Mahishasura Mardini Visits the American Bible Belt!

[Guest guest]

Middleton, Wisconsin, USA (September 16, 2005): It takes the dancers

in "Goddess vs. The Evil" at least 1half hours to put on their

costumes: five-piece outfits made of silk - followed by two large

boxes of jewelry per performer and, finally, layers of elaborate

facial makeup.

 

Still, 90 minutes is nothing when you consider that the classical

Indian ballet movements they perform date back 3,000 years.

 

"This is very authentic," says Kripa Baskaran, who appears

in "Goddess vs. The Evil" Saturday night at the Middleton Performing

Arts Center along with 20 senior dancers from her Madison-based

Natyarpana Dance Company. "This sort of classical ballet today is

even rare in India."

 

Highly detailed in its choreography as well as in its

costumes, "Goddess" brings to life the Indian epic story of the

buffalo-headed demon Mahisha, who gets a wish fulfilled by the

creator of the universe: That no human can destroy him, with the

exception of one woman. But the gods work together to create a

goddess known as Shakthi, or "force." After dramatic onstage fights

and elegant swordplay, Shakthi slays the demon and protects the

universe.

 

"Goddess vs. The Evil," which was performed Friday night in Stevens

Point and will be staged again in Milwaukee on Sunday, features

Pasumarthy Venkateswara Sarma, a master of the classical Kuchipudi

dance form, as the malevolent Mahisha. Sarma, who lives in India,

created the choreography, wrote the lyrics and music and recorded

the CD for this interpretation of the ancient tale, and is

performing it with Indian-American dance troupes in nine U.S. cities.

 

The Wisconsin production blends both Sarma's Kuchipudi style with

the Bharatnatyam classical dance technique taught at Baskaran's

dance school. Both are forceful, graceful and precise forms of

movement, and will be accompanied by a soundtrack with traditional

instruments such as the mridangam and tabla drums and the stringed

veena. Sarma brought the custom costumes with him in a small army of

suitcases; the ornate headpieces in the show had to be hand-carried

from Chicago. Sarma also serves as makeup artist to transform

the "pretty girls in the troupe ... into evil demons," Baskaran said.

 

With its action and vivid colors, "Goddess" holds special appeal for

families with children, she said. Tonight's 80-minute spectacle will

include an oral telling of the story in English to help the audience

follow the plot.

 

"It's a very interesting experience for everyone," Baskaran

said. "Children love the sword fights. It's like 'Power Rangers' for

boys and girls."

 

Baskaran has even offered free transportation from the UW-Madison

campus for students who otherwise couldn't attend the show in

Middleton. "Nothing should be a handicap for them to come to the

play," she said.

 

"People are not often exposed to this sort of thing. The message

that we are trying to convey is: Let there be no evil force around

us in society. I'm using my 20 dancers and this superior artist from

India to convey this message to our international audience in

Wisconsin."

 

If you go

 

What: "Goddess vs. the Evil: The Slaying of Evil Demon Mahisha," a

classical Indian dance presented by Natyarpana Dance Company.

 

When: 6:30 Saturday night.

 

Where: Middleton Performing Arts Center, Middleton High School, 2100

Bristol St.

 

Tickets: $10 in advance, $15 at the door (students $8 in advance,

$10 at the door). Children 6 and under free. Available at Borders

West bookstore, 3750 University Ave.

 

Web site: www.natyarpana.com

 

SOURCE: Wisconsin State Journal. Ancient Art 00:00 am 9/17/05 by

GAYLE WORLAND

URL:

http://www.madison.com/wsj/home/features/index.php?ntid=54394&ntpid=1