After two years of restricted live performances, Srajam – A Garland Of Nritya, a festival of Indian classical dance, will be staged this weekend at the Sangeetha Abivirthi Sabha arts venue (No. 32, Jalan Rozario, Brickfields) in Kuala Lumpur.
Organised and presented by Kalpana Dance Theatre in KL and Sangeetha Abhivirithi Sabha, Srajam is supported by the High Commission of India in Malaysia and the Netaji Subash Chandra Bose Indian Cultural Centre in KL.
It sees the participation of four dance schools based in the Klang Valley, namely, Kalpana Dance Theatre, Subranjali Dance Academy, Angika Fine Arts and Vehaara Arts.
Children from the Pure Life Society in KL, the B40 community and the UNHCR will also be participating in Srajam. These children are taught dance weekly under Kalpana Dance Theatre’s corporate social responsibility (CSR) outreach programme.
“Accessibility to the arts and dance is essential as it aids the holistic growth of an individual. Inclusivity too is highly valued here at Kalpana Dance Theatre, where we ensure we provide underprivileged children with the opportunity to learn the art form.
“A student of the arts not only has the opportunity to delve into the intricacies and the rich heritage which is being channelled through the art form learnt, but also other soft skills that will nurture their individual growth like teamwork, time management, discipline, determination and confidence,” says Shangita Namasivayam, founder and artistic director of KDT.
“When the arts offer an array of benefits to any individual learning it, why should we restrict it? Just like formal education, art education must be available for anyone regardless of their background,” she adds.
Shangita, who is a Kalakshetra Bharatanatyam graduate, has devoted her life to sharing her passion for dance and inspiring young dancers to pursue the fine art of Indian classical dance.
About 130 dancers in Srajam are from the dance schools, while 21 dancers are from the CSR initiative. Their ages range between four to 40 years old.
“We hope that our children from our CSR programme will enjoy this opportunity to perform and bask in their love for dance. Our students from the B40 and UNHCR categories have been part of various performances, but this will be the debut performance for the children from the Pure Life Society. We hope this experience will elevate and enhance their desire to dance and to further learn the art form with greater refinement and passion,” she says.
The performances at Srajam will include Bharatanatyam, Odissi and two folk dances with a native derivation from common folk dances in Tamil Nadu, India.
“The aim of Srajam deviates from the conventional need of refinement and perfection with (the) heavy intertwining of the intricacies of the art form. Instead, Srajam aims to be a festival celebrating the small things in life like the joy of dancing, being in presence with fellow art patrons and relishing in the simplicity of joy that the arts advocate.
“It celebrates the opportunity for the audience to watch young dancers blossom in their own little ways on stage. Hence, Srajam is open to all regardless of their knowledge on dance. We hope our audience go home with their hearts full and content after an evening of soaking in these rich cultures,” says Shangita.
“Being able to stage a dance festival now is a blessing, something we took for granted in the past. Srajam has been put together amidst many challenges, as we slowly recover from this pandemic that has imposed many limitations on us and the arts.
“It marks the rejuvenation and restoration of some sense of normalcy. I am very excited for Srajam, and our dancers are super, super excited. Srajam is certainly a breath of fresh air,” she concludes.
The Srajam – A Garland Of Nritya event, which starts at 6.30pm on April 16 and 5.30pm on April 17, is free and open to the public.
More info, call: 017-672 5672.
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