Bhumika
Harishankar was commissioned by LA based contemporary dance choreographer, Donna Sternberg to create a piece online for her production ‘Awe & Wonder’ in early 2021. It featured 4 different dance companies in collaboration with scientists, ADC’s being Christine O’ Connell, Macalester College, Minn.
Jeff Slayton (LA Dance Chronicle) May 2021
“Every actor should study this performance by Ramya Harishankar”
Ramaa Bharadwaj
“Ahhhhh! Really beautiful Ramya - the way you have created with the right balance of facts and art. Your final solo was really like Mother Earth ‘s personified presence. So dignified and evocative. Couldn’t take my eyes off you. Aashray’s music is superb. What a treasure you have in the family! The editing was gripping. May I share it on my page with a note? Thanks so much for sending it to me!”
The films under 'Hot theme for a warm climate' were most thought provoking, underlining the fact that dance and arts cannot function in a cocoon, shutting out what is happening to a world with climate change, thanks to an ecology destroyed by man's insensitivity. I was floored by Ramya Harishankar's Bhumika by Arpana Dance Company. Stationed in California, this dancer referred to the long gestation period, before creating a commissioned work like this, in the dance form she specializes in, viz Bharatanatyam. Expressing that 'Bhumi who is life within and without', mention is made of 'balance' which has deteriorated to 'imbalance', with the impending result that 'humanity will crash' unless it becomes alive to what is happening. Turned out in white sarees with black borders draped 'kacha' fashion, five dancers in the impeccably synchronized slow movements (a combination of Yoga and Bharatanatyam) start with hands stretched forwards to meet in a homage, body stretched on the floor with one leg folded inwards and the other stretched backwards, the slow movements done to the drone of the tanpura, evoking a quality of silence, which speaks. Has greed stamped out compassion? Instead of nurturing Earth our lifeline, has man raised himself to a false pedestal, from where the voice of warning goes unheard? Our Earth Mother with polluted air suffers, unable to breathe, her surface parched with burning leaves. Climate change has to be reversed by man.
With mridangam rhythm, flashes of 'tattumettu', quick snatches of 'taka takita, khandam combination, changing group formations with ever so deliberate and majestic hand stretches, accompanied by the background voice in English…. Earth's lament comes in a quick cameo in solo, comprising transiting expressions of highly communicative abhinaya presented by Ramya herself in the seated position, her mobile face accompanied by exquisitely mood provoking music played on the veena. With score contributed by Aashray Harishankar, Ramya has produced a unique creation - and from one who has been trained in the traditional 'margam' format, this is a special achievement. The visualization and choreography are such that the presentation lends itself to being prolonged or abridged as needed. Leela Venkataraman (Narthaki) April 2022