More young Singaporeans take the stage in Bhaskar’s Arts Academy’s upcoming Kathakali Festival, gradually increasing the number of female artistes in a traditionally male-dominated Indian dance form.
As the only arts organisation in Singapore that teaches the art form, Bhaskar’s Arts Academy has been able to groom a small pool of dancers who over the years have become performance-ready. The success of its Kathakali Festival last year, which featured three female dancers performing alongside professional artistes, spurred even greater interest amongst young dancers here.
This year, five ladies ranging in age from 21 to 24, will take on various character roles in the Festival. They were handpicked by their instructor Kalamandalam Biju, after showing tremendous potential in understanding and executing the nuances of the dance form.
The Festival also features professional artistes from Singapore and India, including internationally-acclaimed Kathakali artiste Kalamandalam Rajasekharan, and well-known Kathakali vocalist Pathiyoor Sankarankutty.
“For these young dancers, it is an honour to perform alongside some of the great gurus from India. It is also a proud moment for me to organise a Festival such as this and to have these young ladies performing in it,” says Kalamandalam Biju, who heads the Academy’s Kathakali department.
Kathakali Festival 2020 will showcase two stories – one from the epic Mahabharata and one from the epic Bhagavata:
Kacha Devayani Charitham
28 Feb 2020 (Fri), 7.00pm
Kuchela Vritham
29 Feb 2020 (Sat), 7.00pm
Both works will be performed at Goodman Arts Centre Black Box.
Principal Artists- Kalamandalam Rajashekaran, Kalamandalam Biju, Pathiyoor Sankaran kutty, Sdanam Ramakrishnan and Kalamandalam Achutha warier.
Supporting Artists- Kalarangam Bijulal, Kalamandalam Yaswanth, Vinaya Menon ,Arya Sreekumar ,Soneiya Chandran , Pavithra Devi and Prishalini
Tickets available at Bhaskar’s arts academy, 231 Bain Street
For booking please call me at 91473035 or 63366537
