Songsoptok
TALKING WITH NILANJANA
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?
NILANJANA: This was not a planned career. I started learning as a child
then had to discontinue dancing as I moved & lived in different countries.
Life did not offer me the opportunity to learn . Motherhood & other
responsibilities took priority at that stage. It was only after 2 kids & my
move to the US that I could pursue this passion. I realized this was my
DESTINY. I was one of the first moms to start learning & performing on
stage. I worked very hard- the first to reach & the last to leave. Before long
crowd adulation & appreciation came my way & I got drawn more &
more to the stage performance circuit. I believe that Age is no barrier if you are physically
fit. You can learn at any age. Persistence & discipline is the hardest for
a stage performer. After the adrenalin rush of a show the lull is hard to
handle. A lot of willpower is needed to survive & keep yourself fit year
after year. Teaching is the next logical step for performers as they can brush
upon their basic skills & keep their technical skills sharp.
SONGSOPTOK: What advice would you offer to someone just new to this
field?
NILANJANA: Willpower, motivation & discipline day after day
just like an athlete will help train you both physically & mentally. Each
time on stage you have to do your best. There are no guarantees or bookings for
future shows. Give your 100% & stay focussed no matter what is going on in
your life. On stage its just you & the audience. Conveying that makes a performer
successful. Team work is an important learning curve. The role & position
does not matter, you learn from the entire team. Working with top notch show
directors is important if you want to be a successful dancer. When the time is right venture into
teaching. Do not rush into it at the peak of your youth or career. Use your
stage performance background when you groom students. Once committed you will
need to prioritize your teaching. Doing shows every weekend or taking off on
tours will be hard to do when you have to teach your students regularly.
SONGSOPTOK: What are some of the common errors or misconceptions
people have about dance as a career choice?
NILANJANA: Myth 1: People think that Only kids with their flexible
bodies & stamina can learn dance.
Myth 2:
Once you take a long break & have kids you cannot perform on stage.
You need
to be physically fit & in fairly good shape if you want to be a stage
performer. Stamina, flexibility & grace matter a lot. Very few people are
fortunate enough to have the support system & finances required to pursue
this career from childhood. Life happens. Things & priorities change once
you go to college. Coming back to it or deciding to learn & make a career
out of it is a hard thing. I am very fortunate to have met a liberal
progressive minded Guru who took me as a challenge to change peoples mindset.
If you look beautiful, stay fit & technically correct no-one can stop you.
Age is just a number! Debunk the showbiz myth & work twice as hard to give
the younger girls a run for their money.
SONGSOPTOK: How would you describe your typical work week?
NILANJANA: I do my morning walk, pilates or strength conditioning
in the mornings. Teach my students 2 mornings a week. Practice my pieces on
mornings after exercise or in the afternoon. Do my chores & errands the
remaining time. For me the weekend is the busiest as I teach on Sundays &
my shows are scheduled on those days
too. Setting up a new studio in a
different state has been a challenge. A lot of my work week has gone towards
promotions, publicity & PR. Its been a year of non-stop extra work in
getting the word out about my studio.
SONGSOPTOK: How many hours do you set aside for your own practice,
stage show rehearsals, choreography and costume selection?
NILANJANA: Before my stage performances I rehearse every day for
atleast 2 weeks. I like to be immersed in dance that time practicing old
choreos & living in my own world. There are no fixed hours. I can dance
whole day or just a quick intense session. I try to work on stamina &
fluidity of the routine. With Group Rehearsals there are intense practice
sessions scheduled over a short span of time. Now that I have started teaching my daily practice
schedule has to be compromised. I teach 3 days a week. Leave one day for
workshops or shows.
SONGSOPTOK: Is there anything you strongly like or dislike about
your dance career?
