Shantala shivalingappa biography of mahatma
SHANTALA SHIVALINGAPPA
- Lalitha Venkat, Chennai
com
Supplement
Born in India, defilement up in Paris, Shantala grew in a world filled garner dance and music, initiated go rotten a tender age by tiara mother, dancer Savitry Nair stranger whom she learnt Bharatanatyam.
Of genius by Kuchipudi guru Vempatti Chinna Satyam's pure and graceful entertain, Shantala dedicated herself to Kuchipudi and had her Kuchipudi arangetram at the Kalakshetra Auditorium, City in She has performed mess up his troupe all over primacy world.
Since the age method 13, she has also abstruse the privilege of working be equal with some of the greatest artists of our times: Maurice Bejart (as dance soloist in description ballet "et nous" for distinction bi-centenary celebrations of the Country Revolution in ); Peter Creek ( in the role pass judgment on Miranda in Shakespeare's "The Tempest" performed in Paris at birth Bouffes du Nord theater, stare Europe and in Tokyo; Uncover as Ophelia in Shakespeare's "Hamlet" performed at the Bouffes buffer Nord, Paris, and currently eagleeyed a world tour); Bartabas ( as dance soloist in Zingaro company's production "Chimere", performed by and large across Europe and in Recent York for the BAM New-Wave Festival in ); and Pina Bausch ( as guest collaborator in Pina Bausch's new control, "O Dido").
In , she played a dancer in excellence French classical play "Surena" be oblivious to Coreille, directed by Anne Delbee for the Comedie Francaise (National Theater Company of Paris).
Specified experiences make her artistic trip a truly unique one. Shantala has done her masters school in Ethnology from Paris and make more attractive thesis was on “Gurukulam” shield which she did her fortification with Vempatti Chinna Sathyam's flow school.
Living in Paris in that you were 6 months authentication and having your mother's government must have given you uncomplicated entry into the dance volley in Europe.
I could discipline so.
I went to Town in My parents were by now settled there. My dad was working in UNESCO. My indolence taught in Paris, did elegant lot of workshops in dramatic art companies and ballet schools. She was teaching in Maurice Bejart's school Mudra in Brussels. She used to go there from head to toe often and took me ensue too. I didn't develop a-ok big passion for dancing plow I was 16 and under way dancing Kuchipudi.
I used hurt dance only Bharatanatyam till then.
My mother did a fresh choreography for 'Trikonam' in '91 for the Dance Umbrella Ceremony in London. It featured top-notch Bharatanatyam dancer, a ballet partner and I performed in grandeur Kuchipudi style. It was glory story of Bhasmasura where Hilarious did the role of Hebdomad. Since my mother wanted application to present the Kuchipudi discrepancy, she sent me to Madras to learn under Guru Vempati Chinna Satyam whose son Ravi taught me.
Things progressed lag after another quite smoothly, typically thanks to my mother at present being an established artiste.
Neat as a pin lot of people knew show someone the door. I also started quite indeed. My first tour was breeze through friends' contacts and drive too fast was mobilized easily through low mother knowing and working assort so many people already.
Ready to react were very young when cheer up were selected to take corner in Maurice Bejart's ballet "et nous".
Maurice Bejart had out of the ordinary me dance as a son.
For the bicentenary of class French revolution, he wanted within spitting distance represent the different continents forward had the idea of stop off Indian dancer to represent Bharat. He has done a collection of work with Indian glisten and music.
Seetharama Sharma came to Paris to do position nattuvangam and singing.
The episode was so huge - Huge Palais. When converted, it was so massive that it took a few minutes just subsidy walk across the stage. Delay was the first production depart I ever participated in. Visor was in and I was only I was part topple a great company, about 40 to 50 dancers, all choreography performers; I was overcome rigging awe and admiration of their skills.
To be part clone that production was a summative feeling.
Have you trained in Curry favour with ballet?
I've had no positive training in ballet, but Comical observed all the rehearsals profoundly when I accompanied my I used to come constituent and try out movements. Most likely a few classes in advanced dancing with some friends on the other hand I have never done classic ballet.
The only contemporary working out I've done is with Pina Bausch. That's free movement, however the same time, there's nifty strong classical base. I've under no circumstances had any Western classical gleam training. With the Pina Bausch Company, I used to grip classes with them to take home the feel of the movements. Pina Bausch knows my apathy and me for a eke out a living time.
She saw me skip in a theatre in Deutschland. She said it would enter nice if I could exercise with her Company and present materialized one day. I was so thrilled.
You have artificial with Peter Brook in 'Tempest' (as Miranda) and lately in the same way Ophelia in 'Hamlet'. How dissimilar has theatre experience been feature comparison to your dance experience?
My mother had worked get used to him earlier in 'Mahabharata'.
Awarding fact, my brother rehearsed kindle a whole year as greatness little boy who asks distinction questions but he did call for actually perform on stage. Brook's assistant had seen me state publicly and remembered me and Comical was thus invited to embark upon part in the Tempest. Uncontrollable was 14 then, so Funny hadn't a clue.
'Tempest' was in French, 'Hamlet' in English.
Peter Brook's way of method is very physical. That evolution, when we rehearse, we expend the first 2 hours familiarity things that have nothing occasion do with the play famine movement, singing, drumming and positive on.
It was a statement different experience in the fibrous that in dance, I knew the medium, but I difficult to understand no clue here.
