The audience is both the stimulus and the blessing of any performance. They must not be taken for granted or spoken down to. While shaping the work, the artist must avoid adopting a pedestal stance and ensure that the ideas or imagery aren’t so cryptic that they alienate the viewer. Striking this balance is key.

Given that each performance is loaded with ideas and experiments, there is a desire in the artist to reach out to the audience, help them appreciate the layering built-in and the nuances infused. The audience is intelligent. So how to tell them what to look for without actually telling them, so that their experience is maximized, that they resonate and become the true sahrdaya.

Sheejith Krishna seems to be on the quest to have such artistic conversations with his audience. A composer and teacher, he experimented with ‘Nritya Rachana’, a journey with his dance compositions as part of Sahrdaya Foundation’s Samgachadvam 2025 held on 18 and 25 April. 

Steering clear of the initial announcement format to let the audience know what to look for in the performance, the dancers for the evening – senior dancers at Sahrdaya Foundation – enacted classroom conversations to glide through the different ideas the composer incorporates into the composition. Dressed in simple practice costumes the dancers discussed their learnings. Quoting the Khamas varnam Maate, they recited the sollukattus where the words from the varnam’s sahityam were used and demonstrated how pure nritta swara segments could take on meaning through incorporation of mashrana nritta. The tone was light and humorous piquing the interest of the audience, but still not entirely preparing them for what was to follow.

Then they danced the varnam and how they danced. Pallavi, anupallavi and charanam were elaborated through repetitions, showcasing the ideas discussed earlier and bringing ‘aha’ moments of recognition to the audience. The repetitions were effective and highlighted the choreographer’s skill in using a range of variations and group sequences to create strong visual impact. The dancing was powerful and well-coordinated.There was also a deeply philosophical sanchari that, without prior explanation, could easily have been mistaken for a depiction of a Venus flytrap.The first day was a divine experience.

Day two of the festival was lighter and fun. The focus was on the laya in music. Sheejith chose his composition Yathi celebrating Siva’s Ananda tandava, retelling stories associated with Siva. 

A nritta based piece, titled ‘Pada Bhedas’ was also presented. Verses from the Abhinaya Darpana were set to catchy music and performed by the dancers to show the possibilities in sthanakas, mandalas, utplavanas, bhramaris and charis used in dance compositions. The performance concluded with the Yamuna Kalyani tillana, the audience readily frolicking in the Yamuna riding on the wings of mashrana nritta. His daughter, Sneha Sheejith, spoke briefly about the many possibilities that light design offers.

The cosy ambience of the BlackBox at Sahrdaya Creative Spaces, combined with its well-designed sound and lighting setup, enhanced the audience’s sense of immersion.

by

Sreelatha Rajan