NILANJANA: Most organizers have funds for overseas artists or movie
stars. The best time slot is reserved for them. This discrimination against US
based singers, musicians, dancers & theatre artists is demoralizing &
disrespectful. In this country we juggle a lot to give time & energy to our
passion. We are not below par! We are over achievers sacrificing a lot to match
the level of overseas talent. Every second of our lives we are juggling
multiple responsibilities. We CHOOSE to pursue this passion in order to live.
With classical arts there are venue limitations. Unlike other dance arts it is
not to be performed in private parties or weddings & street fairs.You need
good ambience, venue & no food-drinks policy. All this severely limits
performance opportunities. Only
those with a successful day job, teaching studio or deep pockets can pursue a
performing arts career. Most people turn to teaching early in their career
rather than perform.
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?
NILANJANA: I prefer taking students 8 plus. Discipline is needed to
be able to train & stay focussed. My dance looks best on a women’s body as
it gives the illusion of a temple sculpture coming to life. Its good to teach
kids young so that their bodies & ears are trained to the music but I
recommend solo stage performances once they mature. With detailed muscle cues
& technical breakdown I like to explain every single movement to my
students. Once they understand the coordination behind it they are able to work
on those muscles & master their moves. They absolutely love the experience.
Age therefore does not matter. Maturity & physically fitness does! Adults have the option of training
to be stage performers or learning as a creative outlet. My workshops have had
participants from 8 to 70. Dance modified according to age & ability. The
bottomline being they have an unique priceless experience in those few hours of
dancing. Their is renewed positive
energy as they feel rejuvenated in their mind, body & soul.
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?
NILANJANA: Odissi is a classical Indian Temple dance performed as a
form of worship for over 2000 years. Temple dancers or MAHARIS dedicated their
lives to the temple diety dancing every morning & evening away from public
view. Odissi is Natya Yoga or a form of
Bhakti or devotional yoga & Hatha yoga. Nataraj is considered to be the
Lord of dance. His cosmic Dance providing the energy to create, destroy &
recreate the universe. In
Hinduism singing & dancing is a form of Bhakti. Temple dances are rooted in
Hinduism. The still poses in these dances are enactment of sculptures seen on
ancient temple walls. The main text of Odissi is Gita Govinda -a collection of
love poems with a deeper spiritual meaning describing the love of Radha & Krishna. Indian Classical dance thus has venue
& food restrictions as the dancer has to always consider herself a devotee
and never take away from the essence or spirit of the dance.
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?
NILANJANA: In Indian classical dance abhinaya or the art of story
telling through gestures & facial expressions is an experience. The
audience should be able to understand the dance just by looking at the dancer.
This is indeed an incredibly powerful experience. The goal of Indian classical
dance is mind body soul integration. If the dancer herself is in sync she can
achieve MOKSHYA or salvation through her dance. To convey to her audience this
state of SATCHIT ANANDA - the inner peace, tranquility & calmness
associated with the practice of yoga & meditation is the POWER of Indian
classical dance.
SONGSOPTOK: Technique is what you fall back on when you run out of
inspiration. (Rudolf Nureyev) Do you agree with this quote?
NILANJANA: When you showcase pure classical you have to be
technically sound at all times. Give your heart, soul & mind into the
performance. There are no compromises on technique. You practice so that it
comes as a muscle memory then you add your emotions to it & connect with
your audience. You cannot move to a different energy level or spiritual plane
unless you have total control over technique . This quote is not applicable to my art.
NILANJANA BANERJEE is a professional Odissi dancer
based in San Diego. For more than a decade she has performed all over the
country as a solo opening act for top Indian artists at major conventions,
festivals, fundraisers and charity events. Nilanjana follows the Mahari dance
tradition of Guru Muralidhar Majhi & Guru Mitra Purkayastha. She is
currently running classes for RDM Studio in San Diego.
To read more about her visit www.odissinilanjana.com
***THE INTERVIEW WAS TAKEN BY RIMI
PATI
We sincerely thank you
for your time and hope we shall have your continued support.
(Songsoptok)
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