Songsoptok
TALKING WITH SONALI PUPU
DANCE: THE RHYTHM OF LIFE
SONGSOPTOK:
How and why did you choose dancing as a
career? What specific things would you
like for people to know about your chosen career?
SONALI PUPU: I did not choose
dance.It was the other way round. My parents both hummed various
songs,especially classical bandish and rabnidra sangit almost unconsciously
through out the day. Early morning, dad,a disciple of Pandit Gyanprakash
Ghosh,also a guru to many of his students started his tabla riwaj.Even on
office days rhythm didn't stop.It felt delicious to wake up to that Taal.often
I climbed down from bed bleary eyed and started dancing. Nobody had taught me
that dance.It came from within.
By career I am a
doctor, dance is a part of my breathing itself.It is part and parcel of my
essence, my soul.
SONGSOPTOK: What advice would you offer to someone just new to this field?
SONALI PUPU: Practice til you drop from exhaustion.
practice till you cry from pain.Never stop riwaj.
My gurus have taught
me that way.
SONGSOPTOK: What are some of the common errors or misconceptions people have
about dance as a career choice?
SONALI
PUPU: People, especially those hankering for lime light think a
beautiful figure snd appealing appearance would fill the stsge easily. Some
minor movements wil do.
SONGSOPTOK: How would you describe your typical work week?
SONALI PUPU: Start the day with
dance riwaj. Finish household chores.visit my patients,finish scheduled ot if
any,attend rehearsals of the dance troop Saargam,where I choreograph the dance
shows. Then back to evening chamber and home.
SONGSOPTOK: How many hours do you set aside for your own practice, stage
show rehearsals, choreography and costume selection?
SONALI PUPU: Nowadays, hardly 2
hours.
SONGSOPTOK: Is there anything you strongly like or dislike about your dance
career?
SONALI PUPU: Wasting of
precious time during the! childhood of my kids due to household opposition.
However once after five years my kids started dancing, my husband once again
encouraged me to go on stage. You see,it is a boon in my life that my partner
had always beena. admirer of my dance.
SONGSOPTOK: Should there be any age limit for beginners in dance? If you
have adult students, can you tell us what they expect to gain from their
lessons?
SONALI PUPU: I have taught
students of all ages.If the Guru is competent as my Gurus have
been,especially my Great teacher shri
Ramgopal bhattacharya,learning dance would be fun and fascinating for all
agegroup. Children are more flexible physically. But adults even at fifty and
above with their intelligence and experience of life,can convey the expressions
much better and learn choreography nuances faster.
Dance is the joy of
life,it is addictive for all ages
SONGSOPTOK: Dance has the ability to offer its participants and spectators a
religious experience. Do you agree? If so tell us how and why? What do you
think about antagonism to dance in some religions?
SONALI PUPU: Dance portrays
all the Nava rasa intensely. It can convey and induce divine
feelings,lust,obscenity, any thing.Depends on the artist and/or the choreographer.
SONGSOPTOK: Do you agree that a dancer can convey intangible emotional
experiences as strongly as verbal communications? Do you agree/disagree that
dance can lead to altered states of consciousness?
SONALI PUPU: Dance is much
stronger a medium for communication. And ofcourse it alters our state of
consciousness.
SONGSOPTOK: Technique is what you fall back on when you run out of
inspiration. (Rudolf Nureyev) Do you agree with this quote?
SONALI PUPU: Thank god, I
haven't runout of inspiration yet.So I wouldn't know.
*** THE INTERVIEW WAS TAKEN BY RIMI PATI
We
sincerely thank you for your time and hope we shall have your continued
support.
(Songsoptok)
0 Comments
