At the center is the concept of Alasa-Kanya and its base posture of Tri Bhanga. It is a motif that is oft repeated in the piece.
Choreographic Sculptural Recreation of the Alasa-Kanya
The Elevation of the Feminine in Alasa-Kanya: Sculpture in Odissi
I played with the concept of rhythm and posture altering subtle movement changes in varying rhythmic shifts.
During the morning ritual, the Mahari performed to the percussive syllables of the percussionist. Keeping that dynamic, I decided to have only a single drummer accompany live. However, I change the dynamic. Instead of the Mahari following the drummer, I have the musical accompanists follow the live dancing. This equation between Odissi music and dance is not common. Usually the dance follows the music that is overturned in this situation. So I have in built cues for the musicians to follow alongside the movements performed by the dancers.
I recreate the ritual in movement. I have a group of five dancers entering the space with a quintessential pose of the Alasa-Kanya. Two dancers remain to the stage right performing steps in Chauka. This way I bring the concept of Mahari dancing in front of Jagannath. But the Mahari does not just dance for him in a one-sided manner. Jagannath dances as well and in this case for the Mahari. The two never meet. At the very end, I continue this story of unrequited love in the form of a literary expression from the Gitagovinda.
Radha reprimands Krishna for having sleep with another woman and kept her waiting all night. She refuses to forgive Krishna.
I bring home the idea that the Mahari has not forgiven history yet. She continues to haunt the space looking for retribution. She has not forgiven Jagannath.
I altered the gendered dynamics keeping the figure of Radha or the female protagonist as the principal character of worship. Hence, I evoke the ritual context without invoking its gendered dimensions.
One of the earlier iterations of this piece is given below:-
https://youtu.be/z7I7xqnZnV0
Feedback incorporated.
- How does the focus of the dancers orient the focus of the viewers?
- How can coexistence of multiple elements enhance the overall fabric without being too distracting?
- Include facial expressions throughout the piece by all the dancers.