Bharatanatyam dancer Vidhya Subramanian uses Varnam as a medium to explore dualities
The choreographies explore various dualities like the synergy between the earth and the sky, the tangible and the intangible, young and old, among others, all conveyed through Varnams — a traditional Bharatanatyam format that often explores elaborate storylines. 'Traditionally, in Varnams there is an obvious duality between the nayika and the other, with the nayika yearning for union with the universe or energy (often personified as a deity),' Vidhya says, adding how these traditional confines have allowed her to shift the pillars, reimagine the structure, and create meaningful interpretations within the classical framework.
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