LAASYADARPANA
INSTITUTION FOR BHARATHANATYAM AND ALLIED ARTS
Mahindra world city Chennai
ABOUT LAASYADARPANA
OUR INTENTIONS AND IDEAS
THE NATYA KARMA
"Kantaanyat Lambayat Geetam
Hastana Artha Parakshayat
Chakshubhyam Darshayat Bhavom
Padabhyam Tala Acherait
The song should be in the throat
Let the hands bring out the meaning
glance of the eyes should be full of expression
And the feet should follow the rhythm to perfection
LAASYADARPANA is the brain child of Smt Jeeva Narayanan who endorses the Laasya style of Bharathanatyam.A style conceptualized with intense research and thoughtful approach and passionate dedication.
LAASYA literally means grace, beauty and happiness .... words co relating to any dance form like nothing else. According to the ancient texts ,Nataraja is the God of dance and it is his Tandavam , highly vigorous and masculine in its form that manifested the eternal energies. Yet it is less known that an equally captivating form was performed by his beautiful consort Parvati in response to his Ananda Tandavam.... it was this dance of grace and beauty with strength that was called THE LAASYA , the feminine manifestation of energies.... Since there is always a balance of male and female in nature.
At LAASYADARPANA we strive to strike the same balance between male ,female or any gender responses to the art form of Bharathanatyam .
The theoretical fact remains that a woman exudes feminine grace and a man displays masculine grace and neither should be interlinked except in their mathematics .One is a response to the other and they permanently question each other.This is the learning LAASYA DARPANA is preserving and persevering to promote.
Beyond this, we at LAASYADARPANA , under the able tutelage of Guru Smt Jeeva Narayanan ( the director of Laasya Darpana) , have formulated a process of learning & performing the art in a LAASYA form wherein the artist can experience ecstasy through the performance passing on the same to the audience in spirit. An idea which endorses the fact that bhava & Rasa are not akin only to Sahityam but Nritta ie pure dance as well.
RASANUBHAVA is something we have worked for , keeping within the Margi tradition that manifests itself in its disciplined symmetry geometry, arithmetic and physical rigidity, as well as bringing in Deshi traditions as per the age old art of Sadir that radiates grace via its fluidity,flow ,high dramatics and ease .All this while retaining our pedagogy within the traditional margins of Bharatha Kalai.
VISION
"Sahitya kala viheenaha sakshat pashuhu I
pucha vishana heenaha II"
MAN WITHOUT LITERATURE AND ART IS EXACTLY LIKE A COW
WITHOUT ITS TAIL AND HORNS.
Going by the above sloka,every human has the need to learn and imbibe art and literature. Hence , to learn the art the only criterion is, thirst for knowledge, physical willingness towards hard work, undying passion to and respect for the art.
Art knows no disintegrations or discriminations and hence through LAASYADARPANA we reach out to the common public & portray the art as a language & literature , rather than something meant only for the people of class & connoisseurs of arts or a certain strata of society.
That being the basic reason why we have consciously opened our portal at Mahindra World City at the outskirts of Chennai.The place being an amalgamation of rural, urban and cosmos - chaos. Making it practically possible for us to take the art forward where there is aridity and hence provide it with inclusivity.
The soul aim of LAASYADARPANA , will therefore be to inculcate the Classical arts as a way of life and not just as a performing art. We consider this a SADHANA, A PASSION and endorse the same.
ABOUT THE GURU :Dir Smt .JEEVA NARAYANAN
Guru Smt Jeeva Narayanan is the creator and Director of LAASYADARPANA. Having Been initiated in the Field of Bharathanatyam first in Vazhuvoor and later in the Kalamandalam style of the art, she went on to do an intensive study of the art and made it her passion there on.Being educated through out in Delhi, she went on to learn the art from many Gurus,always giving more importance to the education and learning part of the art than the performance. Graduating from IIM(Bangalore) she was fortunate to work with the cart man of India Padma Vibhushan Prof.N.S.Ramaswamy the founder Director of IIM (B) during his project "The modernization of slaughterhouses" in the early 8.Possibly through these experiences and more, she developed a passion to work for the under privileged and went on to receive the title of 'Bal maitryi' from Nehru Bal Samiti at the hands of the then prime minister Late Smt Indira Gandhi for spreading Art & education among the lower strata and marganilized communities in the slums of Delhi ,by not just providing them art but education and and occupation ,single handedly .Having taken an early VRS she started her own school for Bharathanatyam in Delhi in the name of NATYALAYAM training her disciples including her daughter Lavanya. After many years of hard work in Delhi with training students to treat the art as a passion a Sadhana & not as a mode of fame, she took the decision to move base in Chengelpet and settle in Mahindra World City,where she saw the aridity of Art & culture . Here she,along with her daughter and senior disciple created LAASYADARPANA.
ABOUT THE CREATIVE DIRECTOR:GURU Smt. LAVANYA IYER
Lavanya Iyer, also known as Lavanya Iyer word sculptor, in the field of writing , is a seasoned artist in the field of Bharatanatyam.She is the daughter & disciple of Guru Smt Jeeva Narayanan .She started her tutelage under her mother at the age of 3 and started performing at an early age .She was awarded the title of Kala shri from the 'Nehru Bal Samiti ' a renowned cultural Sabha in Delhi.By the age of 11 she got press reviews in Indian Express & Sun magazine by great critics like Vasantha Iyer, V.V.Prasad for The Indian Express etc, appreciating her perfection & matured dancing skills.Under the able guidance of her Guru, Lavanya went on to receive the Senior talent scholarship from the Government ,Ministry Of Culture . Lavanya has conducted & directed many workshops for the Delhi Govt , specifically for the under privileged strata via Sahitya Kala Parishad of Ministry of Culture, following her Guru's footsteps. She has also given numerous performances in respected Sabhas within & outside the country ,receiving rave reviews for the same.She has been repeatedly invited by the Delhi Doordarshan to talk about her early teaching skills as well as her research subject regarding Classical dance. Lavanya is a graded Doordarshan Artist and was recently chosen to represent her field among stalwarts like Vijay Sethupathi from the Film industry and Dr.Narmada and Smt.Gayathri Girish to address the nation for Defence flag day on behalf of Podhigai Chennai Doordarshan.Lavanya is the youngest jurist empanelled in the selection committee of National School of Drama.
Lavanya who is of scholastic capacity, is a God medalist in the field of debates, poetry writing and quizzes on national and International politics .at the hands of the then President late Giani Zail Singh at the age of 6 competing with students aged 14 for National debate competitions & winning many quiz & poetry writing at inter school,interstate competitions and similar competitions held at Russian Culture Delhi,Lavanya is an English Literature scholar from Delhi University. She worked as a professor in the field of English Literature for Delhi University , till she decided to follow her passion of Art and writing. Lavanya is a known blogger , art and abstract writer and poet. her work has been featured in many world class calssical art magazines like"Sruthi". Her columns can be found in many local papers as well as in tabloids like"Vidura" a PII Journal.She, along with heading certain other work spaces related to writing and literature and percussion mathematics is the Creative Director and chief trainer ,at LAASYA DARPANA
Guru Smt.Jeeva Narayanan and Lavanya are both hopeful that Lavanya 's little daughter Laasya, a very talented and prodigious child) will also take on the art form with equal passion and make it a PARIWAR PARAMPAR.She has currently earned herself the JUNIOR TALENT SCHOLARSHIP from central govt of India
