2nd edition of Natya Ballet festival set to enthrall audiences from Nov 30

The biennial Natya Ballet Dance Festival, in its second edition, will focus on dance in film and theatre and showcase works that transcend a single medium.

The festival organised by Natya Ballet Centre in association with Sangeet Natak Akademi is scheduled to begin on November 30, and will be hosted at the akademi premises.

The three-day event, which promises to bring the best of both local and global art forms along with talks by living legends of Indian dance, will see participation of artists from India and abroad.

"The performances, this year, will emphasise on the female power in dance and theatre," organisers said.

The event will open with a master class by Ananya Chatterjea, a US-based choreographer. It will introduce Yorchha -- an intensive contemporary Indian dance technique that brings together movement principles from Odissi, Vinyasa yoga, and MayurbhanjChhau.

A contemporary retelling of the Hindu epic "Mahabharata", employing the Japanese technique of Bunraku, masks and shadow theatre and elements of Chhau and Kalaripayattu, will be brought alive by Katkatha Puppet Arts Trust later in the evening.

"The performance will explore the inner dilemma of the fifteen prominent characters of the epic tale, through a stream of conscious narrative of their past and present motives," organisers said.

Renowned contemporary dancer Astad Deboo will take the stage on day two to talk about the dance style he pioneered at a time when innovations in the Indian dance world were not welcome.

Besides thought-provoking and mesmerizing performances, the festival will also feature talks, presentations and film screenings.

A tete-a-tete between Kathak exponent Pandit Birju Maharaj and acclaimed musicologist Manjari Sinha will also be part of the event.

"We wanted to go beyond just dance to showcase the various aspects of it inside and outside the proscenium space, and more importantly in the context of theatre and film.

"We are very excited to bring bold and assertive works from India and abroad that reinvestigates conventional storytelling in today's context for a discerning audience and delves in a deeper discourse on how art can push boundaries to mobilize social change," Radhika Hoon, Chairperson, Natya Ballet Centre, said.

The festival will continue with its 'Dance in Theatre' segment, where renowned theatre artist, stand-up comedian and social activist Maya Krishna Rao will talk about her experience of how dance and theatre collides and flows into each other on the rehearsal floor.

Its 'Dance in Film' segment will see award-winning filmmakers like Saba Dewan, Justin McCarthy, Sharada Ramanathan and Vikram Iyengar showcasing their dance films.

The festival will come to a close on December 2.

(With inputs from agencies.)