Sudarshan Chakravorty's latest production bridges the gap between tradition and modernity

The grand premiere of Rasasutra, choreographer Sudarshan Chakravorty’s latest production, took place at a city auditorium recently in the presence of dignitaries, artistes and corporates from all spheres.

The event started with an opening address by Gouri Basu, director of Eastern Zonal Cultural Centre, emphasising on the point of the changing scenario of acceptance of different forms like folk and contemporary in particular over the years and how difficult it was for the artistes to sustain amidst the militancy of traditional dance practitioners.

The chief guest at the event was the Consul General of Japan Koichi Nakagawa, who also focussed on the relationship of Japan and India and how soft diplomacy through arts play an important role.

The Consul General of France, Didier Talpain, too was present at the do. While talking to the audience, he shared that he used to be an administrative officer of an arts festival, a practising musician and also revealed he had taken dance classes as a child.

Sharing details about the production, Rasasutra: Endless & Eternal, Sudarshan said, “I wanted to seek new dimensions and tweak the tradition to make my own language of contemporary dance vocabulary, which has never been alienated from tradition.

This production was triggered by my utmost desire to bridge the gap of tradition and modernity where the two remain isolated and never meet. I feel the body is both traditional and modern as it remained the same over centuries while modern because it is adaptable to changes with every situation. Human body is an example of coexistence, adaptability, flexibility and harmony. In a world of growing conflict, this production will be a pointer towards acceptance of differences without conflict as dancers sway in the lyrical language of Natyashastra juxtaposing with the vibrant aggression of contemporary dance lexicon.”

The production also attempted to investigate the infinite energy that the body holds. It is an understanding of the core 'rasa' (energy) that is never diminished but is manifested through the kinetics that the body holds as a container.

Making the production more mesmerising, live electronica music by Hybrid Protokol led by Aneesh Basu and Soumajit Ghosh with great captures of images by photographer Rajesh Gupta, costumes by designer Abhishek Dutta and tribal jewellery from a popular jewellery brand were used.

The show also had an awards ceremony in memory of Sudarshan’s parents. Katha revivalist Shamlu Dudeja received the Smt. Bijoya Chakraborty Smriti Purashkar 2022 in Social Entrepreneurship while ace sarod player Pt Tejendra Narayan Majumdar received the Shri Subinoy Chakraborty Smriti Purashkar 2022 in music. The programme also saw a cheque of Rs.10,000 being handed to a club in aid of paediatric cancer patients.

Other guests who were in attendance at the event were Rupa Chakravarti, Sarvajit Chakravarti, Mallika Verma, Alokananda Roy, Ravi Todi, Shaleni S Biswas, Meghdut Roychowdhury, Surojit Kala, Sayan Bhattacharya, Reena Dewan, and others.