Program List:
Good night moon
Raga: Mohana
Tala: Adi
Composer/choreographer: Sahasra Sambamoorthi
A jugalbandi - or collaboration between vocal, bharatanatyam and kathak students, the children speak a small poem to Mother Earth as an invocation item for the performance.
Watch for:
Students singing and dancing at the same time!
Very little support from the musicians - this means they have to make their own music and perform!
How they manage their parts even when other students are doing different things - this skill set is particularly hard for little kids and they are starting to really get the hang of it!
Tala: Adi
Composer/choreographer: Sahasra Sambamoorthi
A jugalbandi - or collaboration between vocal, bharatanatyam and kathak students, the children speak a small poem to Mother Earth as an invocation item for the performance.
Watch for:
Students singing and dancing at the same time!
Very little support from the musicians - this means they have to make their own music and perform!
How they manage their parts even when other students are doing different things - this skill set is particularly hard for little kids and they are starting to really get the hang of it!
The Sacred Sounds
Ragam: Hamsanadham/Shuddh Sarang
Tala: Tisra/Rupakam
Choreographer/Composer: Unknown, Tanjore Quartet era
It is said that the vibrations of sound - and particularly, the shruti (base sa note) and om are what the universe grows from.
We build this on an alarippu, a traditional item that many of us learned first when we came to dance bharatanatyam.
Watch for:
The eye movements
Stiffness of the arms. This one makes our arms ache even 30 years into learning!
The layering of the song on top of the bols (words)/the complex 3 beat rhythmic structure overlaid by a 4 beat sound - this means the artists have to pay particular attention and not get distracted by multiple rhythms.
Tala: Tisra/Rupakam
Choreographer/Composer: Unknown, Tanjore Quartet era
It is said that the vibrations of sound - and particularly, the shruti (base sa note) and om are what the universe grows from.
We build this on an alarippu, a traditional item that many of us learned first when we came to dance bharatanatyam.
Watch for:
The eye movements
Stiffness of the arms. This one makes our arms ache even 30 years into learning!
The layering of the song on top of the bols (words)/the complex 3 beat rhythmic structure overlaid by a 4 beat sound - this means the artists have to pay particular attention and not get distracted by multiple rhythms.
Rg Veda - Formation of the Earth
Raga: KharaharaPriya/Kaafi Thaat
Tala: Adi
Composer/Choreographer: Sahasra Sambamoorthi
Tala: Adi
Composer/Choreographer: Sahasra Sambamoorthi
This item derives from the concept of purusa and prakriti - the masculine and feminine split of energy. Purusa is a thousand limbed man whose sacrifice creates the universe and the creatures within it.
Watch for:
The story being described in the dance. This is a unique method of using "nrtta" or pure dance and combining storytelling aspects to push the concept of purusa forward.
The interlay of musical abstraction to create a feeling of the universe and it's magnitude.
For all of these dancers, this is the most complex item they have done to date as a group with includes formations and taal structure!
Watch for:
The story being described in the dance. This is a unique method of using "nrtta" or pure dance and combining storytelling aspects to push the concept of purusa forward.
The interlay of musical abstraction to create a feeling of the universe and it's magnitude.
For all of these dancers, this is the most complex item they have done to date as a group with includes formations and taal structure!
Beauty in Nature
Raga: Desh
Tala: Adi/Teentaal
Composer/choreographer: Sahasra Sambamoorthi
This item elaborates the concept of prakriti, or that which we understand to be Mother Nature/Mother Earth/the feminine divine.
Prakriti first takes form as water, as far as the eye can see, and then builds herself out into nature as we know it now: trees and flowers erupt from the soil, while the ecosystem of nature builds itself into a self-sustaining cycle.
Watch for:
The interspersing of tukdas and storytelling - you'll see trees form in the middle of traditional compositions.
The peacock that is formed by the dancers in the middle of the item.
How they must balance multiple rhythms and spatial improvisation at the end.
The intricacies of how they even have coordinated their hands in the movements of the water.
This is also this group's first attempt at such a complex item!
Tala: Adi/Teentaal
Composer/choreographer: Sahasra Sambamoorthi
This item elaborates the concept of prakriti, or that which we understand to be Mother Nature/Mother Earth/the feminine divine.
Prakriti first takes form as water, as far as the eye can see, and then builds herself out into nature as we know it now: trees and flowers erupt from the soil, while the ecosystem of nature builds itself into a self-sustaining cycle.
