Watch it LIVE!

How real are you?

Recall a whole day and choose the moments you have been real, from the food you consumed, the videos you watched, the songs you heard, the plants you touched, the words you spoke, the voices you heard...and so on. Recall how many times you felt REAL..Food doesn't count vitamins...Plants doesn't count walking with shoes on grass, songs doesn't count videos on youtube, words doesn't count gossips, hearing doesn't count the beeping and ringing of phones...now...how much of real moments do we experience in a day? Think!  

We wake up to almost a robotic world, where everything is moving mechanically, we rush to fit into these routines not knowing heads or tails of where exactly we are going...but why the mad rush? 

Coz, everyone is doing it and we will be left out if we don't? Left out? Left out from what exactly? From a sleeping society? From a hypnotized human race? From people who have long forgotten what it feels like to be real?

For a moment, think how you can be real..? I am not against technology...i love technology! But unfortunately technology works with HUMAN BEINGS...and are we being human in its true sense anymore...? We want everything either programmed, recorded, printed or screened...we cant touch an image of a rose stored in our mobile and feel the soft petals....we have got to be walking in a garden...sensing the fragrance and feeling the delicate petals against the skin to know the connection...to its subtle yet strong energy. That feeling you get when you touch a real rose...is REAL. Two amazing creations of the universe coming into contact...human being and a rose!! How beautiful is that?...the rose might not wonder what we are...but it will definitely absorb the love we radiate...You may be the BEST photographer in the world...but can you create THAT moment of TRUTH between a Rose and a Human Being in touch? 

Just like that everything LIVE has its beauty, which no technology can replace. Like Music and Dance too. People have no time to go watch a live performance. They would say its too expensive or too troublesome...driving to the auditoriums, parking, getting the tickets and sitting for a whole two hours is too much for them...so they would watch videos on youtube. And now people are watching these videos on mobile phones, the screen is just about palm sized. Is that satisfying..? Seriously? Either we have gone so far into a fake lifestyle that we don't even know what satisfies the soul anymore or we simply have forgotten what it feels like to be real.

What do you get when you watch a LIVE performance?

You see a dancer on stage, say with 500 people watching...ALL eyes and lights on that ONE performer. The guts you need to stand on stage knowing a single mistake will be clearly seen by 500 people ON the spot...no chance of correcting...no chance of reproducing the effects, ONE time is all you have...just like life. You know the audience have paid their hard earned money and taken a precious part their time to come watch you. The responsibility falls on the performer. They have to touch 500 souls and keep their focus through out the performance. Does that sound easy to you? 

That is why every professional artist will torture themselves through endless hours of practices for months, hurting themselves both physically and mentally before they stand before the audience. Every minute they are on stage is equivalent to hours, days and nights of practices. Ive seen artists cry during rehearsals for all the stress they are put through. And NEVER forget these performers live in the same MAD RUSH world as the audience. Some working and rushing to rehearsals right after office hours, not having a chance to go home and be with their families. 

Why do they do it then?? Because its REAL. A dancer at heart will be willing to go through all these tortures for that 5 perfect mins on stage and for the blissful moments of connecting with 500 souls. Its priceless to them and they will do it over and over. You can only go through such pain willingly if you have the passion to do it. If not, it will be merely a torture! 

"Too expensive" is the first thing people say when buying tickets to live performances...but that's because they do not realise what they are paying is not for just that TWO hours of show on stage alone. Its for the dedication of a performing artist in preparing themselves to be fit to be on stage as an entertainer. Most professionals have given their whole lives for it. What we see or hear on stage is someones childhood ripped off and put into hours of practices. What we experience is someones lifetime of focus on ART despite the harsh challenges faced day in and day out. What we witness is someone who dared stand out and follow their passion. 

And we are not doing them a favour by watching live performance. We are in fact getting an out of the world experience ourselves. And by out of the world i mean REALLY out of this (robotic, youtube, facebook, twitter world) where you can feel the real energy and soul of a dancer or musician connect to you. The vibes of an instrument resonating though the auditorium...and beating with your heart...why else do people cry and scream at live concerts! Because its REAL! You feel ALIVE. You can feel the artist and art connected. You can feel the energy of the performer, you feel their emotions...it becomes an experience altogether...!Any form of art when performed by a dedicated and passionate performer has a certain quality which is capable of transporting the audience to somewhere beyond life....something you can never put into words. And THATS exactly what we pay for...priceless moments of ecstatic joy! Well its definitely easier way out, compared to meditation anyway ... :) 

The more real moments you experience, the more in touch you feel with life..and the more in touch you are with life, the more joyful it becomes...

