Indulge in dance, poetry and music at this one-of-a-kind event in South Mumbai

Prachi Wagh

For kathak exponent Seema Mehta, the idea of the human condition is defined by the constant struggle between the internal and external worlds. "I think the internal world is more complex and deeper, while the external world is more expressive," she remarks. This idea will find interpretation as she joins fellow danseuse Prachi Wagh and singer Nishanth Venkatesh for the performance Antaran Taran Tu this weekend.

The title of the performance comes from an element of Dhrupad gayaki. "It is part of the Nom tom alap," explains Venkatesh. "Born of the rudra veena, the alap is a meditative exploration of the divinity within and outside of your own self," the singer says. This spirituality is a key part of the form of Dhrupad. "It is serious spiritual music and often entails emotions. The performance seeks to unite this spirituality with the external form of expressions."

(From left) Sangeet Mishra, Mehta, Wagh, Nishanth Venkatesh and Hemant Bhosle rehearse for the performance

The expressions emerge through the kathak pieces to be performed by Mehta and Wagh. "Kathak has storytelling at its base. There is a lot of scope to explore that emotion or meaning to convey through movement. It also has a rich abstract element to convey other meanings, through a rhythmic conversation of the internal and external elements. We have used the language of rhythm, raga and bhava to communicate the different pieces," says Wagh.

What sets the performance apart is the use of Dhrupad to accompany kathak. Not a typical combination in the modern era, says Mehta. "In the past, kathak was performed to Dhrupad dhamar. Over the years, it went from being a folk-based narrative art form for minstrels and bards to entering the proscenium. There, it became part of group choreography. Its original form remains a solo," she adds.

The hour-long performance will see the two dancers perform a duet and solo pieces. "One is a bhava-based performance in the chaiti tradition by Wagh, and I will be premiering a performance piece on the story of Amrapali," Mehta says. The bhava-based performance, titled Bheetar Bahar, will be accompanied by the poetry of Wagh, with music of sarangi (Sangeet Mishra) and tabla (Hemant Bhosle). "The sarangi is a natural choice [for the performances]. It is the instrument that comes closest to evoking the emotional chord of the human voice," says Venkatesh.

Seema Mehta

Wagh describes her recited poetry as "an element to add a layer of context to the experience." Having written poetry, she was inspired to pick up and rebuild works to suit the exposition of the form. The performance will mark the conclusion of Apre Art House's ongoing exhibition, Measuring Life with Coffee Spoons, that began on March 21. "The artworks and their expression were some of the key elements of inspiration for these performance pieces," suggests Mehta. In the end, the trifecta of dance, music and poetry become simply mediums for the artistes. Mehta concludes, "The theme of the entire show is about the dichotomy of the inner world and outer world. Our mediums serve to describe this concept deeper."

ON May 25; 7.30 pm
AT Apre Art House, Sanghvi House, 3rd Pasta Lane, Colaba.
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ENTRY Rs 750