Supply is more than demand! A lot of young dancers today, in an urge to perform during the season, pay the sabhas to get opportunities. This leads to a compromise on the standard of performance, resulting in scanty audience. We need to create an awareness among the younger generation about the situation.

Compared to music performances, a dance recital is much more expensive. Apart from the dancers, it includes the orchestra, whose members need to be paid as well. Even for the senior dancers, the payment from the sabhas nowhere match the amount being spent on a programme.

Most dancers end up spending from their own pockets for the accompanying musicians! There are other parameters like costume, make-up, lighting, rehearsals and refreshments, which also involve a lot of money.

Some sabhas have approached us for programmes, but unfortunately, we had to refuse since the payments were not matching our expenditure. Besides, the audience are also tired of seeing old compositions over and over again. We need to bring in new themes to make it interesting.

We at ABHAI are planning to create an awareness on the issue and we hope to work out something better in the coming year.

Narasimhachari heads the dance institution
'Kalasamarpana Foundation' at
No.16, Murrays Gate Road,
Alwarpet,
Chennai-600018.
Ph: 0091-44-4990319, 4670408.
e-mail: chari@md2.vsnl.net.in