Most of today's modern dancers have associated with classical dance in the past and found the need to break away from it and find their own medium of expression. The influence of classical dance is there in their presentations. Some presentations have a theme or a message whereas some others seem only to explore body movement. The point being that everything the dancer intends need not be understood in the same context. As Ann Moradian, a choreographer from North America said, "I will not explain my work. If there are 200 of you here, let there be 200 interpretations."

Dance Theatre - 'The Job' by Maya K. Rao
An eminent dancer and theatre personality from Delhi, Maya performed an adaptation of a story written in 1933 by Bertolt Brecht. Based on a real life incident, the story is about a courageous woman, Frau Haussmann, who impersonates her dead husband to acquire a promised job of a night watchman. Such desperate acts were born out of desperate economic conditions in Europe at that time.

Maya had the backing of a good storyline. She chose to tell the story and communicated through words and mime. Her text was minimal but very intense. She moved around the stage engaging herself in mundane domestic chores while all the time storytelling. For example, she washed her face while introducing her story, she kneaded dough while speaking of the slip up of the lady friend who stayed with the Haussmann family and behaved as the wife, etc. Strange as it may seem, such actions did not distract from the story and rather served to emphasize the prevailing mood. At times she was merely the storyteller, and at times she took on the role of Frau Haussmann. It was creative theatre at it's best. Though some actions felt bizzare like the rolling on the ground, and the long drawn out washing ritual, both at the beginning, during the introduction, they may be given an artist's license.

It was a powerful presentation. This, inspite of the fact that Maya had no fancy costume- just a vest and trousers, no make up, no supporting artists. The music was also unobtrusive. Finally, the woman is found out for who she is when there is an accident in the factory. She is thrown out of her job. She is arrested and is taken into custody. She surrenders in her suit because she does not possess women's clothing anymore. She then fades into oblivion, joining the ranks of the unemployed . The end was rather symbolic. Maya sat on a chair with a pair of trousers draped over her legs. She kept zipping and unzipping the trousers. The same action was mirrored on a screen as a backdrop. Literally and figuratively it signalled the end of a chapter in the life of Frau Haussmann.

Contemporary Dance - Navtej Singh Johar
An ex- Kalakshetra student of Bharatanatyam, with expertise in the fields of yoga and modern dance, Navtej from Delhi, is a synthesis of tradition and creative forms of dance. What comes through immediately is his love of body movement. ' Jesus Love Never Failed Me Yet', a composition of a British composer, Gavin Bryars had a repetitive quality with a minimum of instrumental music. The dancer explored the heights and depths of abandon and spiritual despair in this number. His style was a fusion of movements. While his hands would be using mudras of Bharatanatyam, his feet may be moving as in ballet or in modern dance. His range of body movement, his suppleness, flexibility, and his fitness was remarkable.

Navtej then performed to a piece of Carnatic music. Chitrambari sang the alaap and a few lines of the Natakurunji varnam, 'Chalamela'. Here the nayika is waiting and longing to be with her Lord. Inspired by the scene of a tramp singing the gospel in the streets of London, he used a stylized form of Bharatanatyam to depict the suffering nayika. Navtej's joy of dance and movement was amply displayed in his work.

Contemporary Dance- 'Perspectives in Motion' by Ann Moradian
Ann Moradian , dancer and choreographer, has had a wide background in dance training. Essentially a ballet artist, she has learnt modern jazz, flamenco, character, mime and yoga. Three dancers from the Perspectives in Motion Dance Company, New York City, were here in Chennai to present her choreography. They were Davey Bellerose, Joan Mullen, and Deirdre Smith.

The first item was titled 'Rorschach 157' after the German scientist who invented the psychiatric ink blot test. Choreography was by Ann and Tim Martin and the music was by Ken Kirschner. Davey and Joan performed this, dressed in black bodysuits. The dancers moved not always together but in tandem. One wanted to dominate the other at times, but the girl always held her own. The poses they struck together are worth mentioning. The movements seemed a lot like ballet with improvisations. 'Celebrations', an item choreographed by Ann and the dancers, was an interpretation of Rabrindranath Tagore's 'Gitanjali' Poem #2. Ann read the lines of the poem '......... I taketh pleasure in my singing. Drunk with the joy of my singing, I forge myself....... Who art my Lord'. The dancers were dressed in salwar suits with Davey also in Indian attire. Western classical instrumental music by Elena Ruehr was used. The music and the movements built up gradually to a crescendo. The smiling dancers looked up to the sky in prayer and happiness. It was a vibrant number.

