SooryaSG Festival 2024
Soorya Singapore Festival of Classical Dance & Music 2024 – “Tales from the Bull and the Tiger”
A unique retelling of the stories of Shiva & Shakti by their vahanas, Nandi and Simha (the vehicles of Shiva & Parvati)
Event Overview
The 2024 SooryaSG Festival event was a mega dance production of 16 dancers in Bharatanatyam and Kuchipudi styles pf Indian classical dance, conceptualised, choreographed and directed by the celebrated dance maestro Padmashri Dr Ananada Shankar Jayant. The production tells the stories of Lord Mahadeva Shiva and His consort Shakti (Devi Parvati) through the eyes of their vahanas (vehicles), Nandi (Bull) and Simha (Tiger). This event will be a magical expression of classical performing arts and an enriching experience of the magic of Indian classical arts which has mesmerised the Indian psyche over thousands of years. Audience will be entranced and enraptured by the magic of classical dance and music styles.
The dance drama presents various episodes selected from various scriptural sources like Shiva Purana, Linga Purana, Lalita Sahsranamam, Tirupugazh, Shankaracharya’s Ardhanarishvara stotram and Soundarya Lahari, Tevaram, Nataraja Stotram of Patanjali, Shiva Tandava stotram, Nataraja Dasakam, Ganesha Swapna Geetham, Kalidasa’s Kumarasambhava etc. Music is based on selection of Kritis from Harikesanallur Muthiah Bhagavathar, Muthu Tandavar, Papanasam Sivam, Andavan Pichai, Swami Dayananda Saraswati, Madurai Muralidharan, Rallabandi Kavitha Prasad etc.
Stories like the divinity of Mother Parvati and her image of Shakti full of power and energy, adorned with divine ornaments and also weapons with which she annihilates the demons, that of the immeasurable form of Shiva’s manifestation as Akasha Lingam, in the contest and rivalry between Lord Vishnu and Brahma where each tries to be the first to fathom the end of the form of Lord Shiva, from the top and bottom, which ends up unsuccessful for both the great Gods, indicating the Supreme nature of Mahadeva Shiva and many many more stories are attractively presented on stage.
Genre: Indian Classical Music and Dance (Bharatanatyam and Kuchupudi)
Dance: Dance maestro Padmashri Dr Ananada Shankar Jayant and her team of 16 artists from India.
Date & Time: Sat, 06 Jul 2024, 7.00 pm
Venue: PGP Hall, Level 2 auditorium (397 Serangoon Rd)
Event also featured a painting exhibition of original works by local Singaporean visual artists (in the auditorium foyer).
Major Artist
Padmashri Dr Ananada Shankar Jayant
Celebrated as one of India’s most eminent and renowned classical dancer, choreographer and dance scholar, Ananda’s artistic body of work spans mythologies and abstraction, historical chronicles and women studies, poetry and abstraction, philosophy and humour. As the Artistic Director of “Shankarananda Kalakshetra”, the school of Dance setup by her, Ananda leads an acclaimed ensemble, besides training and presenting the next generation of Bharatanatyam artists. Ananda has polished her art to a fine pitch, where, the rigor of her training meets a finely tuned intellect that effortlessly bridges traditional structures with contemporary realities. Imprinting her own vision of joy, beauty, values, myths, spirituality, and life experiences, to an impeccable training, Ananda’s life in dance has seen her transcend the physical, and lead her audience on a spiritual and ethereal journey. With an acclaimed and deep body of work that spans rich mythologies, historical chronicles, searing commentaries on topical issues, philosophical enquiry, poetry, story telling, and humour, Ananda, constantly stretches the boundaries of artistic endeavour, using the grammar and idiom of the Indian classical dance format, making her choreographic presentations at once rooted in the authentic traditions of dance and spirituality, while retaining the contemporary ethos and relevance.
Ananada Shankar started learning classical dance at the tender age of 4 under Sharada Keshava Rao and later from K N Pakkiriswamy Pillai. In 1972, at the age of 11, she joined Kalakshetra of Rukmini Devi Arundale where she trained in Bharatanatyam under teachers such as Padma Balagopal, Sharada Hoffman and Krishnaveni Laxman. After six years of study, she secured her diploma and post graduate diploma from the institution in disciplines of Bharatanatyam, Carnatic music, veena, dance theory and philosophy. She also learned Kuchipudi under Pasumarthy Ramalinga Shastry.
Awards & Accomplishments:
One of India’s highest civilian awards, Padma Shri, awarded to her by the President of India for distinguished services in Art – dance. (2007)
Sangeet Natak Akademi Puraskar – Award from India’s apex performing arts cultural body) for Bharatanatyam (2009)
Devi Award for women for exceptional dynamism and innovation, instituted by The New Indian Express newspaper group (2015) .
Kalamamani Award by the Government of Tamil Nadu (2002).
Titles:
“Natya Illavarasi” from Sree Shanmukhananda Sangeetha Sabha, New Delhi (2004);
“Nritya Choodamani” by Sri Krishna Gana Sabha, Chennai (2006);
“Nritya Kalasagara” from Kalasagaram, Secunderabad (2007);
“Natya Kalasagar” from Visakha Music Academy (2010);
“Nritya Saraswati” of Alliance University, Bengaluru (2015).
Kala Ratna award by the Government of Andhra Pradesh,
Ugadi Day honors (2008).
Guru Debaprasad Award of Tridhara, for Kuchipudi (2015).
