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Dance Buzz 2012
Epic Women - Conference / Performance conclave. Dec 20
- 01 December 2012
Kartik Fine Arts in association with Arangham Trust presents EPIC WOMEN
A conclave of talks, presentations and performances focusing on iconic women in myth, history, literature and life.
December 20 to 23, 2012 Chennai.
.Epics recount histories of nations via long narrative poems conveying the roles played by men, women, and gods along with creatures of the animal and spirit worlds. Among this multitude in epics, the focus on the concept of the "epic" from ancient to modern times.
The discussions, through academic papers and formal performances, focus on positive figures of monumental women from the past and present who have impact and resonance on humanity such as the incredible, indeed "epic" courage of opposition political activist Aung San Suu Kyi of Burma (now Myanmar), winner of the 1991 Nobel Peace Prize.
Other examples of epic women include political figures such as Indira Gandhi, Margaret Thatcher among others who did not always use their power wisely or with moderation. The unique South Asian phenomenon of wives, widows, mothers, daughters and sisters who assume political power after the elimination of a male power within family is also examined.
Speakers will also consider epic figures that are part of our common human unconscious such as powerful women in literary representation as in Shakespearean, Greek, ancient Sanskrit, Medieval Tamil and Modern Indian performance; and in political life, women national leaders and their exercise of power..
Performances / paper presentations that undertake comparative and cross-cultural perspectives, engage with "epic women" ranging across time lines and locations - from the world's recognized epics - India's Ramayana and Mahabharata, Greece's Iliad and Odyssey along with myths, legends, and creation stories worldwide that take on epic dimensions.
EPIC WOMEN will have three mornings of papers and short dramatic presentations from Dec 21 to 23 at Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan, Chennai.
On December 23, at 10am, a LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD will be conferred on Kathak guru Dr. MAYA RAO of Bangalore, felicitated by PADMA SUBRAHMANYAM.
Each evening there will be three performances in the medium of classical, neo classical and dance theatre style in a formal auditorium setting.
A special curtain raiser show on Dec 20 features Revathy Sankkaran's Harikatha on MS AMMA-MANIKKAVEENA on M S SUBBALAKSHMI.
Anita R Ratnam is the convenor and curator and the academic advisor is Dr. Ketu H Katrak
Schedule
DEC 20: EVENING
5.45 – 6.45pm: REVATHY SANKKARAN (Chennai) presents MS AMMA-MANIKKAVEENA, HARIKATHA on MS SUBBALAKSHMI.
DEC 21: MORNING
9.45am: Short welcome by Dr. Anita Ratnam
9. 55am: Drumming by Adishakti drummers from Pondicherry. Recreated from Adishakti's larger work ‘Ganapati,’ ARDHAKUNJANARISHWARA accommodates the feminine element of Ganapati, the deity of auspicious beginnings
10.10am: Inauguration by L. Sabaretnam (Chairman of Kartik Fine Arts)
10.20am: Welcome address by Dr. ANITA RATNAM (Founder-Artistic Director, Arangham Trust)
10.30am: Keynote address by Dr. PREMA NANDAKUMAR (Srirangam)
11am: Dr. SWARNAMALYA GANESH (Chennai) speaks on WOMANITY-SELFHOOD AND TENACITY AS KEYNOTES FOR SANGAM WOMEN
