Special Interview with Anita Shanmuganathan
Dr.
Anita Shanmuganathan, Bharatnatyam dancer, choreographer, and teacher
from Chennai, India, came to UH Manoa campus the week of September 27,
2010. On Tuesday of that week, she gave a bharatnatyam lecture
and demonstration entitled "Nayika Bhavana: an Aesthetic Expression of
Love," which CSAS was proud to present. On Friday, October 1st,
Dr. Shanmuganathan gave a master class in bharatnatyam in the Dance
Building Studio. This even was co-sponsored by the University of
Hawai'i at Manoa Department of Theater and Dance and CSAS. We had
a chance to meet up with Dr. Shanmuganathan during her stay here and
ask her a few questions about her background, her interests in dance
and the arts, as well as the work she does in other parts of the world,
including South East Asia.
CSAS: You began training in dance at the age of 4. How has your dancing evolved since then?
Dr. Shanmuganathan:
It has developed quite a bit since then. My first twenty years or
so of training was very techinical and in the classroom. It was
not until I went to Bangkok that this orientation changed. My
training was technical but not very practical. Once I got to
Bangkok I changed the way I looked at dance. I had to translate
bharatnatyam into Thai traditional dancing, without losing the essence
of the former. But it immediately struck me that there were many
similarities and differences between the two. In Bangkok and
Myanmar I learned to blend traiditonal dancing with different
approaches. So my dancing has evolved into a softer, less
technical orientation. Now it is more fluid and interactive.
CSAS: You also choreography your own performances. What do you try to highlight or emphasize in your choreography?
Dr. Shanmuganathan:
When I decide on a piece, a lot of the choreography depends on how
strong the characters are emotively. I try to express these characters
and their emotions in the choreography. I am constantly looking
for new challenges in my choreography, and explore contemporary dance
and theater in Chennai. One interest of mine is to blend folk and
classical forms of dance. Over the years I have taken a lot from
folk traditions and have learned a lot from folk artists.
CSAS: I understand you have opened up an arts academy. Can you tell us a little about it? What is its central philosophy?
Dr. Shanmuganathan: The
academy began with the belief that all the arts can be experienced
together, as one. This is why the academy is called Aeka,
or one. We work with students from 2.5 to 5 years old, and teach
them clay, drawing, swimming, and more. We have sixty students at
present and the philosophy of the academy is to just do art, without
having to understand it in an abstract or theoretical way.
CSAS: How do you use dance to work with autistic children?
Dr.
Shanmuganathan: In Bangkok, I spent one year working with autistic
children in a project. Through movement, I felt we could help
improve the motor skills of these children. The dance
choreography and sequences helped children with autism to learn social
behavior and to take their emotions and express them through art.
The program was a tremendous success and helped me understand
that dance has an important role to play in society, in contrast to its
otherwise individualistic pursuit.
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