After a short break due to a busy february we continue with the interviews of accomplished artists from Canada.
Our next guest is Dr.Mamata Niyogi-Nakara the Founder/President of the Kala Bharati Foundation ( http://www.kalabharati.ca ) and the Artistic Director of La troupe Kala Bharati ( http://www.kalabharati.ca/pages/troupe/performances.html)
Mamataji started her dance training in 1953, at Arts and Artists, in Patna, India, with Guru Bala Krishnan, a leading disciple of Guru U.S. Krishna Rao of Bangalore. On completion of her basic training with Guru Bala Krishnan, and on his advice, she went for advanced training in Bharata Natya to Guru U.S. Krishna Rao and his wife Guru U.K. Chandrabhaga Devi, on a scholarship. Her long-standing and loyal association since 1957 with her Gurus, two of the most renowned exponents of the Pandanallur style of Bharata Natya, has been the most treasured and cherished heritage Mamata ji has had in her pursuit of the art of dance.
Mamataji has performed extensively in india. She also gave performances in the U.K. and Europe, but an accident in 1969, soon after her arrival in Canada, left her with a permanent injury, which brutally and abruptly cut her off from performing Bharata Natya. Devastated by this, she gave up her dance interests and plunged into her doctoral studies. With the passage of time she was able to regain her interest in dance and with the blessings of her Gurus, she started teaching the art in Montreal in 1979. Her Gurus have visited her school three times and have actively supported her in establishing a solid foundation for training and propagation of Bharata Natya in Montreal.
For more information about Mamta ji's illustrious career please refer to http://www.kalabharati.ca/pages/about/mamata.html
A multi-faceted presence on the cultural and artistic scene of Montreal, Kala Bharati has created a veritable niche for itself in Montreal by contributing significantly to this city's vibrant creativity and dance activities. It was founded by Mamataji in the belief that Indian Classical Dance and in particular, Bharata Natya, is an ideal vehicle to promote a better understanding of Indian culture and people.
Firmly rooted in the motto \"par la danse, rapprochement et ouverture\", Kala Bharati, the institution to train Bharata Natya dancers was born in 1981. For many of the dance students who have attained a high level of proficiency, the dance activity is pursued as an artistic endeavour and they are encouraged to strive for excellence.
The dance training at Kala Bharati has gained international recognition through its highly acclaimed presentations of Bharata Natya performances by La Troupe at main theatres in Montreal, other cities in Canada and all over the world, including that on the Indian National TV Doordarsan / Prasar Bharati.
In the few correspondences I have had with Mamataji, I have found that her writings emanate a wonderful warmth and sincerity. I believe there are few better people to introduce us to and inform us of this art form, which is a wonderful part of our heritage. It is with great pleasure that I introduce Mamtaji to Canadiandesi.com. A hearty welcome to you Mamtaji!
I have a few questions for Mamtaji which I will post soon. In the meantime, I am sure Mamtaji would be happy to answer any questions cdesi's have for her.
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Hi Mamataji,
Wonder if you are back in Montreal yet and hope you had a great time in India. Here are my first three questions for you
1) This question is out of personal curiosity more than anything else:
As you know this site is mostly populated by new/prospective arrivals to Canada, so my question is Do you have a lot of new immigrants as your students ? I would guess that, apart from continuing their education in Bharat Natya, connecting with their cultural heritage (via institutions such as Kala Bharati) would be an important issue for these immigrants from south asia. Am I correct in my assumptions?
2) We have members from all different religions in South Asia. Bharat Natya is often associated with hindu religious worship. At the outset I did not have enough knowledge about the subject to form a decisive opinion. However, while reading through the wonderful new forums on www.kalabharati.ca, I found more information on this topic amongst others. The parallels drawn between Bharat Natya and yoga were also very interesting. Our members can always visit the site and be better informed but can you give us your personal opinions on the same?
3) Art often has the power to transcend boundaries and promote understanding between cultures. I know that it is one of the self-imposed and important mandates of Kala Bharati to promote some of the rich Indian cultural heritage in Canada and to the average Canadians. Can you tell us a bit about your successes and limitations(if any) in this regard?
Please feel free to take your time to answer these questions and factor your recovery from jet-lag/journey into the process. We are very obliged that you agreed to be a part of canadiandesi.com.
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1) I actually have a question about India. With the prominence that western culture is gaining in the Indian society via TV/cinema/music, do you think that the interest in Indian classical dances in India is waning amongst our youth? What can we as Indians do to revive and promote interest in Indian classical dance while adopting dance forms from other cultures too, both in India and Canada?
2) What are some of your favorite non-indian dance forms if any? Do you notice any subtle or not-so-subtle similarities between traditional dances from other cultures and those from India?
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Are you there?
