The Freedom to Dance

Vikram Iyengar

The Freedom to Dance

31 May 2013 5:00 pm

Dance is a pure expression and experience of joy both for the dancer and the spectator. But Indian classical dance is often caught in the grip of the exalted position it has built for itself as a national symbol, alienating audiences and actually restricting performers from exploring the delight of dance.

Is it at all possible to claim a space of play, accessibility and engagement for classical dance, to entice it down from its unreachable pedestal, and dialogue intelligently with it over a cup of tea? In this very special Friday Funda, Vikram Iyengar spoke about his own journey, questioned and re-interpreted perceptions, and shared moments of performance to demonstrate the freedom inherent in dance … all this with a little touch of eccentricity that makes life a voyage of continuous discovery.

About the Speaker/Performer

Vikram Iyengar, co-founder and Artistic Director of Ranan, was initiated into Kathak by Smt. Rani Karnaa. Noted for the conscious bringing together of classical dance, movement and drama creating an experience of total theatre, Vikram’s production work spans choreography for stage and film, dance-theatre, and performance collaborations. Vikram is a Grade A solo artist with Doordarshan, a recipient of the Government of India National Scholarship and National Junior Fellowship for Dance, and holds a Sangeet Prabhakar from Prayag Sangit Samiti, Allahabad. He is the co-editor of the e-theatre journal, e-Rang and an ARThink South Asia Fellow for 2013-2014.