Malini Srinivasan and Dancers is a group committed to presenting new works stemming from and expanding the tradition and technique of Bharatanatyam, the classical dance from south India. Choreographer Malini Srinivasan creates works that fall within the traditional Bharatanatyam idiom, as well as works that explore non-traditional movement, music, and stories. The company is dedicated to bridging the gap between traditional forms and our contemporary world. Malini often collaborates with artists of all genres to create and present new works.
REPERTOIRE
Solo classical Bharatanatyam performance with live orchestra or recording
Being Becoming
Tejas Luminous
Malini Srinivasan & Friends: School Assembly Program
Solo classical Bharatanatyam performance
With live orchestra or recording. This type of show highlights the rhythmic virtuosity and story-telling inherent in classical Bharatanatyam. Programs follow the Margham structure, or the traditional solo dancer’s performance path. Performances can be developed according to a theme or myth. 75-90 minutes, 1 dancer with 4-5 musicians or recording.
Ode to Love’s Arrows is a performance that hilights the whimsical and mischevious nature of Kamadeva, the God of Desire. Kamadeva, a character similar to Cupid, is a master archer, shooting helpless victims who become lost in love's delightful agony.
Sakhi - Friend explores the many roles of the friend in Bharatanatyam repertoire including the friend as a companion, a go-between lovers, and a shoulder to cry on. The Sakhi is a crucial character in traditional Bharatanatyam pieces, and this performance celebrates her many roles.
Govindan Pattu is inspired by Govinda, or Krishna the cowherd. This timeless figure has inspired artists through the ages with his playful pranks, his melodious flute playing, and his amorous adventures. In this margham, Malini presents new choreography inspired by 20th and 21st century composers including Subramanya Bharathi and Lalgudi Jayaraman, revealing a contemporary spin on the Dark Lord.
“Malini danced in a manner that left an indelible imprint in the viewers' minds transporting every one in to a world of timelessness.” V.V. Ramani, The Hindu, 2/12/07
Being Becoming
Being Becoming is a group dance performance that explores an idea central to Hindu and Buddhist philosophies: that one can become the object of their devotion, meditation, or desire. Devotional transformation, or the idea of losing oneself or being consumed by the other, is extensively expressed in Indian art traditions. Each piece explores the different ways in which the individual seeks to become one with the other, as well as traditional Indian theater techniques that enact the transformation from actor to character. 75 min, 3 dancers, recorded music
"All three dancers were superbly skilled, dancing with the whole body or just a flick of the eyes. Kadhambari had the slightest quirk of a smile that fascinated me. Malini’s eyes were full of passion and Umesh had a smile that filled the whole room with joy." Heather Olmstead, NYtheatre.com, 8/11/14
Tejas Luminous
Tejas Luminous is a group dance performance in the Indian classical dance style Bharatanatyam with music from Indian and Western classical traditions. Tejas Luminous explores the connections between the spiritual, the corporeal, light and sound. It is an eighty-minute performance for five dancers made up of seven pieces for soloist, trio and group. Each piece evokes a different time of day via the light, music, and movement. The program begins with the afternoon's liveliness and continues with dusk's harmony, evening's rituals, night's longing and sensuality, and morning's purity and renewal. The movement vocabulary stems from Bharatanatyam but also integrates Yoga and contemporary dance techniques. The music spans different genres including Carnatic, Hindustani and New music in the western classical tradition. The instrumentation is exceptionally diverse, involving the marimba, the mrdangam, the sarangi and many more. 80 min, 4-5 dancers, recorded music
"Nevertheless, it was the expression of their faces, particularly Srinivasan, which kept me entranced and invested in the various stories told by each of the dancers. This particular nuance proved powerful, unexpected, and a testament to the transformational artistry of the performers." Zahra Sadjadi, theasy.com 8/21/14
Malini Srinivasan & Friends
Bharatanatyam Dance & Carnatic Music. This program is appropriate for school assemblies.
Malini Srinivasan and Friends bring their audience on a journey to the beautiful and colorful world of Indian classical dance and music. The company presents Bharatanatyam dance and its sister art form, Carnatic music. The dance grew in the courts and temples of South India, and combines percussive and rhythmic footwork with dynamic movement and intricate story-telling. Dancers use storytelling techniques including hand gestures and facial expressions to tell stories from Indian mythology. Through the performance students learn popular Indian stories, try hand gestures and clap with the rhythms. Students are also introduced to the idea of the oral tradition, which is how classical arts in India are passed down from generation to generation. Performances conclude with interactive sessions in which students get on stage and learn the basic steps and hand gestures of the dance and/or try out musical instruments like the kanjira. 45 min, 5 dancers or solo dancer with 4 musicians