I cant remember how many live performances ive watched so far as ive been watching them since i was a little kid...easily a hundred shows...and also have had the chance to perform in quite a number of shows which kind of gives me a whole experience of being on both sides and i have to mention how blessed i am to be living in a city where such awesome live shows are staged all year through...giving me a chance to experience the REAL thing every now and then...

So, today i thought i would share these thoughts with some of you who might wonder why you should bother watching live performances when you can always hear it or watch it recorded...believe me...every instrument creates a connection through the vibrations produced and the effects can never be recorded...the sound may be reproduced but never the life energy that comes out of an instrument...just like that, only a dancer on stage performing live...will be able to convey their emotions by staying connected to the audience. Its again something you cant put in words....  

So, next time you want to experience something for real...

Go catch a LIVE show!! :) 

SADHANA 2016

SADHANA 2016, what is it?

Its when every beat, every step, every note and every move which has been instilled painstakingly into our nerves by the gurus, finally takes a form, that can be related to the audience.

What you will watch or hear in this show, is something that grew inch by inch into the souls of the performers. It is not something that happens overnight. Not even over months, but years!  Its a flow of two way energy, between the guru and student that finally merges at a point, mixed with dedication and love, and takes on a new life.

With every note you learn, you get a little closer to the tune and with every step you learn, you get a little closer to the dance. Every class will only seem like...one step or one note that you cant relate as a whole, but as you keep practicing and adding on the next note and step, it begins to make sense. Then you begin to see the magic, and that keeps you going, and suddenly after years of these little steps, you suddenly find yourself dancing, singing or playing a song. Usually you are surprised at the outcome. You finally see, what has been happening in every class from the first day. You now now how to put it together. Its then not called steps anymore, but DANCE. Not notes, but MUSIC.  

And SADHANA 2016 is another step closer to magic, because whatever that has been happening on different days, different times, different disciplines, with different gurus and students who have been teaching (or screaming, precisely :)) and learning various forms of ART, slowly growing together under one roof but not really taking notice of each other, but suddenly comes to life as whole group of performers who now recognize one another and are connected through the arts. 

Taking into consideration that this is all happening in Kuala Lumpur, these students and their parents who are living somewhere amidst the concrete jungle, and in times when people think money is the most important thing in life and everything else is secondary, its pretty amazing how such shows are still possible. The reason could only be that we are still human beings and are still connected to the divine nature. We cant help it. No matter how hectic life is, no matter how busy, how far we live, how expensive it is, our hearts cant help seeking whats REAL! And that is why, parents can go to such extend to take the time for their children to be involved in such shows. That's is also why students are able to take the stress of painful practices and yet go on learning joyfully.

So, this July the proud gurus of Swara Community Arts Center in PJ are waiting to see their students on stage and so are their families and friends. Yes, its going to be ALL STUDENTS this time while the gurus sit back and relax?? Ermm no i don't think so, most of them are more nervous than when they are performing themselves. Hahaha, but that's only because they want to see the best of their students!

So, come join us, support and bless our first times on stage. Lets celebrate ARTS with a passion that never fades. ARTS keep life aglow and shining within the souls of performers and audience creating a connection that takes you into the other realms.

See you at TEMPLE OF FINE ARTS, Brickfields this 17th and 24th July, 6PM!

SITAR GROUP

Bharathanatyam

Kurati Kummi-Children

Bharathanatyam Adults

Children-Odissi

Children and adult-TABLA

Bharathanatyam-ADULTS

Odissi-ADULTS

And with many more performances!

SADHANA 2016 

above all is a dedication to our beloved gurus of 

Swara Community Arts Center.

Samuel J Dass, Prakash Kandasamy, Neha Mondal Chakravarti, Vathana Chandrasegaran, Nitin Shirale, Eliezer Enan, Pangasaasanii Gowrisan , Sangeetha Irene & Maheeswari

WE LOVE YOU ALL!!!

Performances

Sitar

Tabla

Guitar

Violin

Veena

Vocal

Odissi

Kathak

Bharathanatyam 

Bollywood

 call 016-6820919 for invites

Where there is ART...

Where there is ART there is MAGIC :)

The whole of September 2015 was filled with everything i LOVE! Both MUSIC and DANCE...and shows by the best of the best not just in the country but internationally!! What a blessing it was to witness two major events of the year ...happening on the same weekend. While i have friends and family on both sides, which makes it even more special! Being involved and working with such artistes is always inspiring.

While newspapers and people were grumbling about the haze and the heat ....we at Swara Community Arts Center and Sutra Dance Academy were all breathing in ART and nothing but ART :) And we had no chance to even notice the weather!! 