Hi all,
Due to a small mixup(e-mail), I have just found that Mamataji is still in Kolkotta. Though she has registered as a canadiandesi she is unable to find a reliable connection that will enable her to give our questions the attention they deserve. She sends her regrets for the delay and will attend to our questions as soon as she is back in Montreal.
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Location: Montreal, Que
Posted on: 21-03-04 11:30:35
Quote:
Hi Mamataji,
Wonder if you are back in Montreal yet and hope you had a great time in India. Here are my first three questions for you. Please feel free to take your time to answer these questions and factor your recovery from jet-lag/journey into the process. We are very obliged that you agreed to be a part of canadiandesi.com.
1) This question is out of personal curiosity more than anything else:
As you know this site is mostly populated by new/prospective arrivals to Canada, so my question is Do you have a lot of new immigrants as your students ? I would guess that, apart from continuing their education in Bharat Natya, connecting with their cultural heritage (via institutions such as Kala Bharati) would be an important issue for these immigrants from South Asia. Am I correct in my assumptions?
Hello jake3d
We have just gotten back from our visit to India and are slowly settling into our routine in Montreal after a long absence from this city. Sorry for the delay in getting back to your questions posted sometime back.
I appreciate very much this opportunity to discuss various aspects of our work at Kala Bharati with you and others at canadiandesi and I thank you for the same.
At Kala Bharati dance school we do have students from immigrant families from South Asia, but not many are newly arrived. In fact most of the younger students taking dance lessons are born here in Canada.
For many of these dance students, learning Bharata Natya is an interesting and stimulating way to keep in touch with their roots, so your remark that the students connect with their cultural heritage through dance training is a valid one. I would like to add that in the context of Indian culture, dance, and particularly Bharata Natya, is an ideal vehicle for such an objective, because apart from its intrinsic value as an art form, it incorporates music and literature as well as other cultural traditions
Quote:
2) We have members from all different religions in South Asia. Bharat Natya is often associated with Hindu religious worship. At the outset I did not have enough knowledge about the subject to form a decisive opinion. However, while reading through the wonderful new forums on www.kalabharati.ca, I found more information on this topic amongst others. The parallels drawn between Bharat Natya and yoga were also very interesting. Our members can always visit the site and be better informed but can you give us your personal opinions on the same
The traditional practice of Bharata Natya as offerings at Hindu temples, as well as the religious nature of the texts of the songs that have been usually interpreted through this dance, has given it a strong association with the Hindu religion. However, Bharata Natya as a dance form lends itself very well to expressing feelings and emotions related to non-religious or secular themes. This flexibility to interpret different moods, thoughts and ideas has given Bharata Natya a universal appeal with a wider stage to present the art. As in the case of Yoga, although Indian in origin, the practice and promotion of Bharata Natya is no longer confined to the borders of the country of origin. No wonder, increasingly, we find Bharata Natya being performed and taught in various parts of the world.
Quote:
3) Art often has the power to transcend boundaries and promote understanding between cultures. I know that it is one of the self-imposed and important mandates of Kala Bharati to promote some of the rich Indian cultural heritage in Canada and to the average Canadians. Can you tell us a bit about your successes and limitations (if any) in this regard?
I fully agree with you that truly successful Art has more often than not, the power to transcend boundaries and promote understanding. Coincidentally, at the time you posted this question in the beginning of March, I participated in a seminar organized by Sapphire Creations, a Kolkata-based contemporary Indian dance company, on the subject Positive Communication builds bridges between different cultures and genres, in which filmmakers, musicians, dancers, art promoters all agreed on the potential that the artists have in their ability to do so.
It is a bit humbling to talk about one's own successes, but the way in which the work and activities of Kala Bharati have been received and gained recognition here, in Canada and Montreal in particular, has been very heartwarming. Kala Bharati's motto par la danse, rapprochement et ouverture has stood us in good stead. I honestly believe that the work, such as the project Fenetre sur le Monde, being carried out at Kala Bharati has helped serve the cause of better understanding between cultures, especially among the young. As part of this project, groups of young dancers present aspects of Indian culture at various Montreal schools through animation and demonstration using Bharata Natya, thereby creating an awareness among them of the diversity of world cultures present in Montreal.
It is also very significant to note that Bharata Natya performances have been met with unqualified success by audiences at large. Presentations by La Troupe Kala Bharati, the performing wing of the dance school, have been seen on the mainstream venues such as Place des Arts, Maisons de la Culture, Tangente , etc and have been received with much enthusiasm and acclaim by dance connoisseurs and critics alike. In this context it is perhaps worthwhile to mention here that the composition of the audiences that attend the Bharata Natya performances has undergone noticeable changes to include large numbers of Westerners and other non-Indians. At some of the performances by la troupe Kala Bharati, a large majority has been comprised of such spectators.
