Celebrating 50 years of her dancing career, Subrahmanyam's presentation of navarasa included pieces that were easy to identify with and had a clear cut underlying rasa. Most were excerpts from well-known stories or plays that at once gave a ready-made context for the character portrayed. We already knew their story; hence the 'rasa anubhava' was immediate.

The most intense was the portrayal of 'shokam' and 'roudram' in Kannagi's character in Silapaddikaram. Striding into Madurai in anger, asking to see the king, Kannagi is triumphant when she breaks her anklet and proves her husband's innocence, but that exultation turns to sorrow when she realises the futility of the exercise. In turn, sorrow turns to anger on the unjust king and the kingdom that she curses in all her fury. A melodramatic sequence usually seen on screen and not on a proscenium, but nevertheless effective. An amusing song from Subramanya Bharathi's collection, 'Anji anji savar, evar anjadhe porul illae' depicted how fearful man has become of things around him. A particularly amusing caricature was of a man scared by simple things like a pat on the back or a faraway hunter's gunshot!

Excerpts from Meenakshi Kalyanam by Mazhavanendthal Subramanya Bharathi portrayed veeram and sringaram. The Pandian princess, Meenakshi's transformation from an arrogant warring leader to a coy maiden on sight of Sundareshvarar was remarkable for it's naturalness. Meenakshi's mother is disgusted with Shiva's habits of draping snakes around him like garlands, smearing ash all over his body, wearing elephant hide as a lower garment, and expresses her misgivings regarding her daughter's choice of husband. In Kalyani ragam, rupaka talam, the song 'Ethai kande ichai kondai adi magale' was amusing in its tone of revulsion, but the same idea for 'bhibhatsam' has been hashed and rehashed all week! 'Mavaili nadu' in Arabhi ragam, Adi talam by Irraiamman Thambi displayed awe of Mahabali's kingdom that was happy and strife-free.

A padam learnt from Mylapore Gowri Ammal in Pantuvarali ragam, Rupaka talam, for 'hasyam,' 'Vaddantane vintiva' where a woman cautions her friend about another who is devious and cunning, did not have Subrahmanyam's customary spontaneity. An interlude on the veena by B.Kannan was remarkable here.

The excellent orchestra consisted of: Nattuvangam and vocal, Gayathri Kannan, supported by Vijaya Krishnamurthy. Veena, B.Kannan, mridangam, Nellai Balaji, flute Venkatesh, violin Thanjavur Subba Rao, special effects, Parthasarathy. The dancer's uninhibited expressiveness combined with a certain colloquial style once again mesmerised.