Sutra Dance Academy presented an Odissi dance performance titled GANJAM with live music by musicians from Odisha India. And Swara Community Art Center had a LIVE recording session of the fusion concert by the band, SwaraAsia, East Meets West. Both world class!! Too much magic to handle in one weekend! 

I will of course write about both the shows in detail and share photographs soon.

For now, i am still soaking in all the magical moments and am lost for words!! So, once i am settled ...i will get to it ok?! SOON! :)

Oh My India!

Last weekend i got this wonderful opportunity to be with SWARA Community Arts Center at Publika, Solaris Dutamas for a show organised by Prevail Productions and this time i was doing what i love most....yes, taking pictures! Since Swara's photographer guy was not available for the weekend i just came in to help take a few pictures for our documentation. I was absolutely delighted as i always felt theres something about taking pictures of dance and dancers or any kind of performances on the whole which is totally satisfying. For instance you catch a move which otherwise might only last a few seconds in life...you get to freeze their beautiful expressions to be admired again and again. Sometimes you in fact get to see a lot more in a picture then in life! But only problem was, at the moment i have a simple Canon powershot camera which though is good for zooming in 30X, it is not able to freeze movements clearly as the features of this camera isn't really meant for sports or movement. Still, since we had no choice and all we needed was some pics for the records i agreed to do my best.  

This show had 10 different genres of indian traditional dance, 9 of it being classical and one folk. Truly amazing performance from all dancers! And i was pretty satisfied with the shots i managed to take! I was so happy to know that everyone in Swara liked my pictures a lot  So, i will let my pics say the rest :)

This one is my fav pic of this amazing dance called Yakshagana, originating from Karnataka, India. as i was helping her, i was amazed at the number of accessories it required, it was all so heavy and took 3 hours to get dress with make up done!

As i was helping her getting dressed up, i told her that no Odissi or Bharathanatyam dancers should ever complain about having to wear too much for performances :) 

And here she is after 3 hours with her amazing performance

Below is the popular dance genre called Kathakali, a dance form of the Malayalees from Kerala, India performed by Geetha Shankaran Lam 

Below is a picture of the awesome Kathak dancer, Nitin Shirale. I am sure you can see how graceful he is from this shot, every turn and every pose is picture perfect though he swirls like a tornado! Truly breathtaking moves and grace. This is the third time i watched him perform and i am falling in love with Kathak already! 

Here's our very elegant and graceful bharathanatyam dancer, Neha Mondal Chakravathy. She does the most aggressive Shiva thandavas with such lightness, almost floating around the stage, simply beautiful!

The emcee explaining about the folk and classical dances with the folk dancers 

Joyous and fun to watch :) 

Below is Geetha Shankaran's son performing Odissi!

Here's the entire team!

I always loved photography but somehow never took it seriously. This recent opportunity and the feedback from Swara members, family and friends made me realise that i should take it further :) 

Big thanks to my sitar master Samuel J Dass who trusted me with my tiny camera for such a huge and important show!! It was quite funny to be standing next to the"canggih manggih" (Malaysian term for professional/ Hi Tech)  camera persons with their huge cameras balanced on tripod taking pictures and video!! One of the photographers actually smiles at me, looks at my cam and says "that's nice" which clearly sounded like... "what are you trying to do with the toy, lady" hehehhe....but well, you just wait OK?? ;)  

Strings Attached

I was at the Big Bad Wolf sales 3 weeks ago....and i was lost the moment i entered the hall as there were thousands of books and i didnt know where to start! After about a minute or two of looking dazed, like a child who had just entered Charlie's chocolate factory, i finally regained consciousness and started looking at the Biographies.  

As i screened through the stacks of books...trying my best not to miss anything interesting hidden behind other books, this particular title caught my attention. "STRINGS ATTACHED" and the cover had an image of violin and a silhouette of a teacher and a young student. Though people say, don't judge a book by its cover, sometimes...covers do matter! Especially when you are having to pick from thousands of books....its the title and the cover which first catches your attention. First it was the image of the violin and the string which got me looking at it since Ive been learning how to play the Indian instrument Sitar for the past few months. So, i picked it out and read the title properly...it said "Strings Attached, One tough teacher and the art of perfection"! Ok now, i was even more interested in this book. Because the first person that came to my mind was not my music teacher but my dance teacher, Ramli Ibrahim from Sutra dance theatre. So, i turned to the back of the book to read the synopsis and it said...

"A Ukrainian-born taskmaster, who yelled, stomped and screamed and who, through sheer force of will, made them better than they had any right to be." 

By now i was like...."ermm...is this really not about Ramli Ibrahim?" hahaha...yeah it sounded so much like him. So in went the book into my trolley. It was the first book i picked out of the 8 books i bought that day :) and it was also the first one i read the moment i got home. 

