A Solo Mohiniyattam Recital | 2010

Mohiniyattam, literally meaning, “dance of the divine enchantress”, is a classical dance form nurtured in Kerala – the land of my birth. With movements reminiscent of undulating ocean waves and gently swaying palms, Mohiniyattam is organic, measured and mesmerizing.

Lasya is a solo Mohiniyattam recital largely featuring traditional choreographies from the repertoire including a Cholkettu, Varnam, Bhajan, Keerthanam and Thillana.

The recital also includes two unconventional presentations: the introductory English dance-drama piece titled “The Legend of Mohiniyattam”, presenting a mythological take on the origin of the dance form and a hitherto unseen Mohiniyattam version of Chinnanchiru Kiliye, a poem by legendary Tamil poet Subramanya Bharatiyar.

“I wanted to premiere my debut Mohiniyattam production Lasya in Chennai because Chennai really is the capital of classical dance and Carnatic music in India. However, audiences have a perception that Mohiniyattam is languid. So I was keen to put together a show that had engaging elements the audience could connect with. This is what led me to develop some of the more experimental pieces in the presentation under the watchful eyes of my guru Kalamandalam Sujatha. Lasya taught me to don multiple hats as the performer, artistic director, project manager…an artist (particularly in our times) does not have the luxury to sit back and just be the artist.”