SRUTI

The India Music and Dance Society

1436 Joel Drive, Ambler, PA 19002

Presents

Bharatanatyam Recital

by

ALARMEL VALLI

WITH LIVE ORCHESTRA

Gomathi Nayagam -Vocalist, C.K. Vasudevan - Nattuvanar / Cymbals

S. Sakthivel Muruganantham - Percussionist, S. Akkarai Subhalakshmi - Violinist

Saturday, May 18, 2002

6:30 PM

Upper Dublin High School

800, Loch Alsh Ave, Fort Washington, PA

(See reverse for directions)

Tickets: Members: $15, Non-members: $20, Students with ID: $10, Under 12: free.

For Tickets and Information, please call

Viji Swaminathan (215-643-2145) Balu Balakrishnan (610-358-1673)

K. Prabhakar (215-654-0527) Rungun Ramanathan (610-668-3691)

Artist Profiles

Alarmel Valli - One of India's leading Bharatanatyam dancers, Alarmel Valli is acclaimed as a creative artist who brings to her dance, depth, intensity and naturalness and who has enriched and extended the frontiers of her dance tradition. Trained in the Pandanallur tradition by renowned gurus, the late Sri Chokkalingam Pillai and his son Sri Subbaraya Pillai, she has worked on extending and developing Sri Chokkalingam Pillai's vision of a style that would be seamless and fluid, while retaining the precision, power and purity of line, typical of the Pandanallur style. In the process she has evolved her own distinct style that has been described as - "an effortless synchronization of apparent contradictions - linearity and lyricism, symmetry and sinuosity, precision and poetry". Groomed in choreography by Guru Sri.Subbaraya Pillai from the age of 16, her work, drawing on her experience of world literature, poetry and the arts, remains within the framework of classical Bharatanatyam and is also always contemporary in its interpretation and in its scope to communicate internationally.

Recipient of numerous awards, Alarmel Valli was conferred the State award of Kalaimamani in 1979 and was made the State Artist of Tamilnadu between 1981 & 1984. In January 1991, she was the youngest dancer to be conferred the President's award of Padmasri. In 1997, she was honored by the City of Paris, with the 'Grande Medaille de la Ville de Paris'. She founded 'Dipashikha' a Centre for Performing Arts in 1984 and has choreographed works for her students that have been presented in Japan and the US.

Through lecture demonstrations, master classes, workshops and seminars, Valli has contributed to creating an international awareness of Bharatanatyam as a classical, yet dynamic, contemporary dance tradition. A few of the highlights of her career on the international scene would include her performances at the Bolshoi Theatre in Moscow (1977), the Theatre De La Ville Festivals in Paris in 1973, 1997 and 1998, the Vienna International Dance Festival (1982), the New York International Festival of Arts (1991), the Avignon Theatre Festival in France (1995), the Cervantino Festival in Mexico(1990), the Harbourfront Festival in Toronto (1992), the Min-On Association Festival in Japan (1992), the Madrid Festival (1996), the Festival of India's South in London (1996), the Helsinki Biennale (1997), the millennium festivals in Berlin and Bologne (2000),the Brussels Spring Festival ( 2001) and the Asia in Helsinki Festival in Finland (2001).

At SRUTI, in addition to the traditional invocation and Varnam, Valli will focus on some of her work from Sangam poetry which she has researched and worked on for more than 12 years. The post-interval session of the evening's program will mainly consist of Sangam Compositions. Valli will explain all the dances herself, with gestures.

The Orchestra— Valli’s performance is accompanied by an orchestra consisting of highly talented musicians who have performed with her all over the world. Gomathi Nayagam, a talented young vocalist of the classical Carnatic (South Indian) music tradition, has a Master's Degree in Music from the University of Madras. He has had advanced training in singing, under renowned musicians - Mr. B Rajam Iyer and Mrs. R Vedavalli. C.K. Vasudevan (Nattuvanar / Cymbals) is an extremely talented percussionist who has trained under the renowned maestro Umayalpuram Sivaraman. He is also Valli's student in the fine art of Nattuvangam, which involves the use of cymbals and the uttering of rhythmic solfa syllables. Muruganantham (Percussionist) is a master of rhythm. He not only follows the intricate footwork which is characteristic of Valli's dance, but also embellishes the dance with rhythmic improvisations. Akkarai Subhalakshmi (violinist) has won 6 Gold medals and two silver medals from the NEHRU BAL SAMITI New Delhi.

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Directions to Upper Dublin High School

800 Loch Alsh Avenue, Fort Washington, PA 19034

From the Schuylkill Expressway:
From the Schuylkill Expressway follow 476 North to signs for Pennsylvania Turnpike. Follow turnpike East to New Jersey. Exit 26 Ambler/Fort Washington. Follow directions from Pennsylvania Turnpike below.

From the Pennsylvania Turnpike:
Take PA Turnpike to Exit 26 (Ambler/Fort Washington.). Exit ramp leads to Pennsylvania Avenue.

Take Pennsylvania Ave. Go through two traffic lights. Turn right onto Fort Washington Ave (approx ½ mile)

On Fort Washington Ave., go through the traffic light (Fort Washington Elementary School on the left). Turn left onto Loch Alsh Avenue and the Upper Dublin High School is on your right. (approx 1-1/2 miles)

Heading North on Route 309:
Get off at HIGHLAND/AMBLER exit.

Turn RIGHT onto Highland Avenue

At the traffic light turn LEFT onto Fort Washington Avenue. (Fort Washington Elementary School on the left). Turn left onto Loch Alsh Avenue and the Upper Dublin High School is on your right. (approx 1-1/2 miles)

Heading South on Route 309:
Get off at BUTLER AVE/TEMPLE exit

Turn RIGHT on Butler Pike

At the traffic light turn LEFT onto Susquehanna Road

At the traffic light turn RIGHT onto Fort Washington Avenue.

Turn right onto Loch Alsh Avenue and the school is on your right.