Captivating Debutante Performance by Ananya N. Chandramurthy

Meena Subramanyam, Founder and Director, Natya Vidyalaya

Summer in Boston has become reminiscent of the December/January dance season in Chennai, India. Weekends routinely feature debutante dance performances displaying budding talent. As a practitioner of the art, it is heartening to see the significant effort made by local dance teachers and the parents of students to preserve this artistic legacy!

On August 10, 2024, I had the privilege of attending the stellar debutante performance of Ananya Chandramurthy, all of 11 years of age, at the Norwood High School Auditorium in Massachusetts. The stage, set with traditional Indian diyas as a backdrop, created the perfect atmosphere for an evening of spiritual upliftment. After a melodious prayer song on Durga Devi in Sri Ragam, soulfully rendered by Smt. Arti Kumar Angl, the program started briskly with Oothukkadu Venkata Subbaiyar’s gem, Anandana Nartana Ganapathim in Ragam Nattai, followed by Manikka Veenam and the Alarippu in Tisra Ekam. What captivated my attention about the young dancer on stage was her impeccable araimandi (half-sitting) posture, her well-coordinated hand and eye movements, her angha shuddam (placement of limbs), and the graceful execution of the adavus (steps) with precision. Next was the Jathiswaram in Ragamaligai, composed by Thanjavur Quartet and skillfully choreographed by Smt. Savithri Jagannatha Rao of Kalakshetra, to harmoniously blend the rhythmic patterns to match the musical notes. Ananya executed the dance with fluidity and elegance. The Sabdam composed by Abhayakaram Krishnan highlighted Ananya’s natural ability for storytelling. Her portrayal of Gajendra’s struggle for liberation and the retrieval of the Vedas by Vishnu was sophisticated and devout, reflecting the true essence of the narrative. Ananya then presented the highlight of the evening, the pada Varnam Konjum Salangai, composed by Madurai R. Muralidharan in Lathangi ragam. The Varnam, an exquisite blend of pure dance and storytelling, served as a great platform to highlight Ananya’s technical and emotive skills, with depth and distinction. She breezed through the complicated rhythmic patterns in the pure dance sequences (Jathis) with poise and nimble footwork, without breaking a sweat. She also captivated the audience with her depiction of various stories of Lord Shiva, including the episode of Shiva drinking the haala hala poison, the rescue of Manickavasagar, story of Gajasurasamhara, and the story of Siva carrying sand in exchange for “puttu.”  Ananya’s emotive abilities were artful and charming, conveying emotions without exaggeration.

The second half of Ananya’s show highlighted her breadth of emotive abilities. Bhakti rasa dominated Simahasanasthite by Muthuswamy Dikshitar, painting myriad images of the Goddess as a loving kind Mother and the ferocious Durga, the demon slayer. Ananya’s role-play as both Mother Yasodha and child Krishna in Maadu Meikum Kanne was entertaining and endearing. Rusli Radha highlighted her skill  to portray the intensity of love and vulnerability of the relationship of Krishna and Radha in a mature, yet playful way, using delicate movements of the eyes, the raise of an eyebrow, and the upward curl of the lips, enthralling the audience. The Thillana in Natabhairavi ragam, composed by Veenai Sri. Krishnamachariar, is a gem of a choreography by Rukmini Devi Arundale of Kalakshetra. Ananya’s graceful and precise execution of the Meyyadavus and the artistic presentation of demanding rhythmic patterns made it apparent why her Guru Pooja Kumar had deep confidence in her ability to present this legendary composition, a hallmark of the Kalakshetra legacy. Arthi Kumar Angl’s soulful singing of this number highlighted the intense artistry of the choreography and musical cadence. Ananya concluded her debutante performance with a vibrant piece composed by Kuldeep Pai from Aachiyar Kuravai. The synchrony between the orchestra and the artist in the rendition of this piece had the audience tapping their feet and clapping their hands in celebration of this wonderful young artist.

Ananya’s teacher, Pooja Kumar Shyam, deserves special recognition for grooming and molding this blossoming talent and for selecting pieces that maximized the scope to witness the breadth and depth of Ananya’s talent and technique. Pooja’s dedicated support on the nattuvangam, with clear enunciation of the Jathis, set the pace and energy for the show. The orchestra, comprising Satyanarayanan on the Mridangam, Melakkaveri Thyagarajan on the violin, Gokulakrishnan on the flute, and Arthi Kumar Angl on vocal support, mesmerized the audience with their musicality and versatility. The on-stage chemistry and constructive collaboration between the artists made it an enjoyable experience for all. A special mention also goes out to Ananya’s parents, Srividya Neelakantan and Balachander Chandramurthy for nurturing and supporting Ananya’s passion and interests. If there is one consideration that I can raise about this debutante performance, it is the length of the show. Although the speeches by distinguished chief guests, Roja Kannan from Chennai, Ranjani Saigal from Boston, Deepa Mahadevan from New Jersey, and Lavanya Rajagopalan from Houston, and Ananya’s cadre of friends were insightful, inspiring, and enjoyable, they made for a long show.

I look forward to more of Ananya’s performances in the Boston area and wish her the best in her artistic journey. Her immense talent and discipline will help her scale new heights and achieve greater success!

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