‘Teachers need to think beyond dance classrooms,’ says Geeta Chandran

“I am glad I was born when I was born,” says the Delhi-based dancer Geeta Chandran. The import of the statement hits me as we speak of her long career spanning more than five decades (50 years since her arangetram) and several milestones. Geeta speaks of her first teacher Swarna Saraswathi (a cousin of Balasaraswathi) under whose care she came at the age of five. For a dozen years, Geeta trained under her watchful eyes, absorbing every little nuance. Her training began with an understanding of the Thanjavur Quartet (brothers Chinnayya, Ponnayya, Sivanandam and Vadivelu). She then moved on to alarippus, padams, javalis, varnams (‘Mohamaana’ was the first varnam she learnt) and thillanas. Geeta’s guru believed “not in performance, but in process” and that is how her journey began with assimilation, absorption and understanding.

Swarna Saraswathi was a fabulous singer, and Geeta understood that dance and music were truly the two sides of the same coin, and one could dance better only with a thorough knowledge of music — she would go on to learn music for 25-odd years, under various gurus. The tutelage was thus based on music and Swarna sang in class even as she taught dance.

A certain reverence spills through Geeta’s voice as she speaks about Swarna, all she prepared her for, and her fortune of being able to be among her last batches of students.

Geeta’s arangetram took place when she was 12 years old.

“Sometimes, when dancers say they know music, it is mostly kelvignanam (learning by listening), but that is not equal to the rigour of practice. Geeta says it was only in hindsight that she realised many facets of her guru’s teachings.

Initiation into dance

Swarna Saraswathi never taught complete pieces, which was the norm in ‘institutionalised teaching’. Every class saw new thoughts, new ideas emerging, and it was here that Geeta understood the concept of manodharma. The process was like osmosis, rather than giving students a finished piece in hand. This was also why various aspects of Swarna’s teaching such as singing and nattuvangam stayed with Geeta. She recalls how her teacher would draw a circle and ask her to do the thatti-mettu within it, stating that a certain energy came from there and that the araimandi would be perfect only within the circle.

When her guru fell ill, Geeta was unable to see anyone else in her place, but she needed guidance and so briefly trained under Guru Sadasivam (Vazhuvoor style). This was where she first got an understanding of Pushpanjali. Soon, on critic Subbudu’s advice, she went to another guru Dakshinamoorthy (Dandayudhapani Pillai’s brother). It was here that she understood performative dance, jathis and stagecraft. Geeta had to attune herself to the new style. Soon, Jamuna Krishna welcomed her into the world of abhinaya through padams and javalis. And, when Kalanidhi mami came to Delhi to conduct workshops on abhinaya, Jamuna nudged the young Geeta to attend it. She later learnt under her in Chennai too. Jamuna, meanwhile, opened her world to Hindi poetry, especially those by Surdas and Kabir. This led to Geeta’s own research on Haveli Sangeet in Brindavan. She won a senior scholarship for this, and tuned many compositions to make them suitable for dance. It was here that Geeta saw her dance as seva.

Later, Geeta worked with mridangist K.Shivappa, a nephew of Karaikudi Krishnamurthy, who composed complex jatis. He brought rhythm into her dance.

Geeta’s first choreographic work was in 1998, bringing together dance and puppetry. The subject was Draupadi during the 18-day war, her losses each day, and how on the 18th day, she finally says: ‘Muchyate, muchyate’ (release). This idea that war is not the answer for everything finds resonance in several poets.

Geeta Chandran during a thematic performance
| Photo Credit:
Rakesh Sahai

Collaborative works followed. Geeta started teaching in 1992, and Natyavriksha, her institution, aimed to fill the gaps in formal education, making learning more holistic. This interdisciplinary learning ensured students became familiar with culture, spirituality, architecture, the visual arts, history and poetry.

Geeta speaks of how different teaching is then and now. “We were not allowed to even write down notes in class. Now, everything is available at the tap of a button.” The veteran dancer also questions the trend of workshops. “How can someone teach a varnam in two days? My teachers worked on one for months. We shortchange ourselves when we allow this kind of teaching and learning,” she explains.”

Says Geeta: “When I ask my students to watch a performance, I also ask them to review — they use their minds to critique, and also learn to improve their writing skills. Because, today’s performers need to be well-rounded — they have to dance, speak and write (for grants).

The dancer-cum-teacher also says the way one approaches dance has changed. “One needs to think beyond dance classrooms. A student of psychology can use it for movement therapy, a sociology student can use it for arts management, technical experts can use it for learning more about sound and light. So dance teaching now is about allowing students to discover their space under the sun, rather than just clamouring for the very difficult space of stage performance. Every dancer cannot become a solo performer,” says Geeta. She points out how spaces have to be created for more dancers. Curation needs to happen for healthy performances.

“I cannot look at my students, who come from different backgrounds, and ask them to give up all else and come into dance, because there is no money in it. Dance has a long gestation period, and if there is no hand-holding, many good dancers would be lost,” says Geeta, who has already been bestowed with the Padma Shri and Sangeet Natak Akademi.

She will be in Chennai to receive the Nritya Choodamani, an honour from the Sri Krishna Gana Sabha to dancers for meritorious contribution to the field.