The Artiste and the Wishing Tree

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 ...