11.25am: Coffee break
11.40am: SUDHARMA VAITHIYANATHAN (Chennai) presents SITA (Bharatanatyam)
12pm: PANEL ON SITA on her many personas
12.15pm to 1pm: Intro to the panelists and panel begins followed by PANEL ON SITA
KAPILA VENU (Irinjalakuda) on SITA -
Theatre director VEENAPANI CHAWLA (Pondicherry) on SITA
CS LAKSHMI (Mumbai) also known as Ambai talks on IMAGINING SITA: WHEN BODIES BECOME LANDSCAPES
DEC 21: EVENING
5pm: PRIYA MURLE & SRIKANTH NATARAJAN (Chennai) present AMBA SHIKHANDI from Mahabharata (Therukoothu & Sthree Vesham), a tale of cross gender revenge
6.15pm: RAJIKA PURI (New York) presents ELENI OF SPARTA: AN INDO-GREEK RETELLING (dance theatre and storytelling)
7.30pm: MYTHILI PRAKASH (USA / Chennai) and AMRITHA MURALI in YASHODARA (Bharatanatyam dance theatre), presented by JustUs Repertory, directed by Gowri Ramnarayan
DEC 22: MORNING
9.45am: Welcome address by Dr. ANITA RATNAM
9.55am: Dr. NEENA PRASAD (Thiruvananthapuram) presents SURPANAKA
10.20am: Playwright MAHESH DATTANI (Bangalore) will speak on A WOMAN SCORNED: Sexuality and difference
11am: Coffee break
11.20am: CHITRA SUNDARAM (London) presents a performative paper STHREE-DOM: AN IMMACULATE CONCEPTION (on ARUNDATI, wife of the Vedic sage Vasishtha, and PENELOPE, the wife of the Greek warrior Odysseus)
11.50am: Introduction to EPIC WOMEN IN INDIAN DANCE:
12pm to 1pm: KATHERINE KUNHIRAMAN (USA) speaks on RUKMINI DEVI
NANDINI RAMANI (Chennai) speaks on T BALASARASWATI
PADMINI CHETTUR (Chennai) speaks on THE HONEST BODY - REMEMBERING CHANDRALEKHA
SUKANYA RAHMAN (USA) speaks on MY MOTHER INDRANI RAHMAN
DEC 22: EVENING
5pm: PREETI VASUDEVAN (New York) presents SAVITRI - JOURNEY IN ETERNAL NIGHT (Contemporary Dance Theatre)
KALPANA RAGHURAMAN (Holland) presents IN THE SPIRIT OF FRIDA (Produced by Korzo Productions, the Netherlands)
6.15pm: GEETA CHANDRAN (New Delhi) presents GANDHI - WARP AND WEFT, a woman's perspective on Gandhi's philosophy (dance theatre)
7.30pm: KAPILA VENU (Irinjalakuda) presents SITA PARITHYAGAM: THE ABANDONMENT OF SITA (Nangiarkoothu)
DEC 23: MORNING
9.45am: Welcome address by Dr. ANITA RATNAM
10am: Conferring of NATYA CHUDAR AWARD on Deepika Potarazu
Conferring LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD on Kathak Guru Dr. MAYA RAO (Bangalore)
Felicitations by PADMA SUBRAHMANYAM, acceptance speech by Guru Maya Rao
11am: coffee break
11.20am: ANDRÉE GRAU (UK) talks on MRINALINI SARABHAI – COSMOPOLITAN PATRIOT AND EPIC WOMAN, includes screening a short clip from latest documentary on Mrinalini Sarabhai
11.50am: ANUSHA SUBRAMANYAM (London) presents GOLDEN PEACOCK (on AUNG SAN SUU KYI of Burma)
12.20pm: PLENARY SESSION
Dr. KETU H KATRAK (USA) on MAGICAL CONNECTIONS AMONG WOMEN WITH EPIC PASSIONS: MEDEA, LADY MACBETH, SURPANAKA
AMMU JOSEPH (Bangalore) on EPIC WOMEN IN POLITICS
Prof. KALPANA RAM (Sydney) on THE POWER OF PERFORMANCE AND HUMAN AGENCY: SOME QUESTIONS FOR FEMINIST EVALUATIONS OF EPIC WOMEN
DEC 23: EVENING
5pm: RAJASHREE SHIRKE and group (Mumbai) present MATA HIDIMBA (Ranga Nritya)
6.15pm: LAKSHMI VISHWANATHAN (Chennai) presents PULAMBAL – ANGUISHED VOICE (On Rama’s mother KOUSALYA and Krishna’s mother DEVAKI)
7.30pm: URMILA SATYANARAYANAN (Chennai) presents PANCHALI SAPATHAM
Morning sessions are free, evening shows are ticketed
For more info:
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