Abstract: In this lecture-demonstration, Sri Renjith Choorakkad and Sarah Sangeetha will show the manyfold characters of powerful Hindu female goddesses, including their warrior-battling, ascetic-salvific, and motherly-cosmic aspects among others. Drawing on excerpts from the repertoire of Bharatantyam dance and karaṇas, the artists will explore mythological and iconographical aspects in the narratives of goddesses, including their underlying philosophical meanings. Renjith and Sarah will moreover give voice, through the joint vocabulary of embodied dance expressivity, poetry, and music, to the special relationship between human and divine.
Renjith Babu is a highly accomplished Bharatanatyam dancer, teacher and choreographer, who integrates dance with yoga and martial arts, combining artistic excellence with a deep understanding of body movement. Trained under renowned gurus like Prof. CV Chandrasekhar and at Kalakshetra, he has performed as a main dancer in major productions and collaborated widely with leading artists.
Sarah Sangeetha is a professional Bharatanatyam and Karana artiste and teacher from Zurich. She holds an MA in Bharatanatyam from KSGH Music and Performing Arts University in Mysore, and was trained in Natyashastra at Nrithyodaya, Chennai, under Dr. Padma Subrahmanyam. Sarah has been performing and teaching across Europe and India.