Adelaide Fringe 2020 – Bharata Natyam & Beethoven – 5K

by Riccardo Barone

“East is east and west is west and never the twain shall meet,
Till earth and sky stand presently at God’s great judgement seat.” (R. Kipling).
In their show Shakti and VasantaMala demonstrated exactly the opposite.
Who ever thought two different traditions/cultures could meet in such a perfect and joyful marriage?
From one side L. van Beethoven and his Fifth Symphony, colossus and symbol of the European tradition. From the other side a Bharatanatyam piece, from the Classical Indian Dance.
The glory of this show consists not just in choreographing and dancing the entire Symphony of the German Composer but establishing a deep bond between two different traditions through music and dance. Music, the universal language that does not accept barriers of any kind.
The choreography is proud, powerful in its movements; on the dancer’s feet were attached some chimes, and they perfectly married the symphony’s rhythm.
Each movement has been associated to different stage of life: Karma, Samsara, Lila and Shakti.
L. van Beethoven was already in touch with the Indian culture. The proof is in his notebooks, where he wrote a Brahmani poem supposed to be put in music later on.
With her show Shakti closes the mystical Indian circle around the German Composer.

Kryztoff rating: 5k

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