And when i finished it, i thought ...you CAN sometimes judge a book by its cover :)

I enjoyed every page of it...and it made me realise that Gurus all over the world are just the same. They push their students beyond their limits...till it becomes unbearable for them but those students who are tough enough to endure and move on to continue learning from such gurus definitely become the best performers. Ive seen it happen at Sutra. I truly admire all my seniors there who have endured such discipline and have become tough by the years. And it shows in every production...the absolutely neat performance which comes not only from the endless practices but from the fear of a screaming guru. All senior students in Sutra knows how it feels when master praises them...something which happens SO rarely...you will stand there simply looking at him, too overwhelmed to even say thank you...almost like....ermm... say like how you might feel if you just witnessed the aurora happening right before your eyes! Believe me i am not exaggerating! 

I had the golden opportunity to be part of their major event only once....in 2008 when Sutra Dance Theatre hosted the international odissi festival and i danced at the opening of the event which was held in the Art Gallery of Petronas Twin Tower, KL. What an experience it was! Though the dancing part was joyous, it wasnt easy facing a Guru who roars right into your face! Scary! But then, after the rehearsals, he says to all the students "sometimes i need to push some of you whom i believe is capable of doing better" and i sit there shaken and in the verge of tears but feeling a tiny bit consoled about being screamed at in front of about 50 adults watching you during rehearsal. Yes it wasnt at all easy! And that was just ONCE! ONE beautiful, magical dance moment of my life...and below is a picture my hubby snapped...though not too clear its one of my fav :) And looking at it now..i remember what happened right after the performance. One of our friends who were there watching told me "Your master was standing and watching you as you entered and started dancing" and i froze! i asked her "really! he did that!!" ohh thank God i did not see him....if i had by any chance spotted him while i danced i would have panicked and been frozen just like in the pic below...hahaha. Truly it was by God's grace, i never realised he was watching! ..gosh...those unforgettable and (scary) precious moments :)

But just like how the students of this violin teacher in the book say...such difficult moments somehow eventually toughens you up. You become immune to it, you become stronger, more confident, not only when performing but also in life on the whole! 

Being human, we tend to take things for granted if we are not pushed with such fear. If teachers are too lenient, we decide not to practice and we become lazy. But having to face a tough guru leaves you no choice but to do your best. One day, all such students will thank these tough masters who have shaped their lives! For me, apart from Ramli Ibrahim himself...i have to thank a zillion to my class teacher Tan Mei Mei who assists him. It was because of her, i had the chance to be a part of this event. She really pushed us to finish up the piece which was suppose to be performed at the opening right in time for the audition. Never did i imagine i would have a chance to dance in an international dance festival! It was surely a dream come true!  

So if you want to know....how it is to be a student of a tough teacher....read this book :)

And ohh the other thing i love about the Big Bad Wolf Book Sale is their plastic bags....i usually take my green bags when shopping but this time...i just had to have one of these plastic bags :)

  

Dancing with destiny...

There has been a few times, when i got opportunities to dance for a piece of music i love and constantly imagined myself dancing....it all started when i was in campus, with A.R Rahman's...Taal movie song. When the movie was released i was in campus and whenever i listened to the songs i would imagine myself dancing to it on stage...or just anywhere over the hills and by the streams...simply love the songs in the movie. But i never imagined that it would really come true! Thanks to the organizers of fashion show in campus especially to a good friend Nazlin who was already in 3rd year when i was in first. One morning at my hostel bathroom, while i was brushing teeth...she walks in and spotted me in the reflection of the mirror and asks..."you can dance indian classical dance...right?" I smiled and said...yes...though i was surprised at her question since i didnt know her at all...it was the first time i saw her in the hostel. Then she asks "would you like to be part of the fashion show we organize to be staged in the Malam Anekaragam ( an annual concert in the university). I was delighted of course...especially when i was feeling miserable to be away from family for the first time in my life, any chance to dance meant BLISS :) 

So thats how i started dancing in campus. Thats when i got the opportunity to dance for the song Taal!! I loved the choreography by another senior girl who is from temple of fine arts. There were four of us doing the classical part ...and we wore plain gold lehengga suits and since then we were often referred by our close friends as the four golden girls in anekaragam :D 

Just like the taal song...there was another song i always imagined myself dancing....also A.R Rahman's music from the movie Jeans....."Anbe Anbe" sung by Hariharan. I love the beat and the lyrics too...especially with the gorgeous Aiswarya Rai dancing in the movie!! It was just so beautiful! Though again...i never thought i would get an opportunity to dance for that song too! And i did!

