Guest Curator Sanjukta Banerjee presents:Embodiment of Tagore's Poetic Vision
Photo Credit: Sisir Studio Kolkata, India [Image Description: A full body image of two dancers on a black background with blueish lighting creeping in on the left and bottom edges of the frame. Their sightlines are directed to the left. The dancer on the left stands slightly behind the other dancer, pointing to the left. The dancer to the right has her fist under her chin and is looking in the direction of the other dancer's point. He wears green panths with gold and red trim, and she wears a full length off-white short-sleeved dress. They both wear many layers of gold and red jewellery.]
Sanjukta joins Dancemakers as Guest Curator for the 2023-2024 season, where she will shape a residency in Fall 2024 with both local and international collaborators that will culminate in a final showing at the York Woods Library theatre.
DANCING IN DUFFERIN GROVE WITH SANJUKTA
Photo Credit: Akshay Moncy [Image Description: A figure of Sanjukta sitting cross-legged with her hands in her lap is outlined in white and superimposed on a flyer that says "Dancing in Dufferin Grove with Sanjukta Banerjee" in large font. The background image is of Dufferin Grove on the left hand side, and a pale green textured surface on the right. The rest of the flyer reads: "July 13th, 3-5pm. Join Guest Curator Sanjukta for a conversation introducing the themes and styles of her upcoming residency: Embodiment of Tagore's Poetic Vision."]
In July, Sanjukta shared more about Tagore's vision of Fusion dance which is loosely coined as "Rabindra Nritya" and a short demonstration at the end.
About the residency
"Embodiment of Tagore's Poetic Vision" are explorations taking place in the genre of fusion dance choreographed to Rabindranth Tagore's poetic resources. The process of dance making as visualized by Tagore is inspired from the vocabulary of Indian classical dance forms (Mohiniyattam, Bharatanatyam) and dance theatre form (Kathakali). The residency explores the question of how Bengali dancers are choreographing and constructing the soulful rendition of Tagore’s poetic compositions with their knowledge of the vocabulary acquired from specific dance genres. It is important to consider why it is a common practice to learn the Indian Classical Dance forms and recast the movements into a new structure of movements through creative process in dancing. Specifically, this analytical process will engage in how this creative journey began and why? This will guide the hybrid process to formulate knowledge with equal importance on transmission of the traditional dance pedagogy within the site of the body. The dialogic discourse on performance will allow to study and encourage new understandings of the mechanisms of exchange, sharing and reshaping within the contours of performance studies and theatrical artforms; by the rise of the hybrid dancing style nurtured through the vocabularies of Indian classical dance forms within the periphery of Tagore and his vision of incorporating dance to his compositions it will open new discourses on inclusion of the Western dance forms.
GUEST CURATOR SANJUKTA BANERJEE
Photo Credit: Dibyajyoti Giri [Image description: Against a vibrant blue background a golden yellow light is cast on Sanjukta. She appears to be kneeling with both arms bent at the elbow, right arm upwards and left arm downwards. Her hair is pulled back and encircled with a garland and a golden head piece lays atop her hair and its pendant descends onto her forehead. Her blue and yellow pleated garment is cinched at the waist by an elaborate golden belt.]
Dr. Sanjukta Banerjee is an acclaimed Bharatanatyam, Mohiniyattam and Kathakali dance artist. She is a choreographer, research scholar and educator. An empanelled dancer with Indian Television, Banerjee is internationally acclaimed for her enactment of Mother Goddess Durga for ten consecutive years for special telecast during Navratri (1994-2004) on Indian Television. Alumni of Kalamandalam Calcutta, nurtured under the tutelage of Guru Dr.Thankamani Kutty and Late Guru P. Govindan Kutty, Sanjukta has performed in more than 300 National and International Festivals in Asia, Middle-East and North American cities. Founder and Artistic Director of Saugandhikam Dance Academy, she mentors Indian classical dance forms in young practitioners in North America. From her Academy she conducts regular in-person and online dance lessons of Bharatanatyam and Mohiniyattam. Banerjee has offered courses, lecture-demonstration and workshops in various Universities of North America and Europe. To her credit she has won several accolades “Outstanding Young Person” (North Calcutta Junior Chamber, Kolkata), "CCI" award (Critic Circle of India, New Delhi). Banerjee has been awarded the prestigious title of “Singar Mani” (Mumbai), “Natya Kala Rathna” (Toronto), and holds a doctoral degree in dance from York University, Toronto.
Banner photo credit: Sisir Studio Kolkata, India [Image Description: Two dancers stand with their arms raised and hands in "mudras" or classical hand gestures typical of South Asian dance forms. Their sightlines are directed to the left. The dancer on the left wears layered gold necklaces and arm bands on a bare chest, with a sateen garment along his waist. The dancer to the right has her hair partially pinned back by various adornments. She also wears layered jewellery, which instead lays on an off-white embroidered and beaded garment with many gold embellishments. The background is black, and they both stand clear and well lit against it.]