Apart form her main passion of dance, Ananda is a sought after motivational speaker and actively engages with young India on a wide range of topics, at leading corporate entities, leadership programs, hospitals, universities and schools. A TED speaker in 2009, her TED talk after her tryst with Cancer has been ranked as one of 12 Incredible TED talks on the subject. In January 2015, the Huffington Post ranked Ananda’s TED talk, as one of five greatest TED talks by Indians. Dr Ananda is also a bureaucrat of the Indian Railway Traffic Service.
SooryaSG Festival 2023 (Major Event)
Soorya Singapore Festival of Classical Dance & Music 2023
Event Overview
This unique double-bill event features 2 performances – (1) A Carnatic music concert by the young prodigy and internet sensation, Rahul Vellal (India) and group and (2) A Kathak dance recital by the renowned Kathak Maestro Pandit Rajendra Gangani (India), Guru from Delhi Kathak Kendra. This event will be a magical expression of classical performing arts and an enriching experience of the magic of Indian classical arts which has mesmerised the Indian psyche over thousands of years. Audience will be entranced and enraptured by the magic of classical dance and music styles.
Genre: Indian Classical Music and Dance
Music: Rahul Vellal (India), the young Carnatic music prodigy and internet sensation and group.
Dance: Kathak Maestro Pandit Rajendra Gangani (India), a most prominent Guru from Delhi Kathak Kendra, performing Kathak dance
Supporting artists:Mridangam, Tabla (Percussion) and Violin accompanists are local Singapore artists.
Date & Time: Sat, 15 Jul 2023, 6:45 pm
Venue: PGP Hall, Level 2 auditorium (397 Serangoon Rd)
Event will also feature a painting exhibition of original works by local Singaporean visual artists (in the auditorium foyer).
Major Artists
Pandit Rajendra Gangani
Belonging to the renowned Jaipur ‘Gharana’ of Kathak, Pandit Rajendra Gangani, disciple and son of of Pt. Kundanlal Gangani, is an outstanding performer and crusader of the art in the talented scion of a family of hereditary dancers serving the art of Kathak for centuries together. He has easily absorbed the most complicated and difficult ‘Bols’ of Kathak, today, mesmerising audiences under the spell of his art for hours together. He has enriched himself with the essence of this style of dance together with integrating the purity of tradition with the creativeness of a contemporary approach.
Pt. Rajendra graduated from the Kathak Kendra, Delhi in the year 1983-84, and ever since has made significant contributions to this field.
Although he sticks to the pure tradition of his gharana, he is an indefatigable experimenter, having choreographed several group compositions and dance dramas to standing ovations and rave reviews. Pt. Rajendra stands out for his style; making use of his excellent blend of manly grace and delicacy, he depicts the devotional aspects that characterises the Jaipur gharana. His dance forms depict the love of Radha Krishna, different Lilaas of Lord Vishnu. A large number of thematic items like Leele-Varnan, Raag Vistaar, Tribandhi, Sargam, Zhalak, Srijan, Kavitakriti, Maharaas, Parikrama has been produced by him. An accomplished musician, composer of tunes, he also has a rare mastery over the tabla, harmonium, pakhawaj, etc. With a confident grasp of the kinetics and aesthetics of dance, and his ability to select apt songs, his choreographic creations always bring an air of refreshing novelty.
Among the numerous awards and accolades he has won, are the ‘Sangeet Raj’, ‘Shastriya Natya Shiromani’, and the prestigious ‘Sangeet Natya Akademy Award’ which was bestowed upon him in 2003 by The President of India, Honorable Shri A P J Abdul Kalam.
Rahul Vellal
Rahul is a much sought after young musical prodigy from India, an internet sensation in Carnatic music. In a career spanning just eight years, Rahul has performed at prestigious venues across India and world, completed several international concert tours, and collaborated with world-famous musicians. Two Hollywood Disney film productions feature his tracks, including the Lion King.
He started learning Carnatic Music at the age of 4. He is learning Carnatic vocal music under renowned musicians Vidushi’s Ranjani & Gayatri. He was earlier learning Carnatic vocal music from Vidushi Kalavathy Avadhoot. He is learning to play the Mridangam from Vidwan Kulur U Jayachandra Rao. He is currently training in Western Piano from the Trinity School of Music, London under the guidance of Sri Abhishek N.
He has performed Carnatic classical concerts in 6 countries – UAE, Singapore, Nigeria, Malaysia, Hong Kong and South Africa.
Rahul has many accomplishments to his credit such as: (1) Global Child Prodigy Awards 2020” in Singing Category and “Top 100 Global Child Prodigies of the World” by the GCP Awards Group; (2) Shanmukhananda M S Subbulakshmi Fellowship for Carnatic Vocal [Sep 2018]; (3) RISING STAR of Carnatic Music Award by LIVING lifestyle magazine for Global Citizens, [Nov 2018]; (4) “Vocation Service Award” in the field of Music by Rotary International [Aug 2021]; (5) Young Achiever 2017 Award (Carnatic Music) from Rotary International [Nov 2017]; (6) CCRT National Level Scholarship for Carnatic Music Vocal, Government of India; (7) Young Achiever 2019 Award (Carnatic Music) from Rotary International [2019]; (8) “Aalap Appreciation Award in the field of Classical Music” by Kappanna Angala [Aug 2019] ; (9) Award by the Shanmukhanda Sabha, Mumbai [Dec 2018]; (10) Outstanding Achiever (ITM Foundation Mumbai); (11) Young Inspiration award by Smt Latha Rajnikanth [Nov 2018] etc.