The Rangapravesha Paradigm
Consider this common scenario in urban tech-savvy Bengaluru. "A 6-year old, fascinated by the glamour of Bharatanatyam, pleads with her parents to enroll her into classes. The uninitiated parents recollect seeing a huge hoarding of a dance institute near their workplace. Inquiries over the next weekend suggest that it may be a great thing for their child after all. All they have to do is select between 10 month/2-year/3-year crash courses at the end of which a Rangapravesha is promised. The parents are thrilled to bits. They can now tell all their friends and relatives that their daughter is going to be performing in no more than a year! Once the 'Rangapravesha' is done, their daughter can move over to other hobbies, they presume!"
Whether you nod your head in sheer disbelief or in unenthusiastic acceptance, this is one of the recent disasters to hit the world of performing arts. Much has also been spoken about parents unfortunately perceiving the Rangapravesha as a culmination of learning rather than a point of beginning of art.
Consider another scenario. This time let us move our attention to those students who have fortunately stayed away from gimmicks and learn under the guidance of a teacher in a more palpable environment. "A student starts classes at the age of 5 or 6 and is making constant progress. In about 10 or 12 years' time, the teacher sees promise in the child. At 15 or 17, academic pressure on the child is now high with board exams looming over her head. The "Rangapravesha" then becomes a date of convenience on completion of boards in March and before the next big leap to college in August. Add to this other peripheral factors aka venue availability, accompanying orchestra tours, payment rates etc. With the date finally set, both student and teacher are now working backwards towards the impending deadline!" Quality and artistic maturity of the student become secondary in the bargain.
Thankfully these 2 scenarios are not the norm but, it is important to address the factors that give rise to the above scenarios so that the paradigm is favorable to the Arts. Where does the paradigm lie?
Rangapravesha, also known as the "Arangetram" or "Rangmanchpravesh", has today taken on several avatars: Rangarpane, Rangaarohana,Kinkini pooja etc. Irrespective of the number of names we call it by, the essential meaning of the term remains the same- it is the ascent of a dancer to the proscenium/stage in a first formal introduction as an 'artiste' to the fraternity and the audience.
Keep in mind that it is common today for teachers and Gurus to encourage their students to participate in short performances or in groups from a young age. So the dancer may have 'ascended' the stage in smaller roles prior to the Rangapravesha, but this occasion would (or Should!) be a mark of maturity for the dancer who carries the weight of the performance predominantly on his/her shoulders. It is also a time that marks the entry of the student as an 'artiste' into the fraternity. After years of learning movement and expression, observing senior artistes and peers, and imbibing lessons of rigour and discipline, the Rangapravesha ought to be the introduction of an artiste with reasonable grasp over the subject of dance aesthetics, technique and vocabulary.
A section of teachers and students do adhere to the above unsaid rules and comprehend the essence of learning a classical art form and the laborious journey involved. But as always, the skewed picture of reality needs to be addressed. Every rangapravesha ought to introduce to the audience an artiste who can not just imitate previously taught movements but bring to the stage an individual approach (even if it is an attempt in nascency). In today's times of extravagance, it is becoming rare for a rangapravesha to just be an evening of art, without becoming a family affair of celebration (much like a wedding).
Doesn't the paradigm need an overhaul? Guru Smt. Lalitha Srinivasan, with decades of experience in performing, teaching and being a vocal activist for the Arts elaborates:
On the scenario of capsule modules...
I have not heard of these capsule modules. But if it does exist, is it any different from selling a commodity? The only way out of such trends is to educate both parents and students of the merits of patience, perseverance and the impossibility of achieving anything in crash modules.
On readiness levels for a Rangapravesha...
I do not recommend very young children performing a Rangapravesha. If the child has potential, nurture it until a reasonable level of maturity sets in. Yes, academics tend to influence the time at which a rangapravesha is performed, but the Guru should have the final say in assessing the readiness of a student. A Rangapravesha should not be treated like a certificate for college admissions.
On extravagance...
Dinner parties, bulky brochures, photo shoots at exotic locations are all part of this rather unhealthy trend. You can advise parents and students to stay away from it but peer pressure sets in. At a Rangapravesha, should it not suffice to have one photograph printed on a simple invite? Brochures can be made at a later date when the dancer is more proficient and is looking to take it to the next level. To add to this, musicians also are demanding exorbitant amounts for a 90 minute performance.
On the journey to follow...
Hardly 1% of dancers who perform their rangapravesha continue thereafter. True that life can be uncertain and may throw up various hurdles, but an honest and sincere intention to pursue the art must remain with any dancer seeking to perform a rangapravesha. It is after all just the beginning of the journey to follow.
On solutions...