Watch for:
The interspersing of tukdas and storytelling - you'll see trees form in the middle of traditional compositions.
The peacock that is formed by the dancers in the middle of the item.
How they must balance multiple rhythms and spatial improvisation at the end.
The intricacies of how they even have coordinated their hands in the movements of the water.
This is also this group's first attempt at such a complex item!
Balakrishna Gopala
Raga: Mohana
Tala: Tisra Adi
Composer: Unknown
This beautiful light hearted song speaks to the joy of young Krishna. Here, we use it to understand humanity's innocence and the wonder of children.
Watch for:
The tisra nadai - a swinging feel to the rhythm
The singing of the "swarams" or notes first, and then the saahityam, or lyrics.
The kid's ability to manage the shruti though the song goes through a few different variations, or caranams.
Tala: Tisra Adi
Composer: Unknown
This beautiful light hearted song speaks to the joy of young Krishna. Here, we use it to understand humanity's innocence and the wonder of children.
Watch for:
The tisra nadai - a swinging feel to the rhythm
The singing of the "swarams" or notes first, and then the saahityam, or lyrics.
The kid's ability to manage the shruti though the song goes through a few different variations, or caranams.
E Ra
Raga: Kamas
Tala: Adi
Composer: Patnam Subramanya Iyer
Choreographer: CV Chandrasekhar
There is nothing that brings out smiles and nostalgia more than watching teenagers go through the moments of speaking to their first loves.
Here, "e ra" is a padam - or purely storytelling piece - focused on the students trying to be bold and express their wishes to the object of their desire - their crushes.
"E ra - ra ra - cheitenaari - " - "Hey you! Over here! I wanted to tell you something...cupid has struck my heart and I am hoping you will spend some time with me," the heroine boldly says, while her companions support her on the side.
Watch for:
The facial expressions! This is their first nayika based padam on love, and it's sooo very tough to do! The artists must find their vulnerable side and expose it to the audience.
How they've tried to draw on their own experiences in school to bring forth some of the realism of the facial expressions.
Tala: Adi
Composer: Patnam Subramanya Iyer
Choreographer: CV Chandrasekhar
There is nothing that brings out smiles and nostalgia more than watching teenagers go through the moments of speaking to their first loves.
Here, "e ra" is a padam - or purely storytelling piece - focused on the students trying to be bold and express their wishes to the object of their desire - their crushes.
"E ra - ra ra - cheitenaari - " - "Hey you! Over here! I wanted to tell you something...cupid has struck my heart and I am hoping you will spend some time with me," the heroine boldly says, while her companions support her on the side.
Watch for:
The facial expressions! This is their first nayika based padam on love, and it's sooo very tough to do! The artists must find their vulnerable side and expose it to the audience.
How they've tried to draw on their own experiences in school to bring forth some of the realism of the facial expressions.
Ananda Amrutavarshini
Raga: Amruthavarshini (to Revathi)
Tala: Adi
Composer: Muthuswamy Dikshitar
Harmonies: Sahasra Sambamoorthi, Samyukta Ranganathan, Taniya Panda
So from building the world to bringing forth humans, a balance is struck. We find joy in the song, and peace and harmony reign throughout.
Watch for:
The harmonies! This is very very rare in Indian classical arts but we thought it would be a fun twist to this very energetic song.
Kalpana swarams - or improvised segments of swara/note patterns that are set to very intense and difficult rhythms.
Tala: Adi
Composer: Muthuswamy Dikshitar
Harmonies: Sahasra Sambamoorthi, Samyukta Ranganathan, Taniya Panda
So from building the world to bringing forth humans, a balance is struck. We find joy in the song, and peace and harmony reign throughout.
Watch for:
The harmonies! This is very very rare in Indian classical arts but we thought it would be a fun twist to this very energetic song.
Kalpana swarams - or improvised segments of swara/note patterns that are set to very intense and difficult rhythms.
Humanity's Destruction
Raga: Revathi
Tala: Teentaal
Composer/Choreographer: Sahasra Sambamoorthi
We knew this item was coming. We as a society are on the brink of really destroying everything around us with no return. This item was one the students thought of together - how do we go from building such wonderful and beautiful things around us to completely depleting the world of resources?
Watch for:
The sheer intensity of this piece
The examples of where the effects of our greed have destroyed the world: fracking, war, global warming, and more.
