CHANDIGARH, Sept 29: Anuradha Arora has everything that is required of a Kathak dancer; expressive countenance, swiftness of movements and smooth footwork.but all in limited proportion. For what one saw at Tagore Theatre this evening was a girl with tremendous potential but one who got tired easily, with the result that even before she realised it, ennui had crept into the mindscape of the viewer. Yet, for the scrutinising eye, there were moments of promise offered by her in fleeting glimpses.The evening was the fifth in the Horizon series being organised jointly by the Indian Council for Cultural Relations and Pracheen Kala Kendra every month. Anuradha, a disciple of Shobha Koser, was graceful in her presentations, whether it was the depiction of goddess Saraswati in the customary ``vandana'' or in the latter ``parans''. Yes, one indeed got her calibre in phases as in the ``Pakshi paran'' which came out as a captivating flight of birds through her rhythmic footwork, coupled with the tabla ``taal'' provided by the Sharmas, Sanjay and Yogesh, and the soft notes on flute by Vival Sharma.But she seemed lost and tired often, resulting in careless straying away of rhythm, the hallmark of Kathak. Expressions come easily to her and Anuradha should capitalise on this capability.For it is, at times, sheer delight to watch ``abhinaya'' play on her beautiful face though rigorous ``riyaz'' is what she requires at the moment. This is a dance that requires stamina and she should imbibe lessons from danseuses like Shovana Narayan, who despite being twice her age, never shows a trace of tiredness on the stage.
