hours……yet one felt transported to former times when Kings were running the administration. There was nothing extravagant about it. Yet it was superbly simple. Indeed it left an emphatic effect on the audience as they trooped out of the Music Academy." Narendra, who choreographed and directed the CCA's last two productions, "Abhyasa" and "The Living Tree," does the honours again, bringing to the classical tradition a contemporary touch. | ||||||||||
The Living Tree - a folk tale set in a village (2001) | ||||||||||
The Living Tree is a folk tale set in a village. It is about the relationship between a loving girl and her beloved tree. It was Choreographed by G Narendra. The music was composed V.S.Narasimhan. Script by Dr.Lucille Gruber. Some of the key artists Neewin Hershall, C.A. Joy, T.B. Unnikrishanan, M.S. Hariharan, T.K. Thiruchelwam, K.P. Karvarnan, G. Narendra, Deepa Narayan, Krishankshi Sharma, J. Lavanya, Anusha Natarajan, Suhasini Muthukrishnan, Roopa Vishwanthan, Mahalakshmi. What the press said: "...It held the rapt attention of the audience which bought all tickets in advance and gave the performers a standing ovation. Because the expressive quality of the dancing and the values championed by the story have universal appeal, The Living Tree could also serve as an excellent introduction to Indian dance for American family audiences."
"If folks missed The Living Tree, a dance drama that fused Indian classical and folk styles in an eclectic cultural celebration, then they really missed something. "I thoroughly enjoyed this entertaining ballet" said Mahesh Patel of Tampa... so did the rest of the audience." "The dancers donned a host of roles as the villagers to recount the tale of The Living Tree with style and elan. Pity there was only one show." | ||||||||||
Abhyaasa... the journey toward perfection (1999) | ||||||||||
A dance-theatre exposition, this production does not follow the standard format of a Bharatanatyam performance. The emphasis is on practice with interludes of instruction.With seasoned dancers like Bragha Bessel, G. Narendra, Sreelatha Vinod Kumar, Mahalakshmi and C.A. Joy, breaking into fascinating improvisation and supported by Carnatic singer, O.S. Arun, Abhyaasa transported audiences back to an environment in which one's senses and sensibilities were more engaged than one's intellect. It was choreographed by G.Narendra and also by Adyar K. Lakshman, who filled the role of the Guru. What the press said: "It is very difficult, sometimes impossible to adequately portray the subject 'Gurukulavasam' in a single show ... (the artistes) attempted to present just a few important aspects of the master-pupil relationship. One must concede that the flavor of dance training schools of yore were adequately portrayed." "Abhyaasa is an outstanding example of a flawless presentation of perfect synchronisation between dance and music that was further enhanced by the sublime effect of appropriate settings and lighting." | ||||||||||
Jungle Book - The Adventures Of Mowgli (1996) | ||||||||||
It was jointly choreographed by Heinz Poll, Director, Ohio Ballet, and V.P.Dhananjayan, Director, Bharata Kalanjali. The music was composed by Pandit Vijayaraghava Rao. Some of the key artists included Satyajit , Narendra, Luc Vanier, Padmarani Rasaiah, Sreelatha Vinod Kumar, Richard Dickinson, Amy Hayes and Xochitl Tejeda de Cerda. Given its blend of dance styles and evocative instrumental music, Jungle Book transcended all barriers of language, culture and context. Demonstrations and interaction on technique and objectives enhanced the communicative power of this production. What the press said: "Jungle Book is a pioneering and monumental collaboration……….sure to be a hit" "The work has a soul and that is what catches the attention of the viewer." "Timeless Jungle Book, movingly choreographed, wonderfully performed." | ||||||||||
Jaya Jaya Devi (1994) | ||||||||||
This was CCA's first production. CCA commissioned Sri Lalgudi Jayaraman to compose the music and the lyrics, and Shrimathi Radha to choreograph the ballet. This dance drama celebrated the omnipotence of Devi, or the female aspect of the Divinity. Each aspect of Devi was represented by a different dancer, all of whom were carefully chosen by CCA. Notable among them were Mahalakshmi as Uma, Anita Ratnam as Durga and Sreelatha Rajamoney as the female aspect of Ardhanareeswara. G. Narendra played the role of Shiva, and P.C.Ramakrishna in the role of Nandi provided the narrative links between the sequences. CCA undertook the entire production of this lyrical ballet as well as its N.American tour of 25 cities where it played to sold out audiences. What the press said: "I was overwhelmed by the beauty and creativity of the production." "A triumph for Lalgudi and the Cleveland Cultural Alliance, Jaya Jaya Devi is a tour de force….."
"Jaya Jaya Devi made a brilliant impression in its world premiere... the vibrant music was ecstatically sung... the magnificent costumes filled the stage... by the end of the performance, the refrain Jaya Jaya Devi was ringing in the ears of the capacity crowd which responded with a spontaneous standing ovation." | ||||||||||
CCA's Presentations | ||||||||||
| Sita Rama Katha | ||||||||||
Producer: Bharata Kalanajali Choreographer: Sri VP Dhananjayan Music: Sri Sitarama Sharma Sponsor: CCA Primary dancers: Dhananjayan, G Narendra, Mahalakshmi, Preeti Vasudevan, Satyajit, Sreelatha Vinod. "the vivid epic......captures the essence of the story with simplicity and taste. The beautiful ballet was exquisitely performed...." | ||||||||||
Sanghamitra | ||||||||||
Producer: Bharata Kalanajali Choreographer: Sri VP Dhananjayan Lyrics: Professor Subramanyam Sponsor: CCA Primary dancers: Sreelatha Vinod Kumar, Dhananjayan, Satyajit "Far beyond an interesting performance, Sanghamitra was a rare artistic experience to behold." | ||||||||||
Krishnam Vande Jagathgurum | ||||||||||
Producer: International Dance Alliance N.American Sponsor: CCA Choreographer: Sudharani Raghupathy Music: Sri. Madurai N. Krishnan Primary dancers: Shobha Natrajan, Sreelatha Vinod Kumar, C.P.Satyajit, A. Lakshmanan, Revathi Ramachandran. "The dancers told poetic stories of Krishna with precise technique and communicative power. Their electrifying energy and dramatic projection seemed to flow from the pulsing rhythms and expressive melodies." | ||||||||||
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