The crowd at DTSP USM was easily into thousands...and the stage was so huge...we have to run from one side to the other when getting in or out....What an awesome experience it was! That was surely the biggest audience I've ever had! 

Then after campus time...when i came to KL and took Odissi classes at Sutra...it was back to pure classical dances...no more movie songs or semi classical pieces...But that doesn't mean i stopped dreaming :P

About two years ago, while i was browsing through the YouTube videos of Kitaro's music i came across this piece called "Dance of Saraswati" Oh My God it was so beautiful that i thought i had wasted half my life not listening to music that beautiful! It had a very special effect on me...every time i listened to it...i closed my eyes and this time i not only imagined myself dancing...but i also imagine all the breathtaking places i visited in Europe just two years ago...the music and the places suited so well that i didn't know which was more beautiful....and of course i was dancing by the streams and over the rolling hills each time!! :P 

This time...again i NEVER thought i would be dancing for this piece of music...as i was sure...no way my dance school would use this music to dance odissi...hahhaa...and i was not in campus anymore!

But strange that every time i hear this music i so badly wanted to dance to it...it was so joyful and touched the core of my soul! Then sometime last year i decided to ask one of teachers in Sutra if she could help me choreograph for this music...just for fun of course...not to perform but just for the love of it! But then i knew it was not fair for me to ask her to do that. So i told her to just ignore my request and that maybe i just got a little emotional on that day when i was listening to the music...so then we all forgot about it....

But believe it or not....this year...just 2 weeks ago....i danced for this piece...and not only that i danced solo....but i also had to choreograph the whole 6 minutes all by myself!! I was at first reluctant...but then i thought...well for all the years ive been learning, at least i should attempt to have one piece which is originally mine! Every step to be purely my own....for a piece of music i loved most...so why not! It doesn't have to be extraordinary but let it be mine...i thought. So...yes i only had 4 days to choreograph and practice before i performed at the hotel for my secondary school Silver Jubilee celebration in Ipoh! My friends had requested that i do a opening dance because i use to dance in school events like every year..!

I was told that the platform was pretty small and a little shaky...coz it was not meant for performances...so i put in very light steps ( its hard not to stamp when you are doing Indian classical steps) and minimal jumps or runs....still it was enough!! at least enough for me! I in fact thanked Goddess Saraswati for the opportunity...(i must have unconsciously bugged Her so much :P ) and also prayed that i made no mistakes as i knew how many of my friends would be recording and uploading it on FB!!! that was a scary thought coz i have my dance and music teachers on my FB and having them watch the video will be nerve wrecking....and guess what...i remembered every step....and felt totally at easy on that little stage....no special effects or spot lights...but just me and my Goddess in Dance of Saraswati :) I was so delighted that i dedicated the dance to all my dance gurus. And since part of the music is played with the instrument Sitar....i dedicated that part of dance to my sitar master Samuel J Dass too :)  

Please excuse the first one min...where you will be hearing my good friend's voice who was recording ...she was only concerned that the audience cant see me though it was our idea to have all lights turned off till i was on stage and started dancing...hahha..

So here it is...my very simple ...yet my very own interpretation of the Dance of Saraswati....with the sun rising....lotus blooming...birds flying...rivers flowing and there we see Her dancing in joy....one with nature....one soul in ALL!

Hope you like it :)

Me in Kitaro's Dance of Saraswati

A Dancer At Dance

There is a world beyond all chaos, where your heart beats in one rhythm, in harmony with the divine energies. Its a place where the Gods dwell. You find your self in trance as you step into it. You feel your soul lifted so high and light which makes you want to stay there forever. 

It is where a dancer is at dance!

A beautiful title for a beautiful Arangetram (graduation in dance)

This lovely girl Geethika Sree is my dance guru's daughter and having seen her as a baby and also watched her dance from the age of 3 made this graduation ceremony truly special. It was amazing to see how this little baby girl grew up to be such a talented and matured dancer over the years. 

Whenever i hear people complain about life and how it is impossible to do anything for mere passion i could only smile and think about all these dedicated artists who have been living in the same world and yet have been going on and on in this magical path, untouched by this "difficult" world. How do they do it? Why would they do it?? What do they get out of it??

When we go watch a performance, all we see in plain sight is a person dancing on stage for about 2 hours. But what we do not see is the many years of dedication, patience, sacrifices, suffering and tears that eventually blooms into one divine performance.

You cant just memorize a few steps and become a dancer....you need to become the steps itself. You need to merge with the music. You need to surrender to its rhythm. You have to connect to the hundreds of souls watching you. You need to be the dance itself. Its a trance like state which turns you into a soul catcher. You have your audience dance with you. Then ....you are truly a Dancer At Dance. Geethika is surely one of those! 

