Cultural choreography

“Despite the fact that these dance forms have originated in different parts of the world,they have a lot of common features. Kathak and Tap focus on the movement of the feet; while Kathak and Flamenco share a common history,both being heavily influence by Persia. And then,of course,Russian Ballet and Kathak have a similar gentleness,a certain enunciation of the body. Milaap,which means ‘to unite’,brings together these dance forms to present their nuances on one stage,” says Kotwal,who will be performing with Mumbai-based Kathak artiste Ranjana Phadke and American dancers Jana Moore and Yumi La Rosa.

The artistes have previously performed in Mumbai and in the US. Talking about the response they have received,Kotwal says,“In the US,there is a lot of curiosity about Indian dances,so crowds get naturally drawn to any Indian dance performance. In India,there is a great love for the performing arts,and Indian audiences are always ready to appreciate innovation.”

And what role does classical dance have in modern times? Phadke says,“There doesn’t seem to be any scope for classical art forms anymore,as most dancers change it around a bit,tinker with it to portray a corrupted version of the original. This is bad for dance,as it is the corrupted form that is being taken more seriously.” Kotwal too agrees on the need for preserving the purity of dance styles,saying that fusing dance styles should be a tool,not an end in itself. “The fusion of different art forms should be a way to highlight the differences and/or similarities of two or more styles. There are only certain things one can do to fuse different styles. What is important is doing it the right way,” she says.

And how is Kathak viewed in the US? “Often people do not differentiate between Kathak,Bharatnatyam and Bollywood. But a certain awareness is on the rise. Many of my students are in fact American,” she smiles.

(Milaap will be performed today at Lokmanya Tilak Smarak,9pm onwards)