The dance field in Canada seems to be a vibrant living entity. It is heartening to note the number of South Asian dancers encouraged by the establishment. The novel concepts of 'Process Revealed' sessions and choreographic labs were also informative. But excerpts of Lata Pada's latest production drew sparks of controversy. An autobiographical dance theatre production 'Revealed by Fire' was an intense, personal account of her life's journey, through childhood and marriage, highlighting the plane tragedy that took her entire family away. Agonizing it was, even for an uninvolved observer. The ethics involved in this was much debated- is it okay to present such intimate events on the proscenium? As a byline, Lata referred to the success of this venture, and the demand for it after the September 11th attacks in the United States. A catharsis for the dancer who knows no other medium of communication, should this cleansing be denied to her? It was a collaboration with the famed photographer, Cylla von Tiederman, and the pictorial aspect along with the sound effects overwhelmed the dance aspect totally. But this is also choreography, in the context of a multi-media work.

Father and daughter as in Prof.C.V.Chandrasekhar and Manjari are a powerful combination of experience, youth and knowledge. Presenting 'Rhythm as a Signifier' in choreography, they emphasized bhava in rhythm, rather, the emotive aspect of nritta. Examples from 'Ushas', 'Arohanam' were taken to highlight subtle changes in rhythm. The influence of 'kalam' or tempo, as well as 'gati' or measurement of time on the mood was discussed. The same jathi korvai in different speeds can make a difference to the sentiment portrayed. Likewise the 'gati' factor was highlighted as in the usage of khandam for anger and veera, chatusram for pleading, misram for sringara and bhakthi, slower misram for sorrow, faster misram for anger or happiness.... Movements and manner of rendering can also change mood. The same theermanam as roudra and ananda tandavam throw up the power of nmemonics, movement choreography and intonation.

As Leela Samson remarked earlier, "Most of the choreography is done on instinct, not as a planned effort to use a particular beat or rhythm." Her presentation of the nritta-dominated parts of her work, 'Spanda' was simply outstanding. A composition of O.S.Arun, with only swara alapana and percussion, the misram, tisram, chatusram, khandam and sankeernam sequences where the traditional movements in dance blended perfectly with the music. Leela needs to be saluted for her admission that, "There is no heirachy in my group dances with all sharing the same stage space." Whether her dance or her humility tilted the scales is unclear, but she certainly deserved the 'Best Lecture- Demonstration Award'.

Krishnaveni Lakshmanan with 'Innovations in Group choreography of Rukmini Devi' showcased some rare clippings interspersed with live demonstrations of dance dramas of the legendary founder of Kalakshetra who had choreographed about 25 dance dramas. Her innovative ideas as in Meenakshi Vijayam, where the stage is invisibly split into two to enable Shiva and Meenakshi alankaram performed side by side was presented in a clipping. Excerpts from other productions like the Mahapattabhishekam, Kutrala Kuravanji, Sabhari Moksham, and Andal Charithram were also presented. A real treat to have the workings of a great mind explained. Complex group choreography was Rukmini's hallmark. So complicated that the dancers would first have to learn to walk through their formations before the steps were taught to them. This subject of the choreographies of such an illuminus requires far more time and depth; this session was just an introduction. Kalakshetra on their own can organise workshops on their founder to further her revolutionary ideas.'

Preethi Athreya, a student of the Dhananjayans, and fresh out of a study of choreology from the London Labanne University gave an account of her creative exploration into movement and music- movement inspired by architecture, finding rhythm in ball play and creating percussive dialogue with the ball, shadow play, mirror creating multiple images.... with neither beauty nor bhava taken as considerations. That mundane things could be seen in such a different light, proved her intelligence and introspection.

Veenapani Chawla from Pondicherry spoke of her collaborations in theatre with art forms from Kerala especially Koodiyattam and Nangiar Koothu and integrating the pancha vadyam drum assemble into them. A demonstration of the Nangiar Koothu by Usha Nangiar was an experiment in progress, with the pancha vadya drummers aligned at the back of the proscenium and the dancer in front.

