Pritam’s Captivating Performance

Pritam is a gifted artist, his body aligned and intertwined to celebrate dance in its finest nuances. Clad in a flowing purple saree cleverly styled to complement his lean frame, he opened the performance with the varnam Mohalahiri in Todi raga, composed by Tanjavur Sivanandam. Under the expert guidance of guru Rama Vaidyanathan, Pritam's choreography embodied grace and vigour.

The jatis, choreographed by the veteran dancer, the late Yamini Krishnamurthy, stood out with their resplendent aesthetics, angashudhi, and satvikatvam. The first half of the varnam was a captivating display of abhinaya and intricate jatis, culminating in a charanam swaram that featured a fluid bramari, drawing the audience into a state of rasa anubhooti. Pritam skillfully executed complex arudhis, imbuing each movement with mathematical precision. The lines Kaaman Kanaya was portrayed well, although the heavy feminine postures could have been avoided. Footwork, synchronised seamlessly with Hemanth’s nattuvangam, added vibrancy to the performance. Pritam seemed like Ardhanareeswarar, complementing both his ability to balance expressions with dynamic adavus and his stage coverage, sustaining the audience’s attention for over an hour."

The second item, a select verse from Kamba Ramayana, depicted Raavana’s inner turmoil and ego. Choreographed by Rama Vaidyanathan with music by Sudha Raghuraman, the piece commenced with Indru Poi Nalai Vaa. The usuage of Roopaka was exemplary for the verse Vanjane enaku naane. A more defined closing posture could have elevated the piece instead of exiting the stage as Ravana. 

The best dance music is one that the audience absorbs into movement. Pritam had a vocalist, Bijesh Krishna, and other accompanists who enhanced the recital, making it seamless with the craft.

The final performance, Tribhangi, featured a Bengali composition by Ram Prasad Sen with music by Vasudev and rhythmic patterns set by Ramamurthy Sri Ganesh. The tillana's intricate tala patterns were flawlessly carried out by Pritam. The completion with a Desh raga was suitable, with the words Maa Kaali merging the voice of vocalist and nattuvanar in harmony marking a scintillating rendition.