February 9–Folk dance and a bit of cinema
After yesterday’s movies, I decided to catch some live events today. So I got off work and came straight to KG. As indecisive as I am, I couldn’t decide which event to go for…the Folk Dance Extravaganza by Indumati Lele or Beats n Bars & Air guitars, film screening.
Hmm…hmmmmmm…hmmmmmmmm…
The music beckoned…Folk Dance it is.
They had already finished with the first dance. I walked in during the second performance. There was a huge crowd at MC Ghia Hall, opposite Rampart Row. People were standing atop chairs and every other conceivable area that would provide easy and uninterrupted viewing of the performance. I almost gave up. But I saw this small space at the back and I managed to squeeze in and found a vantage position to view the dance…a handycam. Believe me. I saw 89% of the rest of the show on the display screen of this gora’s handycam. In between, with the heads moving in rhythm, I managed to see a bit here and there…
The dances were:
1) Natwa Nrutya
2) Lezim Nrutya (Maharashtra)
The Lezim dance, a male performance, combines beautifully physical exercise and dancing. Done with a Lezim or a small mallet, it is a fascinating dance performed in the formation of a circle, in twos or fours. The accompanying instruments are the drums. It involves a lot of stepping, hopping, bending, squatting, etc. to the perfect timing of the strikes of the Lezim. A large group of boys and girls doing Lezim dance presents a beautiful sight while the Lezims strike rhythmically in perfect unison.
3) Chirmi Nrutya (Rajasthan)
This dance was amazing. Chirmi is tree which is worshipped in Rjasthan. Women dance with an arrangement of pots and a lighted lamp balanced on their heads.
4) Garbi Nrutya (Gujarat)
Originally men use to perform this dance. This is performed on the eve of Navratri and is dedicated to Goddess Kali. During Navaratri, all women get together and one woman sings this song and others dance. Then all women sing this song again in the second round and dance together.
5) Kashmiri Nrutya (Kashmir)
I saw, I heard and I thought…this is where Mission Kashmir got it from. Mission Kashmir’s Bhoomroo had borrowed the strains of music and dance steps from this original form.
6) Koli Nrutya (Maharashtra)
This dance got the loudest cheers and wolf whistles. Hmmm…I wonder why…? The dance derives its name from the fisher folk of Maharashtra—Kolis, who are noted for their distinct identity and lively dances. Their dances incorporate elements they are most familiar with—the sea and their occupation of fishing. The dance is performed by both men and women—divided into two groups. The smaller group of men and women, in pairs, enact the main story of the dance—where the Kolin or fisherwoman makes advances to the Koli or fisherman. The larger group, also in pairs, forms the backdrop for the story, dancing in a looped movement that depicts the rowing of a fishing boat on undulating waves.
7) Chapeli Nrutya (Uttaranchal)
It is a very famous and fast dance of Kumaun. The theme of the dance is love and it is very romantic. Both men and women participate in this dance and the costume is very colourful. (Goriya manwa tu humra kehna…)
8) Ramleela
Need I say more? Story telling dominated this dance with beautiful movements. And the audience departed happily.
Some thoughts were running through my head constantly. While most of the dances that were being introduced, the host constantly repeated words like ‘business’ and ‘religion’. Undoubtedly, art has been forever influenced by religion and business. Dances were performed to celebrate the onset of a season. Gods were worshipped in hope of garnering a fruitful and prosperous year ahead. Business became a religion. Initially, I couldn’t place my finger on the high points of the dances. But as the performances were enhanced by vigour and expression, realisation slid in…the turnarounds, vigourous drum beats, the fast steps, the lull and then the storm. It was spectacular!
Indumati Lele, whose troupe performed a total of eight dances this evening, thanked her group of 50 dancers from all over the city, including college students and housewives.
It was 9…and I was still oscillating between two destinations…home? Or Stand Up comedy by plus 2 productions at David Sassoon Garden? I thought I’d drop in for the Stand up routine. At the DS garden, I encountered the last dregs of Beats n Bars & Air guitars, film screening.