Incredible speed.
This is another first for our students - items of this level are often taught 10 years in, and some of them are doing it with only 2-3 years of experience.
Tala: Teentaal
Composer/Choreographer: Sahasra Sambamoorthi
We knew this item was coming. We as a society are on the brink of really destroying everything around us with no return. This item was one the students thought of together - how do we go from building such wonderful and beautiful things around us to completely depleting the world of resources?
Watch for:
The sheer intensity of this piece
The examples of where the effects of our greed have destroyed the world: fracking, war, global warming, and more.
Incredible speed.
This is another first for our students - items of this level are often taught 10 years in, and some of them are doing it with only 2-3 years of experience.
Maitreem Bhajata
Raga: Ragamalika
Tala: Teentaal/Adi
Composer: Jagadguru Shri Chandrasekharendra Saraswati
So, what do we do? While we do not know, this piece is a plea to us all: this song asks us to remove war and destruction from the soul and reminds us in many ways we are more alike than we are different. Can we not come together for a more peaceful future?
Watch for:
The tihai/build up at the end! .
The formations - which are not easy as they include some interesting angles and x's.
These are beginners who have been learning at Navatman for a year or less - so big kudos to them for this one!
Tala: Teentaal/Adi
Composer: Jagadguru Shri Chandrasekharendra Saraswati
So, what do we do? While we do not know, this piece is a plea to us all: this song asks us to remove war and destruction from the soul and reminds us in many ways we are more alike than we are different. Can we not come together for a more peaceful future?
Watch for:
The tihai/build up at the end! .
The formations - which are not easy as they include some interesting angles and x's.
These are beginners who have been learning at Navatman for a year or less - so big kudos to them for this one!
Vannin Mazhai Neeyai
Raga: Kalyana Vasantham
Tala: Misrachapu
Composer: Bharathi Dasan
Choreographer: Sahasra Sambamoorthi
This item has a particularly beautiful meaning: mother earth, the one who is responsible for the rains, the sun that pervades everything, the fragrance of the flowers, the wind that blows the trees to and fro, you are the mother that nurtures us all.
This item is filled with the gratitude that we hope you will come away with after this show for the one who nurtures us all.
Watch for:
The beginning abhinaya/improvised section! This is not fully set and changes each time.
Multiple bodies doing very different rhythmic structures all at the same time. Again, improvised!
This is also an item that our students are learning within their first year of bharatanatyam.
Tala: Misrachapu
Composer: Bharathi Dasan
Choreographer: Sahasra Sambamoorthi
This item has a particularly beautiful meaning: mother earth, the one who is responsible for the rains, the sun that pervades everything, the fragrance of the flowers, the wind that blows the trees to and fro, you are the mother that nurtures us all.
This item is filled with the gratitude that we hope you will come away with after this show for the one who nurtures us all.
Watch for:
The beginning abhinaya/improvised section! This is not fully set and changes each time.
Multiple bodies doing very different rhythmic structures all at the same time. Again, improvised!
This is also an item that our students are learning within their first year of bharatanatyam.
Thillana - Renewal
Ragam: Brindavani
Talam: Adi
Choreographer: Ramya Ramnarayan
Thillanas are always joyous endings to the evening. This one returns us to an earth filled with animals and a feeling of the way it could be.
Watch for:
Moving formations all over the place
Intense rhythmic structures.
Talam: Adi
Choreographer: Ramya Ramnarayan
Thillanas are always joyous endings to the evening. This one returns us to an earth filled with animals and a feeling of the way it could be.
Watch for:
Moving formations all over the place
Intense rhythmic structures.
