For a while, I have been toying with the idea of making a dance instructional video. In the field of Odissi it would be something unique. This task proved to be quite a challenge. I had to get into the finer details of the dance as well as the technicalities of shooting. With Guru Mitra's blessings and encouragement, I knew I could achieve my dream.
For days I was heartbroken and demoralized as I couldn't find the same kind of joy and spontaneity in my indoor recordings with a hired crew as I typically feel when dancing on stage, so my husband decided to shoot the video himself. He went ahead and bought a new camcorder. I was only too happy. I knew it would take an endless amount of patience and hardwork to get everything perfect-just the way I had envisioned it.
This was going to turn out to be a different kind of Thanksgiving!
No laboring over the turkey or visiting our family, instead we would shoot the dance video. Starting on Thanksgiving day, we shot for 3 days on our patio. Nestled in the breathtakingly scenic Ramapo mountains of North Jersey, we probably have one of the most picturesque backyard. It took me a video to realize that.
Fall brings out a different kind of beauty, something very hard to describe. Devoid of any stress and tension, I could enjoy every moment of making this video. I must confess that we needed to do numerous takes in the cold, breezy weather. Being outdoors has its disadvantages, turning blue in the cold is one of them. We constantly had to take breaks.
I am not the kind to give up. I had to get this out of my system before I could get back to my gruelling dance rehearsels.
Finally finishing our shooting, I relaxed with the boys in the hot tub being thankful for having such a loving and supportive family. This is the true spirit of Thanksgiving.
Saturday, November 28, 2009
Friday, November 20, 2009
Unforgettable
"Do your best, pour your heart and soul into what you do. God will take care of the rest." These words of Guru Mitra echoes in my ears.
There is always a challenge for classical dance teachers to find new talent. The dynamics of a group are disturbed when teenagers leave to pursue other interests. Unlike other dance schools,who have multiple entries or large numbers of participants, we had to make do with a mixed group of 5 adults and teenagers. In the previous years, when we did the opening and closing acts for Zalak, there were many more high schoolers. The team was well balanced.
Would we be able to pull this of? Would we be able to leave a lasting impression on the judges and the audience?
It would be heartbreaking for all of us if we lost. It was the first time we were entering the Zalak dance competition. This dance was my personal favorite. We had always brought the house down with this routine. Conjuring up those happy memories, I tried to forget it was a competition, I lost myself to the music. It was one of my most spontaneous performances aptly captured by the Marathi Vishwa photographer. The combination of expressions, footworks, and imagery won us a deafening applause from the audience.
We were still not sure about winning. I realized that numbers doesn't matter. You can win with a small team. It is the confidence and technical skill of each dancer that counts. The judges were unanimous in their decision when announcing us the winners for Zalak 2009.
We had finally done it. We had won New Jersey's most prestigious dance competition. This was an unforgettable moment for Guru Mitra and Rhythms of dance and music. What a start to 2009!
There is always a challenge for classical dance teachers to find new talent. The dynamics of a group are disturbed when teenagers leave to pursue other interests. Unlike other dance schools,who have multiple entries or large numbers of participants, we had to make do with a mixed group of 5 adults and teenagers. In the previous years, when we did the opening and closing acts for Zalak, there were many more high schoolers. The team was well balanced.
Would we be able to pull this of? Would we be able to leave a lasting impression on the judges and the audience?
It would be heartbreaking for all of us if we lost. It was the first time we were entering the Zalak dance competition. This dance was my personal favorite. We had always brought the house down with this routine. Conjuring up those happy memories, I tried to forget it was a competition, I lost myself to the music. It was one of my most spontaneous performances aptly captured by the Marathi Vishwa photographer. The combination of expressions, footworks, and imagery won us a deafening applause from the audience.
We were still not sure about winning. I realized that numbers doesn't matter. You can win with a small team. It is the confidence and technical skill of each dancer that counts. The judges were unanimous in their decision when announcing us the winners for Zalak 2009.
We had finally done it. We had won New Jersey's most prestigious dance competition. This was an unforgettable moment for Guru Mitra and Rhythms of dance and music. What a start to 2009!
Friday, November 13, 2009
Thursday, November 5, 2009
Portrait of a Dancer
Last week I had a very different offer from my friend. Instead of dancing, she asked if I could pose as a dancer in her art class. I have always been fascinated by oils but never had the patience to dabble in that medium.
Believe me, it was a challenge for someone who cannot sit still.
The artists had to paint in the north lights of the studio. The session was to last for 3 hours. Reaching early in the morning,it was interesting to see so many people turn out, all waiting for me to pose. I thought of doing the seemingly easiest dance pose, never realizing my legs would kill me.
It was interesting to see how each one of them had a different perspective, very similar to the same song being choreographed differently. Starting with a rough sketch, they moved towards the finer details of expressions and eyes. The play of light and shadow made me look different to each one depending on where they were standing.
In dance, we too move from a rough choreography incorporating basic steps and poses to fine tuning our expressions and deleting unwanted sequences. The first sitting is the hardest when the idea is taking shape,there after everything else flows like an endless stream of motion.
Well, it was an eye opener! Until yesterday,I never thought what a wonderful invention the camera was. Both the artists and the models deserve credit for sitting through portrait sessions. Imagine this was the done thing for centuries! Next time, I go to an art gallery,I am going to remember to appreciate the model.
Believe me, it was a challenge for someone who cannot sit still.
The artists had to paint in the north lights of the studio. The session was to last for 3 hours. Reaching early in the morning,it was interesting to see so many people turn out, all waiting for me to pose. I thought of doing the seemingly easiest dance pose, never realizing my legs would kill me.
It was interesting to see how each one of them had a different perspective, very similar to the same song being choreographed differently. Starting with a rough sketch, they moved towards the finer details of expressions and eyes. The play of light and shadow made me look different to each one depending on where they were standing.
In dance, we too move from a rough choreography incorporating basic steps and poses to fine tuning our expressions and deleting unwanted sequences. The first sitting is the hardest when the idea is taking shape,there after everything else flows like an endless stream of motion.
Well, it was an eye opener! Until yesterday,I never thought what a wonderful invention the camera was. Both the artists and the models deserve credit for sitting through portrait sessions. Imagine this was the done thing for centuries! Next time, I go to an art gallery,I am going to remember to appreciate the model.
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