The popular Darshana-Intimate Dance Series of Apsaras Arts is back with the sixth performance with ‘Samyog’, a thematic Bharatanatyam performance illustrating the bond between a man and a woman. The event will take place in the Blackbox Theatre at Stamford Arts Centre on Saturday, May 11.
Connoisseurs of art have given varied interpretations to this bond and this time the dancing duo of PN Vikas and Sreeliji Sreedharan from Singapore Indian Fine Arts Society (SIFAS) will explore its varied layers through the Bharatanatyam dance performance.
The concept of hero and heroine dominates in most Indian epics, in Hindu mythology, and in literary works. The Natya Shastra also refers to the bond and the characteristic aspects of a hero (nayaka) and Heroine (nayika). These Nayikas are further classified into two varieties of the shringara rasa (emotion of Love), the rasa related to love: sambhoga (love in union) and vipralambha (love in separation).
The eight types of nayikas elaborate the reactions and emotions by the love of her beloved in various situations. Samyoga brings out the various emotions which are reflected through the love of a man and woman.
Vikas is a renowned Bharatanatyam exponent in Singapore. He is associated with SIFAS and teaches intricacies of Bharatanatyam to the students.
An alumnus of the world-renowned Kalakshetra Foundation, Chennai, Vikas completed his diploma and postgraduate diploma in first class, and with the best student award of Kalakshetra, and served as a guest faculty for four years.
In Singapore, he has choreographed several works for SIFAS, and was cast in “Anjaneyam – Hanuman’s Ramayana”, a magnum opus produced by Apsaras Arts.
Sreeliji started learning Bharatanatyam from Guru Sudha Bhaskara in Kerala from the young age of four. She holds a first class diploma and first class postgraduate diploma in Bharathanatyam from Kalakshetra. She has performed in various roles in the Kalakshetra Repertory company in India and abroad.
Notably, Darshana – Intimate Dance Series was launched by Apsaras Arts last year. Through this series, Apsaras Arts intends to recreate the ancient setting where the audience and the dancer are in unison enjoying the ultimate experience of Sahrdya- oneness with each other.
It provides a platform not only for young talented dancers to showcase their creative works but also to collaborate with some of the best young talents who willingly share their art and celebrate the richness of the abundant classical arts in Singapore.
Darshana features performances across the genres of Indian classical dance, with each performance featuring dancers presenting a curated thematic performance, putting the focus lights on Singapore-based Indian classical dancers.
Date: Saturday, May 11, 2019
Time: 8 PM
Venue: Blackbox, Stamford Arts Centre, 155 Waterloo ST. 187962