I walked in half way through the screening of a documentary on a contest between three hip-hop artists. It was directed by Dami Akinnsas. The documentary was eclipsed by a fight between two audience members. Apparently, one had coughed into the ear of the guy sitting ahead of him, and refused to say sorry. As they were arguing, many others asked them to not disrupt the screening and take the fight out. To quell the battle of words, one of them answered the other’s objections with just one word…Shut up!
Here is an excerpt:
Guy1: You mind your language
Guy 2: Shut up
1: Behave yourself, I didn’t…
2: Shut up
1: Just watch the movie…
2: Shut up
1: You…
2: Shut up
1: Shut up man
2: Shut up
1: Damn…
2: Shut up
2: Shut up
2: Shut up
2: Shut up
And then, the first guy gave up. Peace prevailed…Oh Shut up…there’s more
The last movie was good. ‘Holly Bolly’ was directed by, Dil Rehman and Obi. It was a story of two guys, an Indian and a Black, who were trying to garner funds to make a film. Their ideas are constantly rejected by various funding boards, who want a film on the lines of the one made by another lesbian director. Eventually, they find a financer who wants them to make a film on ethnic characters. So the Indian, Dil, thinks of a concept where four Asians are about to be killed by a gang of British mafia. The financer doesn’t like it and tells them that the white man is always the hero. Eventually, the British mafia leader actually speaks in an Indian accent and the film is completed. The movie, gets nominated for the award, but fails to win. The award, yet again, goes to the lesbian director for ‘Angela and Betty’.
The movie is side-splitting, as the directors show how filmmakers have to bow down to the financers’ understanding of the market. The financer’s whims and fancies are interspersed with the enactment of the same scene over and over again…albeit with his changes. So the Asian heroes are replaced by the white men. The villain’s threatening dialogues are changed constantly…once in the Brit accent, then in the Indian accent, then he relays his dialogues in a sufi song, then via a bhangra number. It’s absolutely hilarious!
The directors have effectively brought out how the popularity of ethnicity is nothing but a joke…and a modus operandi for the financers cash in on its popularity. It’s a classic satire on the entire ABCD film culture.
9:30 pm…still half an hour to wait. Nah! Home calling…While I was trying to hail a cab, two other girls, who saw the films, discussed about how the films overall were average, with the exception of the last two. “I think the last two films were the best,” one of them said.
:)
I could feel the halo on my head as I went back home…
Hmm…hmmmmmm…hmmmmmmmm…
The music beckoned…Folk Dance it is.
They had already finished with the first dance. I walked in during the second performance. There was a huge crowd at MC Ghia Hall, opposite Rampart Row. People were standing atop chairs and every other conceivable area that would provide easy and uninterrupted viewing of the performance. I almost gave up. But I saw this small space at the back and I managed to squeeze in and found a vantage position to view the dance…a handycam. Believe me. I saw 89% of the rest of the show on the display screen of this gora’s handycam. In between, with the heads moving in rhythm, I managed to see a bit here and there…
The dances were:
1) Natwa Nrutya
2) Lezim Nrutya (Maharashtra)
The Lezim dance, a male performance, combines beautifully physical exercise and dancing. Done with a Lezim or a small mallet, it is a fascinating dance performed in the formation of a circle, in twos or fours. The accompanying instruments are the drums. It involves a lot of stepping, hopping, bending, squatting, etc. to the perfect timing of the strikes of the Lezim. A large group of boys and girls doing Lezim dance presents a beautiful sight while the Lezims strike rhythmically in perfect unison.
3) Chirmi Nrutya (Rajasthan)
This dance was amazing. Chirmi is tree which is worshipped in Rjasthan. Women dance with an arrangement of pots and a lighted lamp balanced on their heads.
4) Garbi Nrutya (Gujarat)
Originally men use to perform this dance. This is performed on the eve of Navratri and is dedicated to Goddess Kali. During Navaratri, all women get together and one woman sings this song and others dance. Then all women sing this song again in the second round and dance together.
5) Kashmiri Nrutya (Kashmir)
I saw, I heard and I thought…this is where Mission Kashmir got it from. Mission Kashmir’s Bhoomroo had borrowed the strains of music and dance steps from this original form.
