SAMGAMA

SAMGAMA ° PROGRAMME ° DANCERS ° MUSICIANS ° SPONSORS ° CREDITS

SAMGAMA - going together

Radha Anjalis dance project going together is a synthesis in the realm of contemporary Indian dance. The language of performance is taken from the tradition of the Indian classical dance style Bharatanatyam and its interpretation and expression is presented by dancers and musicians from Vienna, Austria. The contents of dance are universal. Dance is a medium that transports universal emotions, philosophical ideas and human values - transcending the borders of individual countries, exchange of culture of special kind, mutual encounter and exchange of ideas. Radha Anjalis work with Bharatanatyam Dance has projected one of the oldest dance traditions of the world in a new light. It is a multicultural encounter mixed with modern elements, new music compositions and instruments. It has entered a new form of experimentation without necessarily deconstructing the aesthetic essence of the 2000 year old art of India. Beyond superficial exotism, she tries to transmit the essence, technique and aesthetics of Bharatanatyam, and thus, contribute and enliven the dance scene.

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PROGRAMME

Sari-Dance
Choreography by Radha Anjali. Composition by Thomas Nawratil Opening item, influenced by a feature of Kathakali Dance where the main character appears behind a curtain.

4 Adavu
Choreography by Radha Anjali. Composition by Thomas Nawratil A pleased look on Adavu, the basic dance units of Bharatanatyam, executed in three speeds, on the pattern of a five star.

Ashtaraga Tillana
Dance choreography by Adyar K. Lakshman. Re-composition by Thomas Nawratil

Mallari
Dance choreography by Adyar K. Lakshman. Re-composition by Thomas Nawratil

Furuikeya
Haiku, Japanese Poem Choreography by Radha Anjali. Composition by Thomas Nawratil
Old pond, frog jumps in, water sounds. The 17 syllables of the Haiku are interacting with 5, 7 and 17 beats of the composition. The nature around the pond, the flowers, the waves in the water, the chaos caused by the jump and the entire feelings of this special imagination are expressed in the dance.

Ashtapadi
Improvisation on Abhinaya based on the Ashtapadi No.8. Sa Virahatavadina of Jayadeva«s Gitagovinda.

Tillana Mohana
Traditional item. Main composition by Madurai N. Krishnan. Dance choreography by Adyar K. Lakshman. Re-composition by Thomas Nawratil

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DANCERS

Radha Anjali (Dr. Angela-Petra Saber Zaimian)
Born in Vienna. She obtained her dance education from the famous Indian dancer Kama Dev in Vienna, followed by Guru Adyar K. Lakshman and Smt. Kalanidhi Narayanan in Chennai, India.In 1983 she gave her debut in Madras/Chennai at the Mylapore Fine Arts Auditorium. She was the dancing partner of Kama Dev in his Kama Dev Indian Dance Company and also made many successful solo performances in Austria and abroad. In 1988-89 she received a Grant by the Indian Council for Cultural Relations for advanced studies in Bharatanatyam and in 2003/2004 she studied Kuchipudi with Raja and Radha Reddy in New Delhi. Since 1994 she studied Seraikella Chhau from Pradeep Kar Memorial Trust. In 1995, she was invited to perform at the Music Academy in Chennai for the International Dance Alliance Festival. In 1996 she danced in New Delhi at the India International Centre for the Indo-Austrian Festival. She established the Natya Mandir - Association to Promote Classical Indian Dance, introduced the classical Indian dance in Austria. Radha Anjali teaches Bharatanatyam at the University of Vienna and in her school Natya Mandir. She was a recipient of ICCR«S distinguished Visitors Programme 2000. Radha Anjali has written a doctorate thesis in philosophy about the classical Indian Dance as a religious and philosophic phenomenon.

Asmita Banerjee
Born in Kolkata (India), residence in Vienna since 1976. Several study visits to Shantiniketan, West Bengal for the training of classical Manipuri dance (with Jatindra Singh). Since 1996 training in classical South Indian dance Bharatanatyam with Radha Anjali in Vienna. Since 1998 member of the Natya Mandir Dance Company. Several study visits to Chennai. Participation at workshops with Adyar K. Lakshman, Kalanidhi Narayanan, Ujwal Bhole. 2002 Arangetram in Vienna, Interkulttheater. 2002 India tour with Radha Anjali and Natya Mandir Dance Company. Choreografic work: Mudra 2004 (The Next Step), Laya Gati 2004 (Comin & Goin), Megh 2005 (Comin & Goin). Since 1998 performances in Austria, Hungary, Slovenia, Cech Republic, Italy, Germany, South Korea, India.

