GROUP PRODUCTIONS
EKAANTHA SEETHA... a lonely furrow (2006)
"Brilliant choreography, a smooth amalgamation of different dance and music forms, riveting performances and sheer artistic effort made Ekaantha Seetha... a Lonely Furrow a memorable experience for lovers of classical art in Atlanta.
The brilliance of the production lay in the smooth transition between different dance forms, and in the capable handling of contemporary scenes within the traditional framework. Also noteworthy was the effort to weave humor into a serious dance form. The wedding scene in the third segment, or the everyday market place scene; were particularly hilarious."
"The detailed research, the excellent yet unobtrusive musical score, the sensitive dance choreography and tasteful costumes had come together seamlessly in a vibrant panorama. This could not have been achieved without individual and collective passion.
The dancers were well coordinated and gave energy to the production.
the irony - finally it is a man, the teacher, who gives Aparajitha the strength to believe in herself and blaze her own trail."
"..the point to take home was that these women realized memorable achievements without forsaking their culture or its "worthy traditions," as program notes stated. Empowerment is within the reach of every woman (and man), although it very well might be a life of hardship - that old "lonely furrow" to plow. This was the essential theme of this interesting, but overly long, three-hour production.
Even those unfamiliar with the stories, the languages and the other cultural signposts could follow the story outlines, thanks to the choreographers' dramatic clarity and to the distinct body articulation of the performers, who hailed from both India and the United States. Shantha Dhananjayan and Rathna Kumar, a teacher and performer now based in Houston, provided lively interludes of mime and English narration to ensure that the non-Asians in the crowd didn't get lost."
"Mr. Dhananjayan took on a daunting task when he chose to choreograph three totally diverse pieces that span three completely different eras. From the standing ovation that the performance got at the Smithwick Auditorium, he clearly succeeded. "
"What stands out in the entire play is the choreography done by the legends of Kathakali and Bharatnatyam, the Dhananjayans. Not only did they mix several dance forms to give the audience a glimpse of a rich tapestry that Indian dance and music possesses, they presented each segment in a different genre from classical to folk to contemporary music, while remaining within the realms of classical traditions and classic stories.
The script was crisp, and tremendous attention was given to every aspect of the presentation. English was used to convey the intrinsic aspect of each story along with expressions. Each segment stood out for innovation, the beauty of the costumes and outstanding dancers. The casting was perfect, though one wishes one could have seen more of the Dhanjanjayans as performers."
Public Comments
"We whole heartedly enjoyed the program. It was well worth the time. Thank you so much for arranging such excellent programs. I really liked the guy who acted as Laxmana, his role in last part, Aparajita as a photographer was hilarious. The whole marriage scene was well choreographed."
"We had the great fortune to be present for Ekaantha Seetha. Bravo! Please continue to bring wonderful programs to this area."
"It was indeed a memorable evening. The performance was phenomenal and we enjoyed every minute of it."
"It was a wonderful show! Hats off to you for making is possible for us to see some real quality performances."
"It was a nice show and thanks for bringing it to Atlanta. My family and friends enjoyed it. However I have few comments, Sometimes it was too lokadharmi. I have seen Cleveland Alliance's productions. It lacked the elegance, creativity, and sophistication of 'Living Tree' or 'Silappadhikaram'. The dancers in the earlier production 'Silappadhikaram' were excellent, phenomenal; all aspects of production were of higher quality. This reminded me of Sanghamitra. I still enjoyed it."
"The ballet was of Broadway calibre and I enjoyed immensely. I felt sorry for those who missed the opportunit to witness such an excellent performance."
"It was a great performance. All my students and Lasya, Abhinay and Ravi enjoyed the show very much."
"Thanks for organizing this absolutely 'Out of this world' event."
"We very thankful to you for bringing a wonderful dance performance to Atlanta. We enjoyed all the episodes (especially Vaidehi and comedy part of Aparajita)."
"Ekaantha Seetha was a feast to the eyes!!!!!!! We really enjoyed it."
"Thanks for organizing the program. Suhasini as young Lakshmi Bai was wonderful, she could have continued through out. Aparajitha played by Pavitra stood out. Urmila brought out the power in the character. I expected more from Shrilatha. I have seen her more than once and was always impressed by her Abhinaya but not so much as Sita."
"Lav and Kush were the best male dancers. Music quality was harsh. Overall good, though many scenes could have been totally avoided."
EKAANTHA SEETHA... a lonely furrow - Details - Photo Album