DANCE RECITAL PROGRAM

A Dance recital program by PADMA SHREE SMT. GEETA CHANDRAN was organized by the SPIC MACAY DTC HERITAGE CLUB, Delhi technical campus on 28th October 2015. The main motive of organizing this dance recital was to push the frontiers of the classical art and create new spaces for the young students and classical dancer of today. Dance must be linked to life and that artists must use their unique position in society to make a difference to life and living. Ms. Priyanka Kaushal, Assistant Professor along with 4 students Shivani Lall (10067), Shiv Arora (10066), Swati Roy (10076) and Shri Prakash (10075) of Applied Science Department from Dronacharya Group of Institutions, Greater Noida attended this program.

Smt. Geeta Chandran was awarded the prestigious national award - the Padma Shri - by the President of India in 2007. She is celebrated artist, a star-performer and synonymous with the Indian classical dance: Bharatanatyam. She began learning Bharatanatyam from the tender age of 5 years under the tutelage of Smt. Swarna Saraswathy, who hailed from the traditional Thanjavoor dasi parampara. Subsequently, she continued learning diverse aspects of the classical dance from a galaxy of eminent Gurus.

The dance program commenced with the ‘Welcome Address’ by Dr. Ramini swarna (Faculty and Convenor of SPIC MACAY, NGY Region DTC). She welcomed Smt. Geeta Chandran and all the participants to the dance recital.

In her dance performence Smt. Geeta Chandran skillfully wove abstract notions of Joy, Beauty, Values, Aspirations, Myth and Spirituality related activities: performing, teaching, conducting, singing, collaborating, organizing, writing and speaking to new youth audiences. She said Bharata Natyam is known for its grace, elegance, purity, tenderness, expression and sculpturesque poses and explain its five major styles include Odissi, Kuchipudi, Mohiniattam, Kathakali and Natya Yoga.

She demonstrated the basic steps of Bharatanatyam and the rules that must be followed by classical dancer before performing dance. Dancer touches Mother Earth and asks her permission to stamp on her during the dance (i.e. Bhumi Pranam). She expressed wonderfully the madness of Mira Bai for Lord Krishna and Durga Avtars during her dance performance.

It was a learning experience about classical art for the students as well as for the faculty members.