6) Koli Nrutya (Maharashtra)
This dance got the loudest cheers and wolf whistles. Hmmm…I wonder why…? The dance derives its name from the fisher folk of Maharashtra—Kolis, who are noted for their distinct identity and lively dances. Their dances incorporate elements they are most familiar with—the sea and their occupation of fishing. The dance is performed by both men and women—divided into two groups. The smaller group of men and women, in pairs, enact the main story of the dance—where the Kolin or fisherwoman makes advances to the Koli or fisherman. The larger group, also in pairs, forms the backdrop for the story, dancing in a looped movement that depicts the rowing of a fishing boat on undulating waves.
7) Chapeli Nrutya (Uttaranchal)
It is a very famous and fast dance of Kumaun. The theme of the dance is love and it is very romantic. Both men and women participate in this dance and the costume is very colourful. (Goriya manwa tu humra kehna…)
8) Ramleela
Need I say more? Story telling dominated this dance with beautiful movements. And the audience departed happily.
Some thoughts were running through my head constantly. While most of the dances that were being introduced, the host constantly repeated words like ‘business’ and ‘religion’. Undoubtedly, art has been forever influenced by religion and business. Dances were performed to celebrate the onset of a season. Gods were worshipped in hope of garnering a fruitful and prosperous year ahead. Business became a religion. Initially, I couldn’t place my finger on the high points of the dances. But as the performances were enhanced by vigour and expression, realisation slid in…the turnarounds, vigourous drum beats, the fast steps, the lull and then the storm. It was spectacular!
Indumati Lele, whose troupe performed a total of eight dances this evening, thanked her group of 50 dancers from all over the city, including college students and housewives.
It was 9…and I was still oscillating between two destinations…home? Or Stand Up comedy by plus 2 productions at David Sassoon Garden? I thought I’d drop in for the Stand up routine. At the DS garden, I encountered the last dregs of Beats n Bars & Air guitars, film screening.
I walked in half way through the screening of a documentary on a contest between three hip-hop artists. It was directed by Dami Akinnsas. The documentary was eclipsed by a fight between two audience members. Apparently, one had coughed into the ear of the guy sitting ahead of him, and refused to say sorry. As they were arguing, many others asked them to not disrupt the screening and take the fight out. To quell the battle of words, one of them answered the other’s objections with just one word…Shut up!
Here is an excerpt:
Guy1: You mind your language
Guy 2: Shut up
1: Behave yourself, I didn’t…
2: Shut up
1: Just watch the movie…
2: Shut up
1: You…
2: Shut up
1: Shut up man
2: Shut up
1: Damn…
2: Shut up
2: Shut up
2: Shut up
2: Shut up
And then, the first guy gave up. Peace prevailed…Oh Shut up…there’s more
The last movie was good. ‘Holly Bolly’ was directed by, Dil Rehman and Obi. It was a story of two guys, an Indian and a Black, who were trying to garner funds to make a film. Their ideas are constantly rejected by various funding boards, who want a film on the lines of the one made by another lesbian director. Eventually, they find a financer who wants them to make a film on ethnic characters. So the Indian, Dil, thinks of a concept where four Asians are about to be killed by a gang of British mafia. The financer doesn’t like it and tells them that the white man is always the hero. Eventually, the British mafia leader actually speaks in an Indian accent and the film is completed. The movie, gets nominated for the award, but fails to win. The award, yet again, goes to the lesbian director for ‘Angela and Betty’.
The movie is side-splitting, as the directors show how filmmakers have to bow down to the financers’ understanding of the market. The financer’s whims and fancies are interspersed with the enactment of the same scene over and over again…albeit with his changes. So the Asian heroes are replaced by the white men. The villain’s threatening dialogues are changed constantly…once in the Brit accent, then in the Indian accent, then he relays his dialogues in a sufi song, then via a bhangra number. It’s absolutely hilarious!
The directors have effectively brought out how the popularity of ethnicity is nothing but a joke…and a modus operandi for the financers cash in on its popularity. It’s a classic satire on the entire ABCD film culture.
9:30 pm…still half an hour to wait. Nah! Home calling…While I was trying to hail a cab, two other girls, who saw the films, discussed about how the films overall were average, with the exception of the last two. “I think the last two films were the best,” one of them said.
:)
I could feel the halo on my head as I went back home…
posted by Maya @ 12:00 AM
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