a million
SITA-s - Critics Speak / Responses
a Neo Bharatam
presentation
Women in Ramayana get a new voice
- S. Senthalir, The Hindu, Puducherry, January 02, 2018
Ms. Ratnam as Ahalya, who was created by Brahma as an experiment in
perfection in the epic Ramayana, begins the show. Through contemporary
dance, she depicts how Ahalya’s body grieves and throbs imprisoned in a
stone from the curse of her husband. From the lifeless stone, Ms.
Ratnam's Ahalya, changes to the contours of the new womanhood - no
longer silent, she finds her voice and questions the injustice forced
upon her.
In the performance, Ahalya calls out to all women to rise and join the
chorus of Ramayana’s sisters - Sita, Kaikeyi, Mantra and Urmila - and
every imprisoned woman through time, collapsing their bodies into the
global women's resistance movement of today, women who are speaking out
and demanding to be heard.
http://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/puducherry/women-in-ramayana-get-a-new-voice/article22353802.ece
Dance for a cause
Rashmi vasudeva, Deccan Herald, Apr 23, 2017
http://www.deccanherald.com/content/607687/dance-cause.html
Curating art and fashion
- Deccan Chronicle, July 13, 2015
When Tarun Dressed Sita
- Chandni U, The New Indian Express, July 11, 2015
Presenting fashion through art, Anita wore the clothes designed by Tarun Tahiliani at her performance.
Reviving Tradition of Dhotis and Drapes
- Naveena Vijayan, The New Indian Express, July 11, 2015
Where Dance Meets Fashion (Preview)
- Naveena Vijayan, The New Indian Express, July 9, 2015
(on A Million Sitas performance at Collage Store, Greams Road)
Aesthetic narrations
- Nita Vidyarthi, The Hindu, 18 Jun 2015
Tales of two wmen
- New Straits Times, April 28, 2015
Seamless dance-theatre
- The Statesman, April 11, 2015
The thought-provoking exploration of relationships with Sita seamlessly
encompassed dance-theatre, mime, storytelling, conversation and movement
and emerged as an exceptional study of mythology’s most misunderstood
protagonist. As the story unfolded, the audience was awestuck by the
visual character of the ambivalence between dramaturgy and theatre.
Beautiful movements
- Sharmila Basu Thakur, The Telegraph, April 4, 2015
Against the simple but significant stage set, Anita kept on changing
from one character to the other with an intelligent use of props and
costume.
http://www.telegraphindia.com/1150404/jsp/opinion/story_12472.jsp#.VR-SnY6df89
Sita's sojourn in Malaysia (Preview)
- Naveena Vijayani, The New Indian Express, March 28, 2015
http://www.newindianexpress.com/cities/chennai/Sitas-Sojourn-in-Malaysia/2015/03/28/article2733651.ece
More power to you
- Abhiraj Ganguli, The Statesman, Kolkatta, March 21, 2015
Drawing from oral traditions of women, A MILLION SITAs brilliantly
rendered King Janak's daughter as the central link between four other
women - Mandodari, Ahalya, Manthara and Surpanakha. The lighting,
minimalist use of props and stage design was in perfect coherence with
the tone and tenor of the work. As the sole actor on stage throughout,
Ratnam was the undisputed standout performance of the PRATIBIMBH
festival. Infusing mime, conversation, storytelling and movements from
her self styled combination of contemporary dance and Bharatanatyam
christened NEO BHARATAM, Anita Ratnam stole the show. Where A
MILLION SITAs proved to be a rousing success was in the way it put forth
a radically alternate view of events, far removed from the master
narrative of the RAMAYANA.
http://www.thestatesman.com/news/supplements/more-power-to-you/53513.html
In a series of profoundly beautiful dance scenes, allowing the
characters to shine in a new light, Anita dismantles the centuries-old
patriarchal cast that has grown up around the Ramayana story, showing us
the women in the story as they may originally have lived—and revealing
the shining hero and Goddess Sita in her myriad forms of "a million
Sitas.