During the show last night, before every item performed she explains the dance in words and in one of those narrations she says this...

" Leave all your meditations, leave all your yearnings. Come dance with me"  

And i thought, yes, why not? When people meditate for decades to get that ONE glimpse of divinity, she brings all Gods down dancing in joy right before our eyes. So, why not?

You witness Lord Muruga teasing Valli. You hear Lord Rama speaking with his friend Hanuman, you watch playful Lord Krishna and you dance with his Gopis, you fight all evil with Goddess Durga. Above all...we unknowingly enter the peaceful state of meditation where you are not disturbed by the world outside....you have plunged into your soul where everything is joyful! Everything is colourful, bright and beautiful! So yes....leave all meditations and yearnings..and dance! :)

In Indian classical dance, the graduation is regarded as the very beginning to dance. And i truly believe this little goddess will bloom more petals and i am waiting to watch all her performances. May God bless her with everlasting joy of dance!

Thank you Geethika....for adding life into this world :)

Saving Fish From Drowning

Ive never heard of this book till i saw it in BookXcess 2 weeks ago. What caught my attention was the title. "SAVING FISH FROM DROWNING" ?? I picked it up and read the title again and again....SAVING FISH FROM DROWNING....erm that doesnt make sense does it...? Fish dont drown ! so, what could saving fish from drowning mean ? 

So i read the outline of the story and came to know that it was about 11 American tourists who mysteriously went missing in Burma while they were on a journey along the famed Burma road.. And the more interesting part was that the story was revealed by a spirit of a lady by the name of Bibi Chen who was an art patron in San Franscisco. This was the lady who planned out the journey for the 11 American friends. But she mysteriously dies before the trip begins and thus her spirit follows them through out the journey. The details of the missing people and the events were recorded under "Automatic Writing" , descriptions of archived "messages from the unseen world" in various languages reportedly transmitted to people who had no knowledge of the received language. These entries were found in a library of an American society for physical research by a person named Karen. She discovers this particular entry on the 11 missing American recorded and thats how the story begins.

It was really interesting to read a story narrated by a spirit instead of a living person...for a change :)

So i bought the book and just finished reading it. It was quite an experience being in China and Burma with those tourists and to witness many interesting encounters along the way. But the most interesting part of the story was about saving fish from drowning ! Here i wish to share the part that explains the title :-

Just crossing the border into Burma, the tourists stops at a village..

"  I thought this was a Buddhist country," Heidi said. " I thought they didn't kill animals." A few yards to the right was the bloody carnage of a dead pig.

" The butchers and fishermen are usually not Buddhist," Walter said. " But even if they are, the approach their fishing with reverence. They scoop up the fish and bring them to shore. They say they are saving fish from drowning. Unfortunately ...." the fish dont recover."

Saving fish from drowning? Dwight and Heidi looked at each other and guffawed. Was he joking?

Heidi was unable to speak. Did these people actually believe they were doing a good deed?

"No worse than what we do in other countries," Dwight said.

"What are you talking about?" Moff said.

"Saving people for their own good,"he replied. "Invading countries, having them suffer collateral damage, as we call it. Killing them as an unfortunate consequence of helping them."


ahhhh....now i see what the title means !! :)

Though here they have mentioned the wars as an example of saving fish from drowning, i felt that we are all doing that at some point of our lives without realising it !

Families, especially in an Asian culture are SO good at this ! :) hahahha...well i know we Asians have very strong family sentiments and stay connected no matter what ...i dont deny that part of it...but then very often we do more harm to each with the good intention of "helping out". 

Parents and children relationship can be the most complicated of all. followed by uncles, aunties, cousins and distant relatives who can ALL play a big role in what happens in your most personal life. Everyone gives their opinions and advise to you and the problem is they all give different ones. You end up more confused then before and most of the time settle in for one of it out of desperation. Then you go pretty far in that path and suddenly realise thats not what you wanted ! And begin to wander how on earth you decided to something like that ...then it occurs to you ...ohhh it was suggested by this person ...and you were convinced by them then ! 

Followed by the family, is the culture you belong to. Culture throws you a neverending list of what you can and cannot do so you would fit into that society. 

For example , Indian families never encouraged girls to become dancers or singers. To perform in front of an audience is shameful they say. Made me wander, how many beautiful dancers and singers have the world missed because of this culture ! The very same society who believes in Goddess Sarasvati who blesses children with such talents also forbids them from bringing the talent out of the person. I dont understand. You worship the goddess who gives those talents but disgrace the talent itself at the same time ! why ? 

