The Artiste and Multiple Proficiency

“Art is sufficient for a lifetime but a lifetime isn’t enough for art”.

Artistes who have spent many decades dedicated to the study and performance of music or dance humbly claim that there is so much more to learn in their lifetime, that the ocean of art only gets bigger and deeper, that no matter how much knowledge they garner, they can’t possibly have perfected it all. Some of these musicians and dancers of repute have journeyed into more than one territory or genre. Hindustani musicians have learnt Carnatic; Jazz has found its way into the hearts of Carnatic musicians; Bharatanatyam dancers have learnt Odissi; Kathakali artistes have been adopted by Bharatanatyam and so on. The enigma of Indian classical music and dance lies in the fact that every form of music and dance is so unique and yet shares so much in common with the other genres. Differences and similarities range from subtle to vividly distinct ones. While some artistes chose to pursue both or all genres that they learn, some desist and chose to focus their energies on one form. For the artiste who chooses ONE form, the path ahead is relatively straight-forward (!) For those who chose to dabble in more than one form, meandering their way through the intricacies of multiple genres could prove to be more challenging, if not impossible. In the current day, several young artistes fascinated by the immense wealth of art in all these forms may be misled into confusion. While a few understand that they are attempting to count drops of water in an ocean, many attempt to learn it all and master it all within a few years- they may then be running a race of never-ending hurdles.

To pursue and learn one form of music or dance requires dedicated perseverance. To learn and pursue more than one style of music or dance requires diligence and care. “It is best to master one form of music or dance. After years of attaining proficiency in one, if one must learn another form, ensure that you venture out to learn a complementary form”, advises Sri VP Dhananjayan, proficient in Kathakali and Bharatanatyam. “In my experience, my Bharatanatyam has benefitted hugely from Kathakali. It helped me understand characterisation better. It is also the reason my Bharatanatyam has never been effeminate”, he states. “I was a Bharatanatyam artiste until I watched a performance by Guru Kanak Rele. That was the beginning of my journey in Mohiniattam under Kalyani Kutti Amma.” Says Smt. Shyamala Surendran. She chose to continue her artistic journey in dance, performing mohiniattam thereafter, for it was in this form that she found her calling. “But my training in Bharatanatyam was solid grounding and helped me master Mohiniattam with more ease. To this day, students who have learnt Bharatanatyam find it easier to learn Mohiniattam”, she says.

“It amazed me that the thanam of Carnatic music had so much similarity with elements of Jazz.” Says Karthik Raveendran, a Carnatic vocalist. “It got me studying the two forms a lot more keenly. The influences of one in the other are exciting.” He also notes that Carnatic musicians who learn Hindustani seem to have a better understanding and sense of ‘shruthi’.

So even though it may seem beneficial to learn and adapt aspects of one form into another, it is a judgement that doesn’t come easily to an artiste. The energies and dynamics associated with any 2 forms of music or dance are completely different. One must be able to understand this basic rule, aver all the artistes. “One must learn, learn and continue to learn”, says eminent flautist Sri HS Venugopal, who believes that only rigorous training can lead you to a stage where you are able to distinguish between what enhances music versus a change done for the sake of it. When proficiency lacks, what we end up with is most often a mashup of different styles done with very little judgement. “Learning multiple forms of art is like learning more than one language”, says Sharon Lowen who with years of training in modern dance behind her, travelled to India to learn Manipuri. Her journey led her into Odissi, Mayurbhanj Chhau and Seraikella Chhau. “Many of us can speak more than one language, but most often, can think only in one or 2 languages. It is almost the same with dance. You need to be completely ‘fluent’ and ‘conversant’ in every form of dance that you chose to delve into. Some people manage to do that. When you fail to attain that level of fluency or closure, that is when confusion takes over.”

If it takes years of training, practice and study for an artiste to judiciously differentiate between influence and incorporation; can there be any pointers to the youngster who would like to take the correct path and yet is drawn into studying multiple genres? How does one avoid being accused of glaring influences from other genres in a performance- a concert of Hindustani music that has heavy Carnatic inflections or the straight lines of Bharatanatyam evident in an Odissi Chauk? Can there be checkpoints for proficiency and clarity? How does one toe the line of puritanical and evolving music and dance all at once, if that is ever possible?

“It is not impossible to train the body and mind to retain distinction. But there are no shortcuts to the time when you can successfully incorporate ideas of one form into the other”, says Shyamala Surendran. If you must practice two forms of art, do it simultaneously so that your body and mind are aware of the similarities and differences and train until your body can subconsciously differentiate, opines Sharon Lowen. “Why would one want to jump into the fire?” Asks Sri VP Dhananjayan, firm in his belief that artistes must stick to one style to be able to shine. He points out several examples of fine dancers who ventured into other styles but eventually returned to home grounds. Beyond capability and hard work, there are also external factors that determine the success of a multiply proficient dancer or musician. “Opportunities and audience also to a certain extent determine the success of a musician or dancer for the said genre”, points out Sri Venugopal.

Talk about conversations between styles and innovation, and Sri Dhananjayan says, “Novelty is good but a thorough understanding of the grammar of the art is essential so that you do not demean the art in the name of innovation and incorporation.” “What is ‘sampradaya’ today was ‘prayoga’ yesterday. Is it not?!” asks Sri Venugopal. “It is of course very important to acknowledge that any experiments done must be acceptable and validated by learned Gurus. Raagas themselves have evolved over the years because of experiments by musical greats. Their intention was enhancement of music. Any current day experiments should also be aligned with that intention”, he advises. For Karthik, borders begin to blur when you start to explore different genres of music. One borrows from the other and influences another.   

While individual preferences and opinions largely shape judgement, whether one prefers the predictable path of a single goal or does not want to be boxed into one style, what becomes clear in conversation with the masters of art is that there can be no shortcuts to good judgement. Experience ultimately is the master of all. When one sets out to experiment, ensure that you are being mentored in the right direction. To learn, to imbibe and to allow a dialogue between form, style and the artiste is definitely not easy. The standing rules for proficiency are hard work, dedication, diligence and humility towards the art itself. Proficiency in multiple forms is not impossible but it is important to submit to the fact that it may happen in this lifetime or in a few lifetimes; not today or tomorrow.

Published in Ananya Kalasinchana Issue: February 2016 

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