Rani Candratara (Regina-Liane Leibetseder-Lšw)
Born in Vienna. She was first drawn to Indian culture at the age of twelve and has felt inspired by it ever since. In 1986 she started her studies of classical Indian dance with Radha Anjali at the sports and dance facilities of the Vienna University. Since then, the qualified dance therapist and IT specialist has devoted much of her time to Bharatanatyam while continuing her dance studies in Vienna and Chennai with some of the great teachers such as Kama Dev, Kalanidhi Narayanan and Adyar K. Laksham. In 1992 she gave her Arangetram. In the following years she has performed both as a solo dancer and as a member of the Natya Mandir Dance Company.

Parvati (Barbara Mayer)
Born in Vienna. Qualified nursery school teacher and educator at a home for school children in the afternoon. Seminars and workshops in music- and dance therapy. Studies of remedial education at the university of Vienna. Since 1998 studies of Bharatanatyam, instructions in India, Chennai at the Bharata Choodamani with Guru Adyar K. Lakshman and Sri K. Rama Rao. Several workshops in Vienna, amongst others with Kalanidhi Narayanan. Arangetram in November 2005.

Srinidhi (Dr. Eva Schober)
Born in Wolfsberg, Austria. Graphic designer and art historian in Vienna. Studied Graphic Design at the University of Applied Arts, Vienna and History of Art and Egyptology at the University Vienna. Is now working at the Academy of Fine Arts, Vienna. 1966-1977 ballet school in Klagenfurt/Austria; courses at the University Sports Institute Vienna (Jazz Dance, Modern Dance, Tap Dance, Karate). Studied Bharatanatyam with Radha Anjali since 1985 (1998 Arangetram); workshops with A.K. Lakshman, R. Rao, Smt. Kalanidhi Narayanan, Malavika Klein, Dominique Delorme, Francis Barboza, Ujwal Bhole; several stays in India.

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MUSICIANS

Thomas Nawratil
Born in Vienna. Studied Vibraphone and Marimba with Woody Schabata (F. Schubert Conservatory) and classical Indian Tabla since 1981 with Jatinder Thakur. Workshops with Pandit Anindo Chatterjee, Pandit Swapan Chaudhuri and recently Pandit Suresh Talwalkar. Multi-instrumentalist concentrating on tuned percussion instruments like Balafon, Mbira (thumb piano from Zimbabwe) and Tabla Tarang, and general ethnic percussion like Darbouka, Djembe, Duff, Riq, Dhol, Dholak, Khamak. Extended works on compositions from classical to jazz style for theatres and dance. Performances all over Europe, India and Japan.

Georg Graf
Born in Austria, studied flute in music school since childhood, later began to play other wind-instruments like saxophones, clarinets, trumpet. Studies in the Vienna-Jazz-Conservatory and travels to different countries enriched the musical education. He is working in Vienna as a theatre-musician, playing in different music-projects, working as studio-musician and teacher. Since 2000 member of the Natya Mandir Music Ensemble. Performances all over Europe, India and Russia.

Adyar K. Gopinath
Born in India, started learning the mridangam at the age of four and showed excellent sense of rhythm. His elder brother Adyar K. Lakshman trained him in the art of playing Mridangam for Bharatanatyam, the Indian classical dance. Later he underwent an advanced study under the Mridangam Maestro Umayalpuram Sivaraman and attained proficiency in the art. He had accompanied number of Dancers and Musicians in India and abroad. He had worked under Smt. Rukmini Devi at the world famous Kalakshetra for 10 years and mastered the art of accompaniying for Dance and Dancedramas. He had accompanied dancers like Alarmelvalli, Malavika Sarukai, Dhananjayans, Yamini Krishnamurthy, Smt Kamala. He is still continuing with Smt. Chitra Viesweswaran for her Dance Productions and performances. He has widely travelled with many dance groups in U.S.A, Europe Australia, Russia and Middle East to take part in the leading Music and Dance festivals. He along with Dr. L. Subramaniam toured all over the world featuring in the Important festivals. He accompanied Dr. L.Subramaniam not only in his Carnatic solo concerts but also in the Fusion, Jazz, and Orchestral Productions. K.Gopinath is a regular member of the fusion group in the Lakshminarayana Global Music Festival conducted by Dr.L.Subramaniam. He has been awarded KALAIMAMANI by the Tamil Nandu State Government for the year 2005.

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CREDITS

webdesign & programming: Rani Candratara
photos: Asmita Banerjee, Srinidhi, Georg Graf, Thomas Nawratil, Rani Candratara, Wolfgang Stadler