DANCE : FOR ME IS ELYSIAN
Written by: Shreeya Ajarekar
(Shreeya is the 1st winner of Samvaad Essay Competition - Junior Group, April 2020)
Art is the way you live your life. It invades our silence; it plays a major role in the expression of inner thoughts and beauty in one’s life. Art to me is spirituality, thus, faith in art is faith in the metaphysical being. If examined, each and every aspect in our life has an aura of this divinity in it. It is actually the virtual truth you reside in. Art inspires people to do better, become greater, and challenge other artists to come out and set higher standards for the upcoming artists.
Basically, there are 64 types of art forms and Lord Ganesha is said to be the god of all these 64 arts. Well, out of all these, I chose the art of dance; Indian Classical Dance form – BHARATNATYAM.
Bharatnatyam for me has always been a spiritual relationship, the one between the God and the Devotee. It has been a ritual in the temples during the golden times, which was kept alive by the DEVADASIS, until a cultural revival brought the dances out of the temples to the present day theatres. Bharatmuni, who also wrote NATYASHASTRA, traces the origin of this art form to Bramha, the creator. This art for, is meant not only to entertain, but also to instruct and inspire discipline and righteousness. Bharatnatyam includes the amazing involvement of musical accompanying instruments, literature, ambience, presentation, costumes; it has been enhanced by the relentless and tireless efforts of great artists and dancers.
As for me, some invisible, divine energy, urges me to let myself flow into this art form. Not only me, but, any dancer while dancing, doesn’t just breathe in the air, but the space around her, through almost every pore; it makes the dance fuller, expansive and reach far beyond one’s tiny self, as though the entire space around you, dances with you. A dancer is a poet writing her poems with movements, gestures and expressions. Ultimately, she is at once a sculptor, sculpting and structuring space, both, gracefully and powerfully. She is also a forever seeker whose dance becomes a transcendental and transforming experience. When I dance, I’m probably into some other trance, while it lets me see myself ten years from the moment. Its said,’’ technical perfection is insufficient; it is an orphan without the true soul of the dancer’’, as you can buy sponsors, you can buy critics, but you can never buy an audience, you ought to earn it, because you either do it with passion, or not at all. It takes innumerable efforts to become a dancer, well here, thinking doesn’t give you success, hardwork is its fuel without which you cannot drive through the way already destined. For me, life as in dance, grace glides on blistered feet.
(Shreeya is the 1st winner of Samvaad Essay Competition - Junior Group, April 2020)
Art is the way you live your life. It invades our silence; it plays a major role in the expression of inner thoughts and beauty in one’s life. Art to me is spirituality, thus, faith in art is faith in the metaphysical being. If examined, each and every aspect in our life has an aura of this divinity in it. It is actually the virtual truth you reside in. Art inspires people to do better, become greater, and challenge other artists to come out and set higher standards for the upcoming artists.
Basically, there are 64 types of art forms and Lord Ganesha is said to be the god of all these 64 arts. Well, out of all these, I chose the art of dance; Indian Classical Dance form – BHARATNATYAM.
Bharatnatyam for me has always been a spiritual relationship, the one between the God and the Devotee. It has been a ritual in the temples during the golden times, which was kept alive by the DEVADASIS, until a cultural revival brought the dances out of the temples to the present day theatres. Bharatmuni, who also wrote NATYASHASTRA, traces the origin of this art form to Bramha, the creator. This art for, is meant not only to entertain, but also to instruct and inspire discipline and righteousness. Bharatnatyam includes the amazing involvement of musical accompanying instruments, literature, ambience, presentation, costumes; it has been enhanced by the relentless and tireless efforts of great artists and dancers.
As for me, some invisible, divine energy, urges me to let myself flow into this art form. Not only me, but, any dancer while dancing, doesn’t just breathe in the air, but the space around her, through almost every pore; it makes the dance fuller, expansive and reach far beyond one’s tiny self, as though the entire space around you, dances with you. A dancer is a poet writing her poems with movements, gestures and expressions. Ultimately, she is at once a sculptor, sculpting and structuring space, both, gracefully and powerfully. She is also a forever seeker whose dance becomes a transcendental and transforming experience. When I dance, I’m probably into some other trance, while it lets me see myself ten years from the moment. Its said,’’ technical perfection is insufficient; it is an orphan without the true soul of the dancer’’, as you can buy sponsors, you can buy critics, but you can never buy an audience, you ought to earn it, because you either do it with passion, or not at all. It takes innumerable efforts to become a dancer, well here, thinking doesn’t give you success, hardwork is its fuel without which you cannot drive through the way already destined. For me, life as in dance, grace glides on blistered feet.
About Shreeya: Shreeya is studying in standard 12th, arts faculty. She has been learning dance for almost 9 years now. She is an ardent devotee of arts and literature. She has deep interest in books, both related to dance and other. She has performed on various state and national level platforms. She was also a part of the Bharatnatyam reality show- NATYARATNA. Write ups related to dance make them even more closer to her heart..
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