logo
Vaibhav Arekar and the ever-expanding frontiers of his dance

Vaibhav Arekar and the ever-expanding frontiers of his dance

The Hindu29-04-2025

In the Varkari worship tradition of Maharashtra, it is customary to open with a description or varnan of Vittala's form. In his solo production titled 'Nama Mhane', Vaibhav Arekar adheres to this convention by commencing with an alarippu, the opening piece in the Bharatanatyam margam, the subtext of which is layered by an abhang 'Sundar te dhyaan'. The Mumbai-based dancer-choreographer recently presented this at Anubhuti Dance Festival in Chennai, organised and curated by dancer Divya Nayar.
Known for creating art that is thoughtful and deep, Vaibhav draws inspiration from various sources — Van Gogh and his paintings, contemporary dance legends such as Martha Graham and Pina Bausch, Bharatanayam stalwarts C.V. Chandrasekhar and the Dhananjayans. As a performer and choreographer, he takes on a variety of themes, and one defining characteristic of his work is getting into the mind of the character he portrays. Whether it is 'Venugaan', which explores Krishna's struggles with life's dilemmas, or 'Shrimant Yogi' that details Chhatrapati Shivaji's conquests and coronation, Vaibhav lights up the stage with his imagination and creativity. It often liberates the art form from its own constraints, leading to unexpected and beautiful discoveries.
Vaibhav confesses he never chose Bharatanatyam. 'The art form chose me. I do not come from an artistic background, but I always wanted to dance.' After obtaining his Master's from Nalanda Nrithya Kala Mahavidyalaya established by his mentor Kanak Rele, Vaibhav worked as a faculty there for close to a decade before turning a full-time performer. 'Active teaching takes away energy from performance. I wished to explore the possibility of making performances and riyaaz a major part of my living.' This was when he decided to take up mentoring. 'Dancers who have graduated from institutions with a degree in Bharatanatyam needed internships to plug the gap between theory and practical application and my dance company Sankhya offered that space. I mentor around 15 full-time dancers and we explore movement, experiences and new ways of looking at the world.'
When it comes to thought process, Vaibhav says Malavika Sarukkai's thematic work was a major influence. He also looks up to Leela Samson's Spanda for group work. 'By selecting full-time dancers for Sankhya, I focussed on choreography. These dancers are constantly practicing, and can immediately transfer an idea onto the body.'
He also points out that financial sustenance is hard for dance companies as no grants and monetary support are available. 'This is why internship works — the dancers can leave and find jobs outside the company when they wish to.'
Vaibhav's approach to dance was shaped by his training and collaboration with Marathi playwright Chetan Datar. Theatrical elements are interwoven into his productions. Sometimes, he seems to delve into the traditional relationship among dance, theatre and music as described in the Natyashastra, and, at other times, like modern dancers, allows the audience to interpret the connection. For instance, in 'Nama Mhane', he goes into textual nuances to portray how saint Namdev humanises Vittala, getting exasperated when he does not consume the naivedya offered. Vaibhav's performance seemed to demystify spirituality, making it a more personal expression. In the piece on Chokhamela, the saint who faced humiliation because of his caste, Vaibhav showed the inclusive philosophy of Namdev, who complains to Vittala and buries Chokhamela (who dies when the wall he was constructing collapses) outside the Vittala temple at Pandharpur where he was not allowed entry. Vaibhav depicted such poignant moments with rare sensitivity. Despite the theatricality, the raw emotion was palpable.
Music not just plays an important role in Vaibhav's presentations, it shows what a fierce collaborator he is. In 'Nama Mhane', singer Sudha Raghuraman and musicians Satish Krishnamurthy and Kailshwaran K are a part of the visual and emotional landscape of the production. Vaibhav understands storytelling cannot be impactful without creating a suitable atmosphere. This is where Sushant Jadhav steps in — his contribution in terms of artistic direction and lighting lends a distinct touch to many of Vaibhav's works.
'I realised in theatre every new play has a new structure, a new way of execution. I was used to repetition in Bharatanatyam, and wondered how to change this,' says Vaibhav. Although he finds much relevance in the structure of a margam, his choreographic works are structured based on what the themes demand. 'Incorporating an alarippu and thillana in 'Nama Mhane' was important. But it doesn't happen all the time. I allow my works to take their own natural course. Since we are dealing with an art form that is constantly evolving, there are no pressures to set boundaries.'
As a soloist, Vaibhav comes across as a thinking artiste. But what does it take to make an ensemble fall in line with his thought process and technique? 'Every member is part of the creative process from start to the stage. I tell them to not look at me but to look beyond the narrative and emotion to discover themselves,' says Vaibhav.

Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

‘Goodbye…': British passenger's Instagram post before boarding Air India flight in Ahmedabad goes viral
‘Goodbye…': British passenger's Instagram post before boarding Air India flight in Ahmedabad goes viral

Mint

time6 hours ago

  • Mint

‘Goodbye…': British passenger's Instagram post before boarding Air India flight in Ahmedabad goes viral

London-based yoga enthusiast Jamie Meek had just wrapped up a memorable trip to Gujarat with his partner, Fiongal Greenlaw-Meek, when the couple shared a series of Instagram stories capturing their final night in India. In a post shared late Wednesday night, Jamie reminisced about their 'mind-blowing' experiences, calling their time in India a 'magical experience' as he reflected on their journey. 'It's our last night in India,' he wrote, tagging their stay at The House of MG, a heritage hotel in Ahmedabad. 'This hotel,' he captioned a glimpse of the property. Jamie, who is also the director of The Wellness Foundry, a London-based centre for tarot and spiritual wellness, said spending their last night at the hotel and enjoying a traditional Gujarati thali was 'a perfect way to round up the trip'. 'There's been too much... It would be so nice to remember this and share it with everybody because we really have been on quite a journey,' he said in one of the stories. 'We've just had the most delicious thali food. It was a perfect way to round up the trip. So yeah, excited to share it all with you actually.' In another video, Fiongal added: 'So it's our last night in India. Uh and we've had a magical experience really. It's been, yeah, there's been some quiet mind blowing... mind blowing things have happened... we are going to put this all together and create a vlog. I think it's my first ever vlog... we're going to make a vlog about the whole trip. Yeah and share it.' On Thursday morning, just before boarding Air India flight AI171 from Ahmedabad to London Gatwick, Jamie posted a final story: 'Goodbye India...' In a video recorded at the airport, the couple joked about their journey: Fiongal said, 'We are at the airport, just boarding. Goodbye India.' Jamie replied, 'Goodbye. It's a 10-hour flight back to England.' Fiongal then asked, 'What is your biggest takeaway, Jamie?' Jamie responded, 'I've done this already.' Fiongal insisted, 'On a different thing.' Jamie replied, 'What's my biggest takeaway... I don't know.' Fiongal quipped, 'Yeah, fascinating, great. Thanks for your contribution (laughs). My biggest takeaway is don't lose patience with your partner.' Jamie added, 'You're already starting to. You've already while we're having chai at the airport. You can see you've learnt nothing.' Fiongal concluded with a smile, 'Going back happily, happily, happily calm.'

Fans accuse WWE of confiscating CM Punk-Palestine sign during RAW broadcast
Fans accuse WWE of confiscating CM Punk-Palestine sign during RAW broadcast

Time of India

time8 hours ago

  • Time of India

Fans accuse WWE of confiscating CM Punk-Palestine sign during RAW broadcast

(Image via X/Ringside News) WWE is reportedly facing a massive backlash from fans after an incident during the Monday Night RAW, after the security officials confiscated a CM Punk-Palestine placard sign. This move has sparked massive criticism and instigated debates over censorship and political expression at WWE events. The June 9 edition of WWE RAW saw CM Punk and John Cena in a heated promo battle. During the segment, there was a CM Punk sign with a Palestine flag, but it appears WWE had that sign confiscated. The WWE RAW edition was held at PHX Arena in Phoenix, featuring top-tier talents like Gunther, Jey Uso, Seth Rollins, Becky Lynch, and more. It is to be mentioned that this action was taken into consideration in the wake of the global discourse around Israel and Palestine, which has been doing the rounds for creating rising political tensions. Fans accuse WWE of confiscating placards with CM Punk-Palestine sign during RAW broadcast WWE fans are accusing the Stamford-based promotion after the security officials recently confiscating the placards that bore a CM Punk-Palestine sign during the recent WWE RAW broadcast in Phoenix, USA. This incident has become a talking point across social media, and fans are blaming WWE for confiscating it during the show. A fan took to TikTok and revealed that he took his son to Monday Night Raw this week, and the son was holding a sign featuring his favorite wrestler, CM Punk , alongside a message representing his home country, Palestine. He wrote, 'Took my son to see #WWERaw, and he wanted to bring a sign of his favorite wrestler @CMPunk along with his home country to represent!' During the Punk-Cena segment, the fan pointed out that the placard his son was holding was visible during the broadcast, and the family received messages from viewers who saw it on TV. They also got a glimpse of it displayed on the big screen inside the arena. However, after a camera panned towards John Cena and the sign, security came and took it away. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Τι είναι το ChatGPT για το οποίο μιλάνε όλοι; courses AI Undo undefined Later, the fan said that it was hard for him to explain to his son about the incident. He stated, 'Took my son to see RAW, and he wanted to bring a sign of his favorite wrestler, CM Punk, along with his home country to represent! They took it away.' Also Read : WWE LFG confirms renaming of Troy Yearwood in his maiden Evolve appearance | WWE News - Times of India However, it is not known why WWE would confiscate the young fan's sign simply because he wanted to show support for CM Punk as well as Palestine at the same time. Meanwhile, fans are waiting for the company to address this incident officially and clear out the ongoing matter of discussion related to it.

Belagavi painter gets featured in French book
Belagavi painter gets featured in French book

The Hindu

time9 hours ago

  • The Hindu

Belagavi painter gets featured in French book

A Belagavi-based 60-year-old painter has been featured in 'Regards Croises', a French book by Petra Wauters, about artists of global fame. The recently-published book contains information and paintings of 10 select painters from around the world. It contains a detailed profile of the painter and copies of some of his works. It will soon be published in other languages, said a release. Vikas Patnekar has earned global fame for his paintings of nature, especially water bodies. A student of Kala Maharshi K.B. Kulkarni, Mr. Patnekar began drawing from the age of five. He works using water colours. He won the Los Hombres Más Destacados Del Ano international award in 2019. He has exhibited his creations in the U.S. and European countries, apart from several Asian cities. He has taken up commissioned works by film-maker Richard Attenborough and various U.S. and European banks and other institutions. He trains young artists. He divides his time between Belagavi and Mumbai.

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into the world of global news and events? Download our app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store