Love - Sringaram. The ancient
Indian treatises on dance, Abhinaya Darpana (3rd century
A.D.) and Natya Shastra (2nd century A.D.), describe
Love as Rajarasa, or the King of Emotions. It is Love
that evokes all other emotions - such as happiness, sadness,
compassion, anger, peace, disgust, fear and wonder.
From a mother's love for her child
(Vatsalya Sringara), romance between lovers (Rati
Sringara), and love for the divine (Bhakti Sringara),
experience these facets of love through the language of Bharatanatyam,
using lyrics and musical compositions from many eras in the
Carnatic (South Indian
classical) music tradition. Not only is love the King of Emotions,
it is also timeless.
Audience Reviews posted to www.fringefestival.org -
Average Rating 
A Cultural Dance Primer - Posted on Aug. 9, 2004
I was intrigued by the theme of the show, and how various
forms of love could be translated through an ancient form
of dance from South India. It didn't matter that I have little
experience with Indian dance tradition. Each dance was opened
with a "primer" on the graceful hand gestures and
body language that would be seen in that set. It helped bring
the dance "alive" and allowed me to enter into the
theme being portrayed. As well, it translated the beautiful
poetry of the music. On top of it all, the dancer's costumes
were detailed and quite gorgeous. Overall, it was a beatuiful
introduction to Indian dance, and does inspire me to see more.
Storytelling, dance, expression - Posted on Aug. 9,
2004
Love Lyrics is a wonderful presentation, danced with flair
and style. The intricacies of foot work, gesture, and facial
expression are amazing. The musical rhythms and expressive
storytelling pull you in and hold you. It matters not if you
understand Tamil or Telegu, the messages are clear and heartfelt.
A Novice Perspective - Posted on Aug. 11, 2004
Though I've never been exposed to Indian dance, I left the
performance with a much better understanding of the cultural
style and I enjoyed discussing my interpretations of the different
dances with others. The performers dedication, passion and
hard work were apparent. Their balance and stamina was amazing,
while their synchronization appeared flawless to me. The music
was fitting and I found the expressionist style to be very
compelling and enjoyable. I was surprised at how effective
the use of body and facial expressions can be in telling a
story. I was entertained throughout the show (which was about
an hour) and I would recommend it to other novices as well.
Anyone else interested in learning about other cultures and
their method of dance/storytelling would enjoy it also. A
wonderful and entertaining performance!
Love Lyrics - Posted on Aug. 11, 2004
Love Lyrics takes storytelling to a new level by combining
music, costuming, song and most importantly classical Indian
Dance known as Bharatanatyam. The audience is temporarily
transformed back in time where dance and story telling become
one. The debut performance of the Kala Vandanam Dance Company
is exquiste, literal, spiritual and humorous. The audience
will have an easy time understanding as each dance is prefaced
the story itself along with the hand gestures. The attention
to detail makes this performance worthwhile and as well as
educational. It is definitely time well spent.
A memorable production - Posted on Aug. 13, 2004
Legend has it that dance originated in the despair of the
gods, who saw it was necessary to provide humankind with an
artistic diversion. How pleased they would be after attending
a performance of Love Lyrics! For they would realize that
far from being a mere diversion, the medium of dance can be
an exquisite instrument of emotional expression and an art
of unsurpassed beauty. One need not even be familiar with
classical Indian dance to appreciate this production. Its
theme of love in its many facets invokes the most universal
and affecting of human feelings, and the expressive aspect
in the individual dance-dramas is done with such care that
the stories are not difficult to follow. The prefatory narration
to each is almost superfluous, but effectively establishes
a background to each piece. Particularly memorable are the
fearsomely s! cornful woman in Muttavadhura, the dreamy Sita
and stoic Rama in Yaaro Ivar Yaaro, and the compellingly lovely
and dramatic portrayal of Yashoda in Krishna Nee Begane Baaro.
The opening Nrittanjali offered a dazzling and energetic beginning
to the evening with graceful movements set to complex rhythmic
patterns. It's hard to imagine a better introduction to this
form of dance - Bharata Natyam - than this show. See it!