Humans are only getting greedier, looking for everything in fast forward mode. These trends may only get worse. What we need is a collective understanding of the situation and a collective effort from the entire fraternity to improve things. One or two people cannot change aything. An Akademi of dancers that comprises learned people who can virtuously differentiate the pros and cons and present a dictum, is what we are in dire need of. Previous attempts at creating such an umbrella organisation have unfortunately fallen through because there was very little solidarity within the fraternity itself. It is high time we renew the endeavour.
Paradigm Shift anyone?
Whether you nod your head in sheer disbelief or in unenthusiastic acceptance, this is one of the recent disasters to hit the world of performing arts. Much has also been spoken about parents unfortunately perceiving the Rangapravesha as a culmination of learning rather than a point of beginning of art.
Consider another scenario. This time let us move our attention to those students who have fortunately stayed away from gimmicks and learn under the guidance of a teacher in a more palpable environment. "A student starts classes at the age of 5 or 6 and is making constant progress. In about 10 or 12 years' time, the teacher sees promise in the child. At 15 or 17, academic pressure on the child is now high with board exams looming over her head. The "Rangapravesha" then becomes a date of convenience on completion of boards in March and before the next big leap to college in August. Add to this other peripheral factors aka venue availability, accompanying orchestra tours, payment rates etc. With the date finally set, both student and teacher are now working backwards towards the impending deadline!" Quality and artistic maturity of the student become secondary in the bargain.
Thankfully these 2 scenarios are not the norm but, it is important to address the factors that give rise to the above scenarios so that the paradigm is favorable to the Arts. Where does the paradigm lie?
Rangapravesha, also known as the "Arangetram" or "Rangmanchpravesh", has today taken on several avatars: Rangarpane, Rangaarohana,Kinkini pooja etc. Irrespective of the number of names we call it by, the essential meaning of the term remains the same- it is the ascent of a dancer to the proscenium/stage in a first formal introduction as an 'artiste' to the fraternity and the audience.
Keep in mind that it is common today for teachers and Gurus to encourage their students to participate in short performances or in groups from a young age. So the dancer may have 'ascended' the stage in smaller roles prior to the Rangapravesha, but this occasion would (or Should!) be a mark of maturity for the dancer who carries the weight of the performance predominantly on his/her shoulders. It is also a time that marks the entry of the student as an 'artiste' into the fraternity. After years of learning movement and expression, observing senior artistes and peers, and imbibing lessons of rigour and discipline, the Rangapravesha ought to be the introduction of an artiste with reasonable grasp over the subject of dance aesthetics, technique and vocabulary.
A section of teachers and students do adhere to the above unsaid rules and comprehend the essence of learning a classical art form and the laborious journey involved. But as always, the skewed picture of reality needs to be addressed. Every rangapravesha ought to introduce to the audience an artiste who can not just imitate previously taught movements but bring to the stage an individual approach (even if it is an attempt in nascency). In today's times of extravagance, it is becoming rare for a rangapravesha to just be an evening of art, without becoming a family affair of celebration (much like a wedding).
Doesn't the paradigm need an overhaul? Guru Smt. Lalitha Srinivasan, with decades of experience in performing, teaching and being a vocal activist for the Arts elaborates:
On the scenario of capsule modules...
I have not heard of these capsule modules. But if it does exist, is it any different from selling a commodity? The only way out of such trends is to educate both parents and students of the merits of patience, perseverance and the impossibility of achieving anything in crash modules.
On readiness levels for a Rangapravesha...
I do not recommend very young children performing a Rangapravesha. If the child has potential, nurture it until a reasonable level of maturity sets in. Yes, academics tend to influence the time at which a rangapravesha is performed, but the Guru should have the final say in assessing the readiness of a student. A Rangapravesha should not be treated like a certificate for college admissions.
On extravagance...
Dinner parties, bulky brochures, photo shoots at exotic locations are all part of this rather unhealthy trend. You can advise parents and students to stay away from it but peer pressure sets in. At a Rangapravesha, should it not suffice to have one photograph printed on a simple invite? Brochures can be made at a later date when the dancer is more proficient and is looking to take it to the next level. To add to this, musicians also are demanding exorbitant amounts for a 90 minute performance.
On the journey to follow...
Hardly 1% of dancers who perform their rangapravesha continue thereafter. True that life can be uncertain and may throw up various hurdles, but an honest and sincere intention to pursue the art must remain with any dancer seeking to perform a rangapravesha. It is after all just the beginning of the journey to follow.
On solutions...
Humans are only getting greedier, looking for everything in fast forward mode. These trends may only get worse. What we need is a collective understanding of the situation and a collective effort from the entire fraternity to improve things. One or two people cannot change aything. An Akademi of dancers that comprises learned people who can virtuously differentiate the pros and cons and present a dictum, is what we are in dire need of. Previous attempts at creating such an umbrella organisation have unfortunately fallen through because there was very little solidarity within the fraternity itself. It is high time we renew the endeavour.
Paradigm Shift anyone?
Comments
Post a Comment