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'DEIVIKA NATYA MANI'
Smt. Usha Narayan
Usha Narayan, a highly acclaimed senior Bharatanatyam performer/guru
and an originator of a classical dance form "Sringa Nrityam", is presently the choreographer for Dehee Performing
Arts California. Usha Narayan has been taught by the legendary gurus of Bharatanatyam and has assimilated
the art of Bharatanatyam in her very being.
Usha
Narayan dedicated last 35 years of her active performing life to the revival of ancient classical danceform "Arayar Sevai"
as "Sringa Nrityam" besides teaching & performing Bharatanatyam as an A top grade performer.
'Sringa Nrityam'& 'Bharatanatyam' were earlier
respectively known as, Arayar Sevai & Sadirattam in the temples. Their adaptation from their temple ritual forms to classical
dance form status, has also respectively taken around 35 and 350 years.
As the founder of Sri Nrittya Kala Samskritam dance
institute 1980 at New Delhi (under Government funding), she imparted imaculate Bharatanatyam to her students there and proudly
presented their Arangetrams. Her daughter Mohana Narayan is one of her leading desciples known for her chaste traditional
performance of the Pandanallur style of Bharata natyam.
Now in California, as a senior artist
from India, Usha trains students for Arangetram, she offers workshops, classes, lecdems, presentation of productions, performances
by students, besides organizing seminars for cultural exchange.
Usha also encourages performing
groups of all styles from the Bay area to perform by offering a free platform under Dehee, for local artists. This platform
is extended for visiting artists to the US from different countries.Usha as the earlier founder Director of "Sri Nrittya
Kala Samskritam" at New Delhi, also offers for local artists from California, an opportunity to perform at her Dance
institute in India when they visit India.
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Click here to view this file
Rave Reviews:
Expressive Abhinaya in Temple Dance Saragrahi, The Indian Express
"Usha
displayed her mettle as a brilliant dancer with mastery over the medium. It was her expressive abhinaya that succeeded in
bringing out the wholly devotional aspect of Arrayar Sevai. She had cleverly interwoven the Nritta, nrittya, nattya, angika,
vachika, aaharya and satvika abhinaya aspects of Bharata Natyam into…"
Departure from Beaten Track
The Times of India
"Usha's
tremendous loyalty to tradition with her creative impulse for innovations lifts her dance from the level of gymnastics to
that of a sublime spiritual experience. Another major item of the evening was her rendering of the varnam...finishing the
footwork precisely with elegant gestures and postures blended well to make the exposition a thrilling affair"
Discovery of Dance Form
By Subbudu, Statesman
"It goes to the credit of Usha Narayan, a research scholar working on a grant from the Sangeet Natak Academy has
adapted the Arrayar Sevai, an hitherto unknown form of dance confined to the sanctum sanctorum to context of a larger stage...If
the Manipuri style with its ritualistic overtones can be stage worthy, so can the Arrayar Sevai sustain itself with some changes
…"
Visualization of Thought through Dance
Hindustan Times
"… While
Padma Subramaniam's evening was devoted to visualizing Sankaracharya's thought through dance Usha Narayan’s presentation
focused on Ramanuja Chariar. She managed to convey some of the great tidal waves of love and bhakti…"
Accolades:
1980 - Research Fellowship, Sangeet Natak Academy, Govt. of India
1985 - KALA RANJANI AWARD- a title 'DEIVIKA NATYA MANI', Chennai/India
A-Top Grade Artist.Prasar Bharati Doordharshan (National TV) Govt. of India
1991 - Recognition in Indian 'Limca Book of Records'
2000 - Senior Research Fellowship, Govt. of India, Department
of Culture
2005 - LIFE TIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD, SFO California; Youth Utsav Fest. Judges Award
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