Culture, tells you how you should dress, but it doesnt tell you how to see others beyond the physical appearance. All temples in India have the most scantily dressed female figures in sculptures and paintings. But worshipers who enter the temples know how to SEE it. As divine, as and art, as a beauty and as nature. Then as they walk out of the temple they judge a lady who is not "appropriately dressed" Why ? If you know how to see the beauty beyond the physical sculptures and paintings in the temples why cant you see it outside the temple? What has changed now ? What changes is what we choose to see. 

"When a dancer is performing...watch the dance !! Be one with the soul of the dancer and the music. And you will not see what she/ he is wearing. I have danced Indian classical for about 20 years of my life and i can tell one thing for sure..by the time we get on the stage we have been through so much pain during practice and rehearsals that your only intention on stage is to perform well and be indulged in the music. No dancer will even think of seducing the audience with her dressing. If that is her intention she would be dancing in a very different kind of place where she will not have to memorize 1000 steps according to the beat or endure the pain caused by long hours of practice ! So culture need to teach people how to know the difference ! To respect and see art as ART and nothing else ! 

Just like that, culture has created so much restrictions and rules that blocks many possible paths a person can take. I am definitely one person who do believe in culture but what i believe is a culture which teaches a person how to CHOOSE & SEE the right thing. And not blindly follow something whether or not it makes any sense.

So again, culture too is saving fish from drowning ....

Well there many more examples...like keeping birds in cages and justifying that we feed them everyday and it saves its life... :) i dont know about you...i would rather die flying then to live forever in a cage. 

So, Have you saved any fish from drowning ??  :) 

When the Rivers dance.....

I would like to begin with Master Ramli Ibrahim's words about this production :

" ..the River Sutra symbol represents many things. It is the metaphoric cultural river that snakes through the nation, cross-fertilising, continuously evolving and ever-creating from the various influences a potent melange in a cultural couldron that defies absolute categorization. It is an organic process of assimilation of life's essence and rasas !"

Have you ever imagined how might it be if the rivers could dance...? :)

As i watched Sutra Dance Theatre's latest contemporary production called " RIVER SUTRA" in KL...i couldnt help imagining the whole show to be a dance of the rivers...and thought ..So thats how it is when the rivers dance:)

The flow and synchronization , the falls and lifts, the colours and lights, the swirls and runs...was just as beautiful as a flowing river , so beautifully choreographed with such soothing lighting and stage , and above all the mood created, just as calm as it is by the rivers...so, i have to say it was just PERFECT !

I was a little touched by this show for a few reasons...first of all, my sister Nithya was part of this show and its her first time with them in such a big production of Sutra. So, i was of course a proud "akka" ( elder sis ) watching her dance. Below is a picture i snapped of her expressing such calmness and serenity...i love this picture for it shows how dance or any other art form can get into ones soul, lifting their spirit to such peaceful and joyful state which otherwise can only be attained by hours of meditations !! I mean why sit still when you can dance !? haha :):) 

Second, this show was a Malaysian version of Indian classical dance, infused with many other genres such as the "Wayang Kulit" and ballet. It is true that we Malaysians are like garam masala ...a mixture of all spices ! So, obviously you cant help sprinkling some into the dance ...and the best part is, it turns out to be pretty amazing :)

Third, the costumes by Ming Walker aka Janet Khoo is simply  gorgeous. The reflections of colours on stage, just as magical as it is when the light touches the water....

Fourth, i can never get enough of my favourite Sutra dancers like Tan Mei Mei, Nisha Devi, Divya Nair , Geethika Sree and of course the Master Ramli Ibrahim himself. So, NO ! i wouldnt miss their production !! 

And i have no words to describe the Lighting and Set Designer Sivarajah Natarajan who ALWAYS creates a pandora like atmosphere the moment you step into the hall ! You can see the  first picture above of the stage and please tell me if i am exaggerating ! :)

And this time, the highlight of the whole show was this piece called Suasana, an improvisation on various moods and the effect of the movements and images when its connected to the moods of music and lighting. And i was totally absorbed with the expressions of this one dancer, Nisha Devi who is also an assistant artistic director and well known among the Sutra family and friends as the Abhinaya Queen for her ability to express the rasas so beautifully. This time, she did it again ! I would say i was totally glued to her expressions and even ignored what the rest of the dancers were doing all around her on the stage. I believe only years and years of dedication and extreme hardwork could bring out such talents ! 

Here she is ....

For those of you who have seen the ad on Astro or newspapers but thinking if you would enjoy it or not, please be assured you would love it. And the good news is River Sutra will be flowing through the nation....from Kota Kinabalu to Putrajaya ! For more information please log on at :

   

http://www.sutrafoundation.org.my/?p=2089

And catch .....

THE FLOW

THE SHIMMER

THE SPLASH

THE DRIFT

THE FALL

THE SWIRL

....all at RIVER SUTRA .......

