The Artiste and the WOW factor

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 a few decades ago may have been different. After all, art has evolved with time. Art has gone through several transformations in order to suit the temperament of the audience. Dance has moved from slow lines to fast rhythm. We have re-creations of classics and re-interpretation of poetry today. We have re-formatted the repertoire in some places and tweaked the duration and pace of the performance itself. These changes have been influenced by the faster pace of our life in current times. They have also been influenced by the level of in-depth knowledge the audience today has. Very rarely do audiences today have the patience for a one-hour varnam in which to soak in the subtle beauty of poetry bit by bit. Quick, fast-paced is better. Audiences are also constantly on the lookout for novelty so performers see great potential in infusing elements from other art forms; a Bharatanatyam dancer being fascinated by the permutations of tap dance, say, or a Kuchipudi dancer drawing inspiration from European Theatre. Supersonic footwork and acrobatic jumps, swirls and turns can catch the attention of the audience like no other. And there can be no clear right or wrong about this evolutionary path that classical dance is taking. Art is reflective of the times. It may be in the right because this evolving avatar may be the reason the lay audience is looking again at classical dance after decades of finding it 'boring'. Creating WOW moments and making classical dance relevant to today's youth through concept, presentation and/or adding a dash of glitter could be the magic that is much needed. Having said this, let us look at an opposing school of thought. By 'glamourising' classical dance, are we defeating the purpose of classical art- a purpose that does not include giving the audience an adrenaline rush, but of slowly percolating through the senses to give an experience of heightened sensitivity!?

And in this debate, it is the young artiste who is left wondering. And there isn't much time to wonder because, considering that the number of dancers today is much higher than in the past decades, these young artistes are also feeling the need to be 'noticed' quickly before getting drowned in the 'crowd'. Let us consider a hypothetical scenario and an imaginary artiste to understand this better.

The Artiste (Name: Dancer) has decided to pursue classical dance as a career. Dancer presumes that the first few years from here on are crucial in terms of creating a mark and becoming known within the fraternity as a fabulous dancer and becoming popular with audiences as a star performer. Why the hurry? you may ask. Because this will then lay out a more secure future in the arts- a field that is not only subjective, but also competitive and financially challenging. Dancer looks around and notices that many performers who are enjoying stardom today are those who are creating exhilarating moments for the audience- high on athletic gait, presenting novel ideas, supremely energetic, mastering complex mathematical calculations, creating new patterns of movement... the list goes on. Dancer then zeroes in on these trends that are 'in' today and those which are out of fashion. The 'in' trends catch on in his/her performance. Those out of fashion remain out of mind. In the hurried need to impress, Dancer may even try to incorporate a little too many novel ideas and permutations within every single performance.

Does this work? Or not? For dancers who are able to identify the fine line that separates what is required versus the unnecessary excess, it may work. For the remaining majority, the disillusioned journey continues until they stop, think and walk back to a Guru who can iron out the path in front of them. While several artistes are today reminding youngsters of the importance of keeping things simple, one can't help but notice that higher the complexity of a nritta pattern, higher are your chances of wowing judges and winning prizes at competitions. This obviously does not ease out the confusion. If gravity defying dance assures thundering applause, who would want to glide along the stage floor in gentle movement? If histrionics can win fans, then the lack of it could label the dancer inept or inadequate- is the fear.

Caught in these opposing views, where does one find middle ground, if any? How does one retain the essence of classical dance while ensuring a dynamic dialogue with the current times that it thrives in? Having drawn lay audiences back into the auditorium from the movie halls, should we now de-glamorize classical dance and walk back into an era of genteel movement and expression- or not? How does the young dancer set out to explore new themes, ideas and movement while still maintaining the subtle aesthetics of classical dance? "Every artiste must understand that the theme of performance has to be the guiding light. The theme should dictate the requirements and excesses in performance. To develop a sensitivity that can distinguish the two is paramount. Creating excitement just for the sake of it will not impress or interest people in the long run. The quietest of performers can garner the most attention if they approach the subject and the dance with depth of thought and vision." assures Smt. Sharmila Biswas, Odissi dancer and choreographer.

It is a tight -rope walk for any artiste who must be able to draw the line between momentarily impressing the audience and creating a lasting impression. It is rather easy for the artiste and the audience to be blown away by the WOW factor, while finding it hard to understand the true essence of art. In all the superlatives that WOW is associated with, in the odd moment, WOW should be associated with simplicity too! But who creates that ambiance for simplicity to thrive? The artiste? or the audience? Where does the power lie?

"As a rasika, aesthetics evolve with age and experience. There will come a time when mere physicality will not be enough to move the audience but will require a deeper connect. Any performance that is fueled with aggression can only produce momentary excitement, whereas the purpose of classical art is to soothe the senses. While it is fabulous to explore the endless possibilities with what the body can do, it is even more important to exercise restraint. Only then will there be synergy between movements and synergy between emotion and movement. And to be able to use judgement effectively requires a long gestation period under the guidance of a Guru. Moving out too fast, too soon and being driven by a need for applause will create more electrifying dancers but artistes with very little substance." signs off Lakshmi Gopalaswamy, Bharatanatyam dancer and actor.

On stage or in the audience: take a moment to reflect.