The last piece was called 'Vesper', the song of an older woman at dusk. It was a very abstract piece choreographed by Ann, Joan and Deirdre, and set to the music of Ken Kirschner. Named after the evening mass at church before dusk, the item was performed by Joan and Deirdre. A light futuristic chair was used as a prop. It even resembled a cross from certain angles. It seemed as if one of the dancers was trying to escape from the cross, or maybe even unable to go to God. She finally does go. The other dancer was wrapped around the chair all the time, indicating the one who is close to God? This piece was intense without the usual lightfooted movements. And it supported as many interpretations as there were viewers.

Contemporary Dance - Astaad Deboo
Known as the pioneer of modern dance in India, Astaad Deboo has undergone training in Kathakali on the one hand, and outside India, he has learnt the Martha Graham dance style, and danced with the Wuppertal Dance Co., Pilobus Dance Co., and others in Japan and Indonesia. He has also worked with hearing impaired dancers and actors in India and in the U.S.A.

'Search' was the first item, a series of slow, deliberate movements. Thought first, then action. Dressed in a black T-shirt and black trousers and with only blue lighting, Astaad tried to create a mysterious atmosphere. The movements included those influenced by Kathakali, and the martial arts from Manipur. Suddenly the music stopped and voices took over. Many voices all speaking at the same time, in different conversations, all alluding to the search for an identity and the self.

'Counterpoint' was the next item. Draped in a black robe with gigantic gold spangles, Astaad performed a tapestry of jerky movements. The intention was to indicate flow of energy in one direction, and immediately in another as a counterpoint. Starting with the hands, he made these movements with his arms, shoulders, head, etc. He imitated a puppet too with its jerky movements. The choreography was extraordinary, and so was the music which was fast paced, with the electric guitar dominating for the most part.

The third item, 'Rasabhava' had music created by Zakhir Hussain and Vinayakram. It had a female singing a Chinese tune to the accompaniment of Indian instruments like the flute, tabla, ghatam, sitar, etc. The resultant effect was wonderful to the ear. A long park bench was used as a prop. Astaad used it in various ways. He draped himself over it upside down, showing remarkable flexibility and body control. While dancing, he moved along the bench, maybe indicating a conversation between people. Another conversation between man and woman takes place, this time more obvious. The man is pleading for something, and the woman refuses. He becomes aggressive and tries to disrobe her. The woman begs him to stop. As Astaad said later, it wasn't meant to be, but it could be construed as 'Draupadi Vastra Haran'. A true confluence of music and dance.

Dance Theatre-'Women in Motion' by Ananya Chatterjee
Ananya Chatterjee is a woman with a message. An exponent of Odissi, Ananya broke away from the beaten path to pursue activism through art. Inspired by street theatre created by women's groups in India, and political theatre by South Asian artists, she founded 'Women In Motion', to highlight issues concerning South Asian women.

'Kali For Women' created by Ananya and performed by her, and Aditi Dhruv, was inspired by Ananya's childhood visits to the Kali temple in Calcutta. The music for this piece was composed by L.Subramaniam. The dancers wore red and black body suits with matching salwars , the colours being specific to the Goddess. The dancers moved together and then opposing each other, in an attempt to create energy between the two of them, to depict the force of Kali. The movements were adavu- like sometimes. Oft repeated was the pose of Kali with her golden tongue, of course done in a stylized way with the dancers jutting their chins out, and the palm cupping the chin.

Ananya's next presentation was 'Unable To Remember Roop Kanwar', the musical score of which was by Zakir Hussain. Based on a real life incident of sati that took place in India in the late 1980s, Ananya tries to bring awareness of the practice of sati that is still prevalent in some parts of India. She depicted a young girl, rather, a young, happy bride, performing her duties at home and singing to herself. The bride tries to drape a sari around herself and gets caught within it's web. The next scene shows her being dragged and forced to do something; we assume it to be the funeral pyre of her dead husband. Here the powerful words of a poem written by Suman Chatterjee and translated by Sudipto Chatterji was recited 'Whack! The sun slapped the sky....' Ananya insists that she did not attempt to portray the actual act of sati- the actual act of jumping into the funeral pyre of the dead husband. By her own admission, the pain, physical and mental, would be far too potent to describe. The dancer is coerced into the pyre and she just stands there with her eyes open and a blank look chanting 'Agni satya, agni sath,...' Even as a distanced portrayal, it was a spine chilling moment. Her friends come looking for her, but only find her dupatta. In between, Ananya had an audio-visual showing a typical domestic situation with a child playing, and glimpses of the mother.