Participants per item
-
Good Night Moon
-
The Sacred Sounds
-
Rg Veda
-
Beauty in Nature
-
Balakrishna Gopala
<
>
Anoushrie Gupta
Aysha Ismal
Zuvi Chellappa
Roshni Asharia
Aadhya Kasarabada
Miraaya Belani
Sisira Veerapaneni
Lavina Temby
Dounya Jester
Mia Kraft
Maya Gill
Isha Kumbhani
Navya Prasad
Ember Sheth-Mody
Sohila Sikand
Lara Ventakraman
Aysha Ismal
Zuvi Chellappa
Roshni Asharia
Aadhya Kasarabada
Miraaya Belani
Sisira Veerapaneni
Lavina Temby
Dounya Jester
Mia Kraft
Maya Gill
Isha Kumbhani
Navya Prasad
Ember Sheth-Mody
Sohila Sikand
Lara Ventakraman
Sulakshana Reddy
Gina Malpe
Navya Prasad
Pranati Gupta
Zelia Mathew
Sofia Martinez Bandera
Gina Malpe
Navya Prasad
Pranati Gupta
Zelia Mathew
Sofia Martinez Bandera
Nitya Govind
Amanda Bachan
Vick Krishna
Hema Ganapathi
Jayasri Ganapathy
Lavanya Jagirdhar
Pallab Kar
Amanda Bachan
Vick Krishna
Hema Ganapathi
Jayasri Ganapathy
Lavanya Jagirdhar
Pallab Kar
Zelia Mathew
Kavya Aggarwal
Shireen Sikand
Ariana Parekh
Trishna Gupta
Janani Bhagat
Saara Wood
Lekha Wood
Suhani Prasad
Kavya Aggarwal
Shireen Sikand
Ariana Parekh
Trishna Gupta
Janani Bhagat
Saara Wood
Lekha Wood
Suhani Prasad
Trishna Gupta
Maya Gill
Pranati Gupta
Navya Prasad
Ruhi Siddiqi
Shireen Sikand
Sohila Sikand
Sameera Sikand
Rewa Verma
Maya Gill
Pranati Gupta
Navya Prasad
Ruhi Siddiqi
Shireen Sikand
Sohila Sikand
Sameera Sikand
Rewa Verma
-
E Ra
-
Ananda Amruthavarshini
-
Humanity's Destruction
-
Maitreem Bhajata
-
Vannin Mazhai Neeyai
-
Thillana.- Renewal
<
>
Zeyna Tai
Surta Shah
Anya Nemali
Madhura Padmanabhan
Mina Posmentier Row
Surta Shah
Anya Nemali
Madhura Padmanabhan
Mina Posmentier Row
Janani Bhagat
Vidhir Verma
Saara Wood
Lekha Wood
Suhani Prasad
Vidhir Verma
Saara Wood
Lekha Wood
Suhani Prasad
Ruchi Tandon
Moon Ghera
Nandita Rao
Shreya Boravke
Medha Prasad
Ananya Garg
Prachi Ghera
Moon Ghera
Nandita Rao
Shreya Boravke
Medha Prasad
Ananya Garg
Prachi Ghera
Laila Zubair
Parina Patel
Taesha Aurora
Shamika Kulkarni
Annemarie van Roessel
Annam Hussaini
Anona Gupta
Rashi Tandon
Dhruti Soni
Parina Patel
Taesha Aurora
Shamika Kulkarni
Annemarie van Roessel
Annam Hussaini
Anona Gupta
Rashi Tandon
Dhruti Soni
Aishwarya Ravichandra
Anjali Raviachandra
Laila Zubair
Neena George
Sanhitha Cherukupally
Vibin Parakkattu
Mathew Varghese
Shiva Iyer
Anjali Raviachandra
Laila Zubair
Neena George
Sanhitha Cherukupally
Vibin Parakkattu
Mathew Varghese
Shiva Iyer
Saara Wood
Lekha Wood
Suhani Prasad
Janani Bhagat
Nina Bhavnani
Trishna Gupta
Priya Mathew
Rewa Verma
Lekha Wood
Suhani Prasad
Janani Bhagat
Nina Bhavnani
Trishna Gupta
Priya Mathew
Rewa Verma
Thank you to our volunteers and staff!
Cofounders: Sridhar Shanmugam, Sahasra Sambamoorthi
Staff: Sierra Powell (super MVP for this event!), Uditha Thiagarajan, Wen Liparanon
Shamika Kulkarni ~ Dhruti Soni ~ Bhuvana Bhagat ~ Sejal Shah ~ Ruta Shah ~ Anooradha Siddiqi ~ Annemarie van Roessel ~ Priya Bhawsar Verma ~ Prerna Kapur ~ Sridevi Padmanabhan ~ Arushi Mukherji ~ Aparna Pujar ~ Sahana Natesan ~ Aimen Awan ~ Vartika Prasad ~ Sophia Fiorino ~ Shruthi Krishnakumar ~ Vidula Pant ~ Sheetal Sheth ~ Shiva Iyer ~ Vibin Parakkattu ~ Shruti Sharma ~ Pavan Ananth ~ Taniah Horton ~ Anjali Lai
It takes a village and we could not have done it without you!
