Temple Sculptures come alive
in dance
March 25, 2003
Irvine – Dominique
Delorme left Paris (and everything else he was doing) one day to study
Bharata Natyam in India. Today he has internalized the genre to the extent
that his convincing performances have clearly established that the creative
urge overcomes all cultural barriers. On a two-week workshop assignment
in the US, Dominique Delorme performs at the Electric Lodge in
Venice on Saturday April 5th and also a matinee at the William
Bristol Civic auditorium in Bellflower on Sunday April 6th at 3pm. ‘Shiva
Karanas’, the theme for his presentation brings alive the karanas or
sculptured units of dance seen in many temples of Southern India.
Armed with just a scholarship
from the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs and a passion to learn Bharata
Natyam, Dominique came in contact with one of the greatest scholars of
the art form, Dr. Padma Subramanyam. Under her guidance, he researched
the ‘Karanas’, the sculpturesque dance poses displayed in many temples
of South India but forgotten since the 14th century. Established as the
source for the development of all dance styles and martial arts in the
Indian sub continent and beyond, the unique aspects of the karanas such
as the lifting, leaps and jumping with the legs had all but disappeared
in dance forms in S. Asia but are clearly evident in western forms.
In his work ‘Shiva Karanas’,
Dominique has set out to restitute its (the karanas) richness and
place in the traditional art form. Apart from the aesthetic values, he
brings out the communicative and expressive values of this ancient tradition.
To further highlight the historical and geographical perspectives of the
Karanas, he has chosen music from Mongolia, India and Indonesia under the
guidance and direction of Rudiger Opperman.
Dominique has performed
to rave reviews in India, his home country France and in several other
European cities. He conducts workshops on an ongoing basis in Marseilles,
Vienna, St Jean Du Gard, La Rochelle and Lille. This will be his first
performance in California and will be preceded by a workshop for students
of Bharata Natyam in Orange County. Having attained proficiency by
‘dint of his single minded devotion’, the evening promises to be an ‘image
of pure joy’ with a masterful display of precision and grace within the
classical idiom.
While Bharata Natyam has been
gaining popularity rapidly in the Southland, we rarely get an opportunity
to see a solo presentation by a male performer. This dance event
will be a students as well as a connoisseur’s delight. The Arpana Foundation
is committed to create an awareness and understanding of the cultural arts
from India. In the last 10 years, the Foundation has presented over 30
visiting artistes in popular venues such as the Barclay in Irvine and the
Torrance Cultural Arts Center. With grants from Arts OC, California Arts
Council and the Fund for Folk Culture, the Arpana Foundation will continue
to strive for interesting art presentations and dialogues.
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