Maya Rao presented choreography in the rhythm or tatkar and gat bhav aspects of Kathak with excerpts from 'Hoysala Vaibhav' and 'Visions of Amir Khusro,' her choreographic works in Kathak. Kavit, a recital of an anecdote to a beat and her use of ghazals for abhinaya were highlighted. Her daughter Madhu Nataraj Heri, given only 10 minutes summed up her contemporary work, which she treats as an extension of the traditional form of Kathak.

Ann Moradian gave an abstract talk on 'Abstraction: The Empty Space'. A very pertinent point came up in her paper. Anna Sokolov, who watched a presentation of Ann was said to have commented, "We are not here to enjoy! We are here to think and feel!" That about sums up our confusions regarding the modern art form that we lament is beyond our understanding. The familiar gives a sense of security while the unfamiliar challenges you. Ann also negated the concept of universal dance. It is only within contextual references that dance can be understood.

Smt.K.J.Sarasa, eminent guru and nattuvanar for over 50 years spoke about the adavu system and it's practice in the Vazhuvoor 'bani.' Navtej Johar, an alumnus from Kalakshetra, defined choreography as something which infuses the tradition with its repertoire of collective consciousness with personal memory. Priyadarshini Govind spoke about choreography in Abhinaya, and this raised some controversy, as abhinaya is considered very individualistic, and hence not part of a rigid choreographic structure. Kumudhini Lakhia, a kathak dancer and one of the earliest improvisers of the art form gave the keynote address, on keeping up with the changing times and scenarios in dance.

Of course there were days when there were more scribes present in the audience than non-scribes. One such day was the penultimate day- Could it be that Ashish Kokkar and Astaad Deboo did not have enough glamour between them to gather a crowd? Kokkar traced the history of dance in India, a casual summary, rather like an overview from 1830 until the present day. A documentary on 'Dance Today' as made for Doordarshan in 1995, was screened with clippings of artists involved in innovation like Daksha Seth, Astaad Deboo, Geetha Chandran, Birju Maharaj. Note the absence of terms like 'contemporary' and 'modern' and in his own words, "dangerous words to use." Deboo, an artist neglected at home and acclaimed internationally, is a man of many layers. He has been working with the hearing impaired for the last decade, in Kolkata and New York. A clipping of a programme of dance titled 'Dancing Dolphins' of a group of actors from Kolkatta called 'Action Players' staged in New York, proved how such challenges could be overcome by sheer discipline and hard work. A sequence without any music gave the audience an idea of how the world must seem on the other side. He was questioned about the necessity for using music, which the dancers cannot appreciate. The challenge to get them to beat was his reply. To teach them about space, synchronization, and their bodies, was to give them confidence in themselves.

The last day saw for the first time, Malavika Sarukkai take part in the conference. She presented through excerpts from her latest productions, her interpretation of 'The Expanding Canvas' of dance. To quote her, "My Bharatanatyam style is rooted in the sacred, works with the classical alphabet, and allows for interpretations to have contemporary energies." The only conditions being 'ouchithyam' or appropriateness, and rasa, the communication of mood or sentiment. Her new production Uthkanta explores the different kinds of longing- the longing of a tree to put down its roots, the longing of a mother for a child. Here she enacted a true story from a village in Karnataka, where a woman Thimakka overcomes this longing by planting over 200 banyan trees, and tending them as her children. 'Kasi' was the moving episode of a woman who confronts her son's death on the ghats of Kasi.

Guru Adyar K.Lakshman presented a traditional Mohana thillana composed by Madurai N.Krishnan, and later converted into a western notation by Austrian Thomas Navratil. Young dancer and choreographer L.Narendra Kumar got together a group of young dancers and put together a thillana in Gambhira Nattai ragam, of Oothukaddu Venkatasubbaier complete with swaras and sollus. It celebrated the spirit of youth, and the joy of movement, a fitting and joyous finale to a heavy week of presentations. The group discussion on modern, contemporary and dance, terms that are bandied about, yielded a hilarious episode with the theatre director from New York, Dipankar Mukerjee producing an imitation of the women babbling around him in the deliberations. A new experience, to have humour in a serious set up where one has to tread softly to avoid damaging those revered halos!!