Staff: Sierra Powell (super MVP for this event!), Uditha Thiagarajan, Wen Liparanon
Shamika Kulkarni ~ Dhruti Soni ~ Bhuvana Bhagat ~ Sejal Shah ~ Ruta Shah ~ Anooradha Siddiqi ~ Annemarie van Roessel ~ Priya Bhawsar Verma ~ Prerna Kapur ~ Sridevi Padmanabhan ~ Arushi Mukherji ~ Aparna Pujar ~ Sahana Natesan ~ Aimen Awan ~ Vartika Prasad ~ Sophia Fiorino ~ Shruthi Krishnakumar ~ Vidula Pant ~ Sheetal Sheth ~ Shiva Iyer ~ Vibin Parakkattu ~ Shruti Sharma ~ Pavan Ananth ~ Taniah Horton ~ Anjali Lai
It takes a village and we could not have done it without you!
Musicians:
Radhika Iyer (Vocals)
Shraman Sen (Sitar)
Sahasra Sambamoorthi (Nattuvangam)
Sanjay Natesan (Mrdangam, Tabla, Flute)
Donate to Navatman for 2022 -
It is no small feat to keep an organization like Navatman moving. Somehow, as an arts organization, we survived the worst of the pandemic and are so impressed with how much our students have improved even in an online learning system. As we move forward into fall, it is time for us to help us move back into a larger space to help accommodate our growing in person contingent and the return of our small black box baithaks - an integral part of keeping this wonderful art form alive. There is no art for our students, no passing down of culture or traditional spaces if we cannot support artists and those who have made it their lives to bring it to us and pass it down. Please see if you can give anything at all to keep us in the location we are at in midtown Manhattan:
To keep this space for the next few years, we need a little funding help from our supporters and well wishers to:
Move the installed shelving across the hall.
Install acoustic curtains:
This will divide the space into 2 spacious rooms for music and dance with very little sound leakage/cut the echoing. It will also likely create a space for parents to sit and use the internet during times when the entire space is not in use.
New flooring:
This flooring is a new one we will be investing in that we can take to every new space. It will be sprung, stamping friendly, and help with footwork and spins and protect dancer's knees. Once we purchase this, even if we move, we will not need to purchase flooring unless our space gets bigger. This is a stretch goal for us!
Build proper lights:
The addition of lights means we can potentially do Drive East in our new space, as well as bring back our annual black box baithaks which include top artists from all over the world for live shows!
Simple seating/furniture:
I am trying to find cost efficient and gently used furniture that will not take up too much space but allow a few folks to sit inside as per our old lobby when other classes are going on, as well as clean up the shoe area/space
Everything we are purchasing is from other theaters going out of business or donating their things - to help keep us green and cost efficient. However, this is still the cost even with all of that!
If we get the donations of $150 from just 160 people - or $250 from 100 people we will cover all that we need!
To keep this space for the next few years, we need a little funding help from our supporters and well wishers to:
Move the installed shelving across the hall.
Install acoustic curtains:
This will divide the space into 2 spacious rooms for music and dance with very little sound leakage/cut the echoing. It will also likely create a space for parents to sit and use the internet during times when the entire space is not in use.
New flooring:
This flooring is a new one we will be investing in that we can take to every new space. It will be sprung, stamping friendly, and help with footwork and spins and protect dancer's knees. Once we purchase this, even if we move, we will not need to purchase flooring unless our space gets bigger. This is a stretch goal for us!
Build proper lights:
The addition of lights means we can potentially do Drive East in our new space, as well as bring back our annual black box baithaks which include top artists from all over the world for live shows!
Simple seating/furniture:
I am trying to find cost efficient and gently used furniture that will not take up too much space but allow a few folks to sit inside as per our old lobby when other classes are going on, as well as clean up the shoe area/space
Everything we are purchasing is from other theaters going out of business or donating their things - to help keep us green and cost efficient. However, this is still the cost even with all of that!
If we get the donations of $150 from just 160 people - or $250 from 100 people we will cover all that we need!
Donate now to build a new Navatman:
All donors will get their name on a special piece of artwork we will display in the space (and a special treat from our Mahabharata project depending on your donation level!)
Donors at the $150 level will get a download / broadcast version of the student showcase as a keepsake!
Donors at the $150 level will get a download / broadcast version of the student showcase as a keepsake!