Mudra Cultural Society will be staging Classical Elegance, a Mohiniyattam recital by Dr Neena Prasad, a leading performer and an accomplished academic from Kerala, on Saturday, April 6, at TRCC Studio, Republic Polytechnic.
Dr Prasad will be supported by a seven-member team that includes two supporting dancers. A vocalist and four other musicians on the veena, violin, mridangam and idakka make up her team.
Mohiniyattam is one of the most lyrical dance forms that epitomises the best exposition of lasya.
Says Dr Prasad: "With its gentle pace and rhythm, and the swaying movement, Mohiniyattam recreates the gentle landscape of Kerala, the beautiful land of its birth. Through its rhythmic patterns, dressing style and unique features, Mohiniyattam is truly distinct and different from other dance forms of South India, and has become justly famous the world over."
Dr Prasad is a rare blend of strong footing in academic study and the fine aesthetic sense of a performing artist. She had undergone rigorous training in four different classical styles – Mohiniyattam, Bharatanatyam, Kuchipudi and Kathakali. Her performances have won much appreciation in artistic circuits and she has also been the recipient of prestigious awards from the Kerala Sangeeth Academy and Madras Music Academy.
She has established two institutions — Bharatanjali Academy of Indian Classical Dances at Thiruvananthapuram and Sougandhika Center for Mohiniyattam, Chennai, where she continues her research pursuits and teaching responsibilities.
This is the fourth annual programme by Mudra, a non-profit, non-governmental organisation founded in 2010 to promote lesser-known forms of Indian classical art in Singapore. Mudra has also conducted workshops on Kathakali, Odissi and Yakshagana.
Mudra staged two Kathakali programmes in 2010 and 2011 which received an overwhelming response with over 500 people thronging the performances. Last year we staged two shows of Koodiyattam, the 1,000-year-old-Sanskrit theatre, at Sembawang and Queenstown CCs. The audience was a varied mix comprising Singaporeans, Indian expats, theatre students and practitioners and Indian arts aficionados.
Programme details:
Date: Saturday, April 6, 2013
Time: 7pm – 9.30pm
Venue: TRCC Studio, Republic Polytechnic, 9 Woodlands Ave 9, Singapore 738964
Tickets:
$30 Free Seating
$50 Reserved Seating
For tickets please contact: Achuthan (98520578), Vikar (94508097) or email to [email protected]
This event is supported by Canberra CC IAEC and Chong Pang CC
