“Yatra-Seeking”
Malavika Sarukkai
Baryshnikov Arts Center
New York, NY
November 15, 2012
by Leigh Witchel
copyright © 2012 by Leigh Witchel
Classical Indian dance is both showy and pious, and so Malavika Sarukkai’s concert began with a flourish and ended with devotion.
A small, powerful woman wrapped in green silk, Sarukkai trained in her native India. “Yatra,” Sanskrit for seeking or pilgrimage, was 70 minutes of concentrated solo bharatanatyam dance in four sections. One of several styles of classical Indian dance, bharatanatyam is intricate and percussive. Arms slice and curve outwards and return to the center of the torso. The feet drive down, ever downward into the floor.
Malavika Sarukkai
Baryshnikov Arts Center
New York, NY
November 15, 2012
by Leigh Witchel
copyright © 2012 by Leigh Witchel
A small, powerful woman wrapped in green silk, Sarukkai trained in her native India. “Yatra,” Sanskrit for seeking or pilgrimage, was 70 minutes of concentrated solo bharatanatyam dance in four sections. One of several styles of classical Indian dance, bharatanatyam is intricate and percussive. Arms slice and curve outwards and return to the center of the torso. The feet drive down, ever downward into the floor.
In the first, abstract section, “Stithi Gati” (“Stillness Movement”) Sarukkai announced her presence with a driving stamp into the floor. And as it began with a stamp, the piece ended with a flourish.
“Raas” told the inescapable tale of Lord Krishna and the Gopi women, a narrative that has spun hundreds of dances of ecstatic devotion. As the Nrityagram Dance Ensemble also does, Sarukkai used a helpful narration to preface each section. Sarukkai mimed to the offstage voice as it told how Krishna multiplied himself to satisfy each woman – as her dance partner. The danced tale also involved a good deal of mime with Sarukkai alternately portraying Krishna, striking a pose with his flute, and his followers.
Sarukkai went offstage to change elements of her costume during brief musical bridges between the sections. The next, “The Song of Birds,” was inspired by a Tamil poem, and Sarukkai fluttered her hands in imitation of wings. The music and dancing became more aggressive. Her five musicians, seated in a line at the side of the stage, were dextrous and intrepid, drumming like gunfire. Sarukkai also started to take flight; gaining fluidity and focus as she rocked back and forth in sustained attack.
Yet a long solo recital is rough for an audience, and Sarukkai’s was interesting but not varied. A second dancer, a musical number or film, any contrast would have helped. There were also unfortunate design choices. A shimmering band of fabric in front of the stage lights also made hid the musicians from the audience seated at the sides. The stage glowed and set Sarukkai off like a gem – but people also fell asleep from the darkness.
If there were issues with production and design, some of them may have been the by-product of a hurried rescheduling due to Hurricane Sandy; Sarukkai and her musicians were very good. But all ended harmoniously with “Laya” (Merging.) It was also abstract, but little in classical Indian dance truly is. The merging was spiritual, a process of transport and ecstasy as Sarukkai knelt down, raised her hands up and slowly prostrated herself in the golden light.
copyright © 2012 by Leigh Witchel
Photo by Stephanie Berger. Malavika Sarukkai in "Yatra-Seeking."