Read the review at http://voices-and-visions.com/2013/02/27/a-million-sitas/
- Sharon St Joan, an American writer, February 27, 2013
The
highlight (of A MILLION SITAs) was Surpanakha, because this segment
showcased how movement could be used figuratively in choreography. Armed
with only dance movements and minimal facial expressions, Anita was
able to capture the essence of Surpanakha's character without having to
incorporate sanchari-s.This contemporary approach to characterization
was refreshing.
- Kiran Rajagopalan, Sruti magazine, March 2011
Anita's
art captures the many avatars of Sita
- Sharada
Ramanathan, DC Correspondent, February 5, 2011
There have
been a million depictions of Ramayana's Sita over decades of Indian performance
even as most of them have conformed to the traditional texts of Valmiki
and Kamban. But this one was unique. Anita Ratnam's "A million SITA-S"
in the evocative ambience of Amethyst spoke to the multiple dimensions
of Sita, creating a profound connect between Sita the protagonist and Anita,
her contemporary manifestation
Read
the review
When Sita
truly arrived
- Shankaran
Malini, Express News Service, February 2, 2011
At times we
get so used to things, be it mundane assumptions or mythological tales,
that when we get a fresh perspective on them, we are left wondering in
awe. In other words, it gives us a different approach to the truth by applying
lateral thinking. 'A Million Sita-s' by Anita Ratnam, in Neo Bharatam style
was one such eye-opener.
Read
the review
Anita Ratnam
performed in the city as a part of the Airtel Bengaluru Habba on Tuesday
and the venue at Malleswaram saw more people turn out than expected.While
the performance was projected onto a screen outside the venue,surprisingly
enough the crowd stayed on and watched the whole performance.Anita Ratnams
Sitaayana was an experience worth experiencing indeed and most people left
the event quite artistically satiated.
- Times of
India, Bangalore, January 27, 2011
From Sita's
perspective
There is always
considerable anticipation from a multi-layered production as this one and
on the subject, 'Million Sitas' delivered. Not surprising when one sees
a convergence of so many thoughts.
The Fan dance,
the tranquillity of the Zen garden and the lovely water filled vases were
some fascinating bits of artistry that Anita drew from her association
with the Far East and nimbly transplanted them into the fabric of the production.
Contrasting
body language as in the deliberate over the top sketch of Manthara or in
Sabari's single minded regard for Rama, Anita pooled her skills in parody
and mime.
- Vidya Saranyan,
The Hindu, Arts - Dance, Jan 6, 2011
http://www.thehindu.com/arts/dance/article1038495.ece
Aesthetic
Delight
Anita in and
as- a million Sitas, a thematic Dance and concept based performace was
very creative. Anita brought out the most outstanding female Charecters
like Ahalya, Manthara, Soorpanakha and Sita in her performance today. The
idea is such a innovative thought. The Costume, Stage, Lights and Sound
all well balenced. idea of Musicians directly facing the audience was such
a welcoming idea.The songs like Seetmamma Mayamma in Vasantha and Janaki
Ramana all added more taste to the production.The stage was well done and
good vocal support by Lakshmi and Subhiksha Rangarajan, Violin by Viji
Krishnan and Priya Murli added strength to the concept. The hall was full
with and rasikas enjoying the cool evening.
- Kausalya
Srinivasan, www.kartikfinearts.com,
Dec 2010
Sita:
a soul who binds the world together
- Ipsitaa
Panigrahi, Dec 23, 2010, The Asian Age
http://www.asianage.com/dance/sita-soul-who-binds-world-together-838
Re-visiting
Sita
Harini Sriram,
Economic Times Madras Plus – Friday December 17, 2010
Anita
Ratnam celebrates the Ramayana's progressive women in her latest production
- Aishhwariya
Subramanian, Expressbuzz, Dec 2010
The
unseen story of Sita
- Deccan Chronicle
- dc-epaper.com, Dec 2010
Review of Anita Ratnam's performance at Pluralism and Performance : The
Many Voices in Ramayana for Adishakti's Ramayana Festival.
A Modern Presentation of Ramayana - Dance in three parts and comments By Anita Ratnam
- Vasanthi Sankaranarayanan, March 30, 2009
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