BY SONAM MIRPURI
IRVINE, CA – Sundar Kala Kendra Foundation presented ‘Kathak Evolving Traditions’ on Dec. 4 at the University High School here. It was an evening of dances which told a story and graceful performances which took the audiences’ breathe away. Apart from the beautiful performances, the audience was treated to great music...
IRVINE, CA – Sundar Kala Kendra Foundation presented ‘Kathak Evolving Traditions’ on Dec. 4 at the University High School here. It was an evening of dances which told a story and graceful performances which took the audiences’ breathe away. Apart from the beautiful performances, the audience was treated to great music...
by musicians who ably supported the dancers. Starting off the program was a Ganesh Stuti performed by multiple groups of dancers who would perform again later. Following this was the Guru Vandana.
Continuing the evening’s program were performances by girls and women of all ages and levels of experience.The beginners group opened the evening with classical Kathak traditional performances. They executed various compositions of Toda and Tatkar. Following this came the women’s beginners group, who performed various compositions of Toda, Krishna Kavita, Gat Nikas and Tatkar. The Intermediate Group presented Ganesh Toda; intricate compositions of Toda; various Krishna Kavita; various Tihai and Tatkar. All the girls and women demonstrated the level of patience and dedication it takes to learn this expressive North Indian dance style and brought it to life. The next group performed Ganesh Toda; Shiva Stuti and other complex compositions and intricate Tihai. “It is fun to keep it informal,” said Anjani Ambegaokar, choreographer of the dances and Founder of Sundar Kala Kendra. Ambegaokar explained that there are multiple dances and it is difficult to keep track of the order of every dance.
Ambegaokar kept the beat for her students from the corner of the stage seated next to the musicians, Ramesh Kumar on the tabla; Neal Kumar, vocal and harmonium; and Jayanta Banerjee on the sitar; who musically supported the performances.
The Advanced Intermediate Group and Anjani’s Kathak Dance of India Junior Company put up a spectacular performance.
Following this was ‘Bajata Zhanakar’ a composition by Anjani’s Guru, Late Pandit Sundarlal Gangani. This piece was presented in four stanzas by different groups of performers. This concluded the Classical Kathak Tradtional section of the evening.
After the intermission, Aritee Bal came on stage and performed ‘Durga Nritya’ a solo piece with vocals by her father, Arijit Bal and choreography by Anjani and her daughter Amrapali Ambegaokar. Ambegaokar surprised everyone by doing a solo dance as well.
Then came the most interesting part of the evening with students performing Kathak to current popular American tracks. The girls danced to “Better When I’m Dancing” by Meghan Trainor and “Can’t Stop the Feeling” by Justin Timberlake.
The finale was a special number dedicated to Shalini , one of Ambegaokar’s students who passed away about a year ago.
“I think she is among the Gods dancing up there,” said Ambegaokar. Every piece in the program seamlessly fit together that it was difficult to tell where one ended and the next began. The evening concluded with all of the participants coming on stage to announce their names and musician Ramesh Kumar cutting a cake to celebrate his 60th birthday.
Continuing the evening’s program were performances by girls and women of all ages and levels of experience.The beginners group opened the evening with classical Kathak traditional performances. They executed various compositions of Toda and Tatkar. Following this came the women’s beginners group, who performed various compositions of Toda, Krishna Kavita, Gat Nikas and Tatkar. The Intermediate Group presented Ganesh Toda; intricate compositions of Toda; various Krishna Kavita; various Tihai and Tatkar. All the girls and women demonstrated the level of patience and dedication it takes to learn this expressive North Indian dance style and brought it to life. The next group performed Ganesh Toda; Shiva Stuti and other complex compositions and intricate Tihai. “It is fun to keep it informal,” said Anjani Ambegaokar, choreographer of the dances and Founder of Sundar Kala Kendra. Ambegaokar explained that there are multiple dances and it is difficult to keep track of the order of every dance.
Ambegaokar kept the beat for her students from the corner of the stage seated next to the musicians, Ramesh Kumar on the tabla; Neal Kumar, vocal and harmonium; and Jayanta Banerjee on the sitar; who musically supported the performances.
The Advanced Intermediate Group and Anjani’s Kathak Dance of India Junior Company put up a spectacular performance.
Following this was ‘Bajata Zhanakar’ a composition by Anjani’s Guru, Late Pandit Sundarlal Gangani. This piece was presented in four stanzas by different groups of performers. This concluded the Classical Kathak Tradtional section of the evening.
After the intermission, Aritee Bal came on stage and performed ‘Durga Nritya’ a solo piece with vocals by her father, Arijit Bal and choreography by Anjani and her daughter Amrapali Ambegaokar. Ambegaokar surprised everyone by doing a solo dance as well.
Then came the most interesting part of the evening with students performing Kathak to current popular American tracks. The girls danced to “Better When I’m Dancing” by Meghan Trainor and “Can’t Stop the Feeling” by Justin Timberlake.
The finale was a special number dedicated to Shalini , one of Ambegaokar’s students who passed away about a year ago.
“I think she is among the Gods dancing up there,” said Ambegaokar. Every piece in the program seamlessly fit together that it was difficult to tell where one ended and the next began. The evening concluded with all of the participants coming on stage to announce their names and musician Ramesh Kumar cutting a cake to celebrate his 60th birthday.