Pray Love Dance

No this is not another version of Eat Pray Love...this is set in a totally different realm altogether...its a dimension where even nature herself is defied. Here, you will see the river Ganga flow in reflections of the colours of rainbow, ancient temple sculptures coming to life and dancing by Her banks to the majestic sunrise in the evening..(YES i meant EVENING)...only here you will EVER get to see the sunrise and the sunset simultaneously.

Surya Staka is a homage to Surya, the Sun God as Remover of Darkness and Source of Light & Knowledge. The dancers here transform into bright rays of sunlight, slowly emerging from the darkness and filling the space up with vibrant colours. It feels so real that you would feel the heat warming your heart and emotions up. It gives the same magical feelings of watching the sunrise in the morning..how the light engulfs the darkness of dawn so gently that you dont feel anything changing by the seconds and yet within an hour you will be drenched in the light so bright.

Once again in Pray Love Dance presented by Sutra Dance Theatre last week, I had the same magical experience ...theres also another piece called Aditya Archana ( my favourite!! )...which is also homage to the sun and the same effects of the sunrise!

You might think i am exaggerating ...but only until you have watched Sutra Dance Theatre performing it. Then, you will believe that sunrise doesnt have to be only a morning occurrence...these dancers can bring the sun to rise at anytime, anywhere...all you need to do..is get a ticket :):)

For those who have never experienced sutra dance theatre, heres a glimpse of how it is...below is a link to a promo of show held in 2010 in Istana Budaya...have a look :)

and have a magical day :)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=onPuNd-65Hs&feature=related

Do you speak wind ?

Crash: What's that noise?

Buck: It's the wind. It's speaking to us.
Eddie: What's it saying?
Buck: I dont know. I dont speak wind.

This is my favourite quote from the movie ICE AGE ( 2009). Made me laugh so much when Buck says ....I dont know. I dont speak wind. Well why i thought of it now is because last weekend i went to watch INDIA BEAT 6 at the Merdeka hall of PWTC in KL. Have only watched it on tv all these years...and this is the first time i got to watch it live. And...we met some friends at the entrance of the hall who were worried they might be bored of the first half which is instrumental performance. Nantha and i thought the same and were more interested to watch the bharathanatyam dance performance which comes a little later.

The concert featured the very best international carnatic artist such as :

Padma Shri Shobana Chandrakumar – Bharathanatyam

Padma Shri U. Shrinivas on the mandolin

Padma Shri Kadri Gopalnath – Saxaphone

Kanyakumari – Violin

Shashank – Flute

Sikkil Gurucharan – Vocal

Anil Srinivasan – Piano

Prasanna – Guitar

Bakthavathsalam – Mridangam

Radhakrishnan – Ghatam

U. Rajesh – Mandolin

Akkarai – Violin

Vijay Ghate – Tabla

Rajashekar - Morsing

So we went into the hall and managed to get a perfect spot to be seated....then, walked in the musicians with their respective instruments . They looked so ordinary until they started playing.....the main instrument was Saxaphone accompanied by violin , mrithangam and Ghatam.

It was our FIRST time hearing Saxophone in a live performance especially in indian carnatic music and Padmashree Dr Kadri Gopalnath was just AWESOME ! Nantha and i were totally lost in the music which carried our souls into joyous realms and i closed my eyes to let it carry me further.

That is when i realised that we dont need to have learnt music to be able to flow with it. When good musicians play....they definitely get to your soul no matter what kind of knowledge you have about the instrument. I have not even touched a saxophone in my life, let alone play one....and yet...the music conveyed such intense feelings that you and only you could understand for yourself. You cant explain it....and i thought no wander they call him a genius. He took like 20 years to connect this western instrument to indian carnatic and gosh the outcome is divine !

Then of course the bharathanatyam performed by the ever gorgeous and graceful Padmashree Shobana....but i have to admit that i am not really a fan of her dance style. I dont know why, i cant seem to connect with her moves. But the thought of watching and even snapping pictures of someone who came from a family full of super gorgeous dancers like Padmini and Rahini is definitely exciting especially because she looks so much like Rahini . Well if you are a niece to such dance goddesses you cant help being a goddess yourself....thats what i see in this beautiful dancer.

But then again....though i LOVE Indian classical dance more than any other art form...on that day, the saxophonist spoke through the wind a little louder than the dance goddess did with her ankle bells !!

And overall it was a musical treat and i know watching it on tv will not do justice to that divine music that was rendered life ! Still...do catch it on tv when they show , believe me you dont have to speak wind to understand it.... just close your eyes and let yourself drift with the music...the rest will come naturally :)