Dance Trance by Sandip Soparrkar

Renowned Bharatanatyam dancer and choreographer Geeta Chandran is celebrated for her graceful and emotive performances. With a deep understanding of classical dance, she has trained under prominent gurus and has been performing for five decades. She is also known for her contributions to the preservation and promotion of Bharatanatyam through her innovative choreographies. She has been an advocate for integrating modern themes within classical traditions. Her dedication and artistry have earned her several prestigious awards and recognition in the world of Indian classical dance. Recently, she celebrated her golden jubilee on stage, and here are excerpts from her interview:

Congratulations on your 50-year journey in Bharatanatyam! Can you please share a little about how it all began?

At the age of five, my mother enrolled me in Bharatanatyam with Smt. Swarna Saraswathy, who hailed from the traditional Thanjavur Isai Valar community. She had relocated to Delhi after a scandal and financial fiasco made living in Chennai untenable. Under her vigilant training, I presented my arangetram in 1974. The seven years of intensive learning under her exposed me to a vast repertoire of traditional Bharatanatyam pieces, including Alarippus, Jatiswarams, Varnams, padams, kirtanams, and javalis. I was the vessel into which she poured this knowledge. While I couldn't fully process it then, I now realize how fortunate I was. She also gave me an eclectic approach to Bharatanatyam, one deeply connected to its musical base. This would later become my defining approach to the art form.

Reflecting on your journey, how do you feel about reaching this incredible milestone?

Honestly, 50 is just a number! I never focused on years, decades, or milestones. I only worked on the new piece, the new choreography, and finding new relevance in my dance. It was my creative collaborator Rajiv who, with his third eye, pointed out the milestone. To me, it was just another performance!

To mark the Golden Anniversary of your Arangetram, Natya Vriksha organized a two-day Bharatanatyam celebration. Could you tell us about it?

Once the milestone was recognized, students and friends of Natya Vriksha became very excited, and a two-day celebration was planned. It featured several elements. My good friend and costume collaborator Sandhya Raman curated a photo exhibition, and my senior student Dr. Amritasruthi Radhakrishnan created a short film where my artistic collaborators – musicians, tech director, makeup artists, and costume designers – shared vignettes about working with me. There was also a fun element: as guests arrived at Kamani Auditorium, they could get their photographs clicked wearing my dance costume! I believe that classical dance should not be ponderous but should also be fun and accessible.

What were the highlights of the performances?

On Day 1, my students performed some of my choice choreographies, both in solo and group formats. All pieces showcased my concept of Pravahati—that tradition is a forward-moving force. I presented two of my favorite pieces: Ravana from the Valmiki Ramayana and Krishna Nee Begane Baaro, a padam I’ve reinterpreted. On Day 2, I presented a traditional repertoire, working with a stellar team of musicians: Nattuvangam by Varun Rajasekharan, vocals by Smt. Sudha Raghuraman, Mridangam by Manohar Balatchandirane, Violin by G. Raghavendra Prasath, and Flute by G. Raghuraman. I thoroughly enjoyed dancing one of my favorite varnams in Ragam Kharaharapriya. The joy of working with familiar musicians is that the dance always remains dynamic, with unpredictable moments of manodharma and upaj enriching both rhythm and abhinaya. These moments, to me, are the soul of Bharatanatyam.

How would you describe your approach to Bharatanatyam choreography?

Choreography is a function of time and space. The choreographer can manipulate these elements using the bodies at hand, but within the strict grammar of Bharatanatyam. It’s easy to choreograph without adhering to grammar. For me, the challenge is to remain within these boundaries while still creating new magic and visual experiences, whether narrative or abstract. My choreography is an intense dialogue I have with myself and my aesthetics.

Making Bharatanatyam accessible, you've been deeply involved in education and outreach. Could you tell us about some of your initiatives?

I firmly believe that the current pedagogy of Bharatanatyam, which focuses solely on performance, short-changes the dance form. Bharatanatyam is much more than just performance. I view it as a potent medium for expressing abstract notions of joy, beauty, values, mythology, spirituality, and more. I explore the interconnections between Bharatanatyam's strict grammar and other disciplines like philosophy, ritual, religion, mythology, poetry, literature, art (painting and sculpture), cultural studies, yoga, handicrafts, and aesthetics. These connections are what I strive to promote in all the institutions I am involved with.

As an educator, do you think it’s important to set a standard for Bharatanatyam students and teachers?

This is a tough question. The classical training pedagogy of Bharatanatyam is both wholesome and potent. The challenge lies in creating a standard that differentiates professional dancers from hobbyists. It surprises me that curators and presenters sometimes fail to make this distinction. Additionally, the lack of bona fide dance critics and media coverage for writing about the arts has created a void. Today, publicists are often mistaken for critics.

You've been deeply involved in cultural initiatives and collaborations beyond dance. Could you share some of your experiences in this area?

I find fulfilment in both delving deeply into the pristine tradition of Bharatanatyam while also pushing the boundaries to expand its scope. In doing so, I have collaborated with a wide range of dancers, musicians, artists, authors, writers, poets, painters, theatre personalities, puppeteers, philosophers, linguists, and costume and fashion designers. I believe that exchange between different art forms is an intrinsic part of Indian culture, and by separating them into silos, we risk losing the interconnectedness that forms the foundation of the Indian philosophical and aesthetic experience.