The Artiste and the Wishing Tree

One of the oft repeated laments among young artistes is the brutality with which judgement is sometimes placed on a single performance. This, they would say, is unfair because artistic growth cannot be assessed from a single performance. Rather, it is something that can be gauged after a period of time has passed. It is only then that one can see marked changes or progression, if any. However, if a cumulative effect of growth must be seen over time, it is essential that every performance is objectively and critically assessed and lessons are carefully assimilated by the artiste. While we acknowledge the importance of the role of the critic in this regard, I take the liberty of proposing another possibility. In the previous articles of the series, I examined the relationship between artiste and critic- through the eyes of both. "In contemporary times it is difficult to find constructive criticism and at the same time artists are not able to take criticism in the true sense.V...

In the previous issue, we drew up some introductory aspects on the world of music, dance and critique. In this issue, I present to you a mixed bag of opinions. - Dr. Surya Prasad "How much space in mainstream media is reserved for art criticism; especially of the classical arts? Other than a handful of English and Indian Language papers, and a few online portals and magazines, we must acknowledge the fact that there is very limited space in mainstream media for dance criticism. Within the publications that do publish reviews on classical dance, most reviews are written by freelance critics and not journalists that are employed by the publication. This is a situation that allows both the publication and the writer to shirk accountability. The only way to avoid this would be to have Publication houses employ journalists who specialise in the arts to write about the arts- and arts that is not limited to fine arts and cinema. Whether all journalists employed by publications toda...

The inimitable Subbudu once asked the dancer on stage to go and observe the man who was making dosa at the nearby canteen! He later offered an explanation: 'Does the man ever use a compass to measure the width of the dosa he makes? He will make several within a minute with the same precision every single time. He didn't learn this precision overnight, neither did he study geometry. The precision came to him as a result of repeatedly doing it for years. The dancer must practice to the extent that precision and laya sudhham become innate. Since it isn't, you shouldn't be on stage.' While his critical writing was revered, feared and adored- all in equal measure, there were those who did not agree with his style. Among them were greats like Sri Semmangudi Srinivasa Iyer who suggested that Subbudu's remarks were derogatory and may have ruined the careers of many artistes- something that a critic should never be responsible for. And there was Sri. Balamurali Krishna...

The debate to protect one's creative work or not continues... While the previous issue focused on the issue of plagiarism in classical arts at large, from the perspective of dance companies and the artistes who head these companies it was clear that they chose to steer towards creating new work and not indulge in legal battle as far as possible. But this does not mean that ALL companies function on trust and in the event of an artiste copying or imitating work, some companies have gone ahead and pursued the case legally. In this issue, I focus on the young dancer- be it soloists who are creating new work or dancers who freelance for companies or ensemble artistes or artistes who work with groups as well as create solo work. The intention is to delve into what plagiarism means to the young dancer. How would they define and understand it? What in their opinion is the right manner of protecting creative work? What have been the most interesting aspects of contractual agreements t...

One often hears artistes ruing that their work was unceremoniously copied and sometimes promoted on such a large scale that the original piece of work not only received zero recognition but was also trashed as a mimic! The world of Indian classical arts with respect to plagiarism and copyrights (if ever in existence) is a blurry one. To attain clarity of vision in the current scenario seems a distant dream even as I prod individuals, dance companies and Gurus to help clear the haze. Let us begin by acknowledging that traditionally, Indian classical arts, especially dance has been alien to the world of ownership rights. Be it poetry, music or choreography, the inherent nature of the art form has always allowed a multitude of people to enjoy a creation. Within the field of classical music, many composers introduced tell tale signatures within their compositions as a way to safeguard their creation from being claimed by others. This was probably how far the idea of ownership went. Beyo...

In the previous issue, I presented an overview of the evolution of the 'organiser' and the accompanying change in dynamics between artiste and organiser. In this article, I put forth some ideas, abstractions and questions towards the modern-day organiser. I restrict myself in addressing organisers who are individuals, trusts, music and dance schools and organisations. I leave out the organising boards and committees that fall under the purview of Government (state or central). In urban India, there is no denying that almost every individual is pressed for time. Time is today a dictating factor- not just in corporate or school life, it has become a dictating factor in the scheduling and curation of classical arts events too. Pressed for time and wanting to feature as many artistes as possible, organisers find shorter packets of energy-filled recitals more appealing. The amount of money that would be spent from the organiser's pockets also factors into the creation of such...

Art as an experience comprises the artiste and the audience. And in bringing the artiste to the audience, the organiser or patron becomes the most important constant in an artistic experience. The role of the organiser is as dynamic as that of an artiste. The word 'organiser' has assumed several connotations over time- from being the sabha or trust to individuals to event management firms to corporates to several more in current times. In this article I aim to look at why and how the term 'organiser' evolved over time and where does the relationship between artiste and organiser stand today. I restrict myself to the time period of the last few decades. There were a few sabhas that comprised of culturally inclined and knowledgeable individuals. Sometimes stalwarts in the field of music and dance offered their guidance to these groups, if they were not a direct part of it. They formed the crux of patronage that the classical arts received. Over the years, with funds be...

When Experts Speak... Dr. Lalitha Srinivasan 1.What are your views on the way dance has evolved as a profession?  Dance as a profession has definitely improved leaps and bounds over the past few decades. From being  a mere hobby or a source of entertainment to it becoming a profession - and dancers being able to sustain as professional dancers is definitely indicative of a healthy growth. Although there are times when I wonder if there are too many people calling themselves dancers these days! But then I figure that in a larger perspective, all this is part of the growth of dance because at the same time there is a lot of great work that is being created. 2. The Dance itself has seen change. The repertoire has changed with time. There are now contemporary themes, differing presentation formats... is it a good change or would you prefer to turn the clock back? Art is reflective of the times and it is therefore not surprising that the repertoire itself has seen changes- ...

The dictum of successful performances comes with its tag line, "WOW". The connotations that this word takes on may be several, considering that art is subjective. WOW could mean that the audience was left astounded by the performer's athleticism. WOW could mean that the performer's abhinaya mesmerized the audience. WOW could mean that the audience is yet to come to terms with the complexity of the performer's rhythmic interludes. WOW could mean that the audience was transported into a world of fantasy that one usually associates with film. WOW could also mean that the grandeur of production was jaw-dropping. WOW could be directed towards the impeccable planning and execution of an entire ensemble. The relationship between the performer and the audience is not a one-way street. The Artiste influences the audience and in turn the audience influences the direction in which art moves. If today, WOW has as many connotations as I list above (and more), the WOW from ...