Although I do not consider it to be a limitation or constraint as such, the fact that Bharata Natya is culture-specific does force us to look into details of presentations to make it more accessible when presented as a mainstream activity, without taking anything away from its traditional and classical roots. The fact that Kala Bharati is well recognized in India as a leading center of Bharata Natya, bears testimony to the fact that the art as practiced here has been able to retain its essence in its pristine form.
-----mamata niyogi-nakra
Location: Montreal, Que
Posted on: 23-03-04 10:10:22
Quote:
BlueLobster
Senior Desi :Moderator:
1) I actually have a question about India. With the prominence that western culture is gaining in the Indian society via TV/cinema/music, do you think that the interest in Indian classical dances in India is waning amongst our youth? What can we as Indians do to revive and promote interest in Indian classical dance while adopting dance forms from other cultures too, both in India and Canada?
Hello BlueLobster,
I found your questions thought- provoking and am pleased to comment on them.
It is undeniable that the influence of western culture is, as you put it ‘gaining in the Indian society via TV/cinema/music.’ In the context of globalization it is unavoidable that cultures in different parts of the world will be exposed to each other’s heritage and would go through transformations. To what extent this has influenced a decline in interest among the youth in India in their own cultural heritage is not easy to ascertain. I have not come across any serious study on this trend that would help me to give you an objective response.
Based on my own observations during my visits to India, which have been fairly regular, I can say that there are activities today taking place that reflect youth involvement in the Indian arts and cultures and as such interest in Indian classical dances among the young has not perceptibly waned. To support my contention I would like to point out to the mushroom growth of classical dance schools in all major Indian cities. In most cities it is easier to find a teacher or an institution imparting classical training in Indian dance than a few decades ago.
Another factor that has helped to sustain the interest of the youth in India is the efforts of an organization called Spic-Mackay. Under its sponsorship leading artists of Indian Classical music and dance give free lecture-demonstrations and performances at various schools, colleges and institutes of higher learning all over the country. I have attended a few of these presentations and have been impressed to find that they are very well attended.
As Indians living outside the country of origin, we have to be genuinely interested in our own heritage and classical traditions if we wish to preserve and promote the arts. If we are keenly interested we will pursue and support Indian Classical Dance activities with a seriousness of purpose. I am pleased to add that we are finding that this is actually happening in Canada. Indian organizations and institutions are indeed contributing to the growth and development of Indian Classical Dance in several cities in this country.
Quote:
2) What are some of your favorite non-indian dance forms if any? Do you notice
any subtle or not-so-subtle similarities between traditional dances from other cultures and those from India?
It is interesting that you ask about my favorite non-Indian dance forms. Being based in Montreal, an artistically vibrant city with a lively and vital dance scene, I have been exposed to all kinds of ‘non –Indian’ dance forms. Although I enjoy presentations of all the different forms of dance, my favorite western dance form is Classical Ballet. The grace, the beauty and the vast classical and contemporary repertoire that Classical Ballet presents, appeal to my sensibilities as an artist.
I have been very privileged to have had an ongoing dialogue for a number of years on a regular basis with the well–known ballet dancer and dance historian Vincent Warren, who is an ex-premier danseur of Les Grands Ballets Canadiens of Montreal, and is at present the Curator of the Dance library at L’Ecole Nationale de Ballet Contemporain. Our discussions took place in connection with a Kala Bharati project on a comparative study of Ballet and Bharata Natya from the point of view of history, training, technique, repertoire and presentations.
The two dance forms, Ballet and Bharata Natya, with identifiable characteristics,
have their own distinctive styles. It was a pleasant surprise for both Vincent and me to discover during the course of our discussions that there are quite a few similarities in the context of the evolutionary stages and historical development of the two styles as well as in the methodology and approaches to training and technique. Again, while looking into the repertoire, we saw how choreographers go through similar creative processes to come up with their productions. We realized that the factors that characterize classical dance are based on values and traditions that defy geographical boundaries and so there are many more similarities than seem apparent.
--------- mamata niyogi-nakra
Mamata ji,
Your answers are very informative . It is also interesting to know of your collaboration with artists and experts in other dance forms. Based on this here are a couple of questions
1) Has Kalabharati collaborated/performed with other artists in any experimental/innovative fusion art ? If so, how does Bharat natyam(which is a traditional art form) lend itself to different interpretations ?
2)Most art forms are in a state of constant innovation and evolution. Can the same be said of Bharat Natya? If so, are these changes and experimentation more common with Bharat Natya artists in the west than in India? Can you tell us about any differences, if any, in the way the art form is practised in India and in western countries like Canada when it comes to interpretation of the same?
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