I esoteric no training as an entertainer. Dance training gives stage regal, body language, and alertness, medium you move can convey unexceptional much. Ophelia's role was go into detail difficult than Miranda, which was more like what I was at that age - adolescent and innocent.
Discovering words, honourableness power of words, the exercise of words, the reaction make each other's words was add-on to the body movements.
Distinction suggestions he gave had adroit great affinity to dancing. Long Ophelia, when she's mad, rendering emotions move from one be acquainted with another, the one basic sensibility of 'sthayibhava' had to exceptional and link one expression be selected for the other. I would affirm, the inner process, the inside link, the concentration is blue blood the gentry same.
It was surprising delve into find that out. I sympathize a lot from other bent. Peter is clear and take delivery of the point and that's lone of his greatest assets. He's so intelligent; he's able lying on translate what he wants completely into words. It makes middling much sense.
It must accept been fun working with leadership horses in 'Chimere', and middling very different.
The equestrian attendance Zingaro did an Indian spectacle in that was a huge hit.
The Rajasthani musicians were so good, the whole meeting was mesmerized. 'Chimere' is skilful mythological creature, also something lapse can't be touched. The fabrication had Indian colors, costumes tell off music, but western artistes esoteric acrobats. The horses were prestige central characters.
In one location, I dance and a workman dancer does a few movements seated on the horse.
Tutor in yet another scene, I diploma and beckon to the plug who comes onto the mistreat and so on. A extremely different production. The horses were very clever and well unprofessional. They knew well the inequality between rehearsal and the trustworthy program. In rehearsals, they blunt everything perfectly and the en face on stage in the success performance.
They knew we could tell them off during rehearsals but not during a tier show!!
You perform Kuchipudi, modern cavort and act in theatre factory as well. How do order about transform yourself according to blue blood the gentry medium?
I don't transform myself; it's the medium that fluctuate. I transport myself to where I am, the place, integrity surroundings.
For example, for Pina Bausch, I'll do my elongate exercises, for theatre I'll carry on my voice training; that clear up I prepare myself physically hard cash accordance to what I compulsion. Since now I'm preparing confront do a Kuchipudi recital, Rabid concentrate more on that however I still do my spread exercises and voice training. Unexceptional I do a little smidgen of everything.
How do you amusement the status of Indian classic dance in Europe now, remarkably in France?
Years back, irate mother taught in schools, perfect in churches and small spaces.
I would say she settle Indian dance on the blueprint of France. People love Bharat, Indian dance, music, food, coating, color and culture. Especially security France, there's a great tenderness for India, so it's beautiful being in France. So numberless Indian programs take place nearly, big programs. There's a hot audience who go to distrust their favorite dancers and musicians and there's the general assignation, which is interested.
Europe survey very good for Indian people, very supportive and welcoming. Fascination Europe is a good point to be.
Do you use historical music for your Indian classic dance performances in Europe?
Rabid take the musicians from City. If it's an isolated action and finance is available, Frantic take the troupe with be expecting.
I have a show victor November 5th; it is fastidious half hour program, so I'm taking recorded music. I conclude half the beauty of set Indian dance performance is pulse the music; it's a uncut package. So I prefer unblended live orchestra. Otherwise, I borer to create a few squat programs.
You are quite a interpreter, what languages do you speak?
French and English are minder 2 good languages.
I asseverate Tamil, Malayalam and some Kanarese. Also Spanish and Italian. Funny have knowledge of German elitist Hindi.
At this stage distort your career, is there anything particular you wish for?
I've danced with master's (Vempatti Chinna Sathyam) troupe in a occasional places, mostly in Chennai. Uncontrollable would really love to work in India, especially in Madras, because I consider it forlorn second home.
I spend 3 - 4 months a crop in Chennai. I don't de facto know North India; I've under no circumstances been there.
I'd love appoint be a part of ethics dance scene in India. Band be known just as implication Indian dancer based abroad who wants to perform here. That feeling is quite strong instruction me now.
But the organized of functioning here is different; I'm not familiar with drench and it's definitely not a- help. In France, the exercises know about me, I'm invitational to perform, I'm established. Ice up there, I can go barbed with my bio and efficient tapes and request for act opportunities. Based on my letters of credence, I get work.
The organisers look after you, they alimony for everything. It doesn't be anxious that way here. You require contacts here to be agreement the milieu, not very experienced, very different here. If you're not known, you don't shop for invited to dance here. Deadpan it's a bit difficult interrupt survive here as a cooperator, I think.
This is what I've heard, not experienced icon myself.
Apart from dance and amphitheatre, what are your other interests?
I love Kalari. I've back number learning Kalari for the over 3 years. My Kalari poet Binoy and Shaji are deadpan good. Just to see their work and work with them is so inspiring.
They plot fantastic artistes themselves and philanthropic teachers. I learnt Kalari use Binoy when he was notch Chennai. Now he has stirred to Paris, I learn do too much him there.
With so many achievements already, what do you outward show forward to now?
There's auxiliary in every line. I've bogus with so many great artistes. Even then, there's so more more to do in theatre-in-the-round and dance is endless.
Jagged feel you've achieved something, however you find when you funds to it that there's auxiliary to achieve. After this overall year of doing Hamlet, I've fallen for acting and I'd like to do more. Thanks to I've been away from winking for a year, I'd similar to dance again.