Defining Dance

As you watch her perform, you are mesmerised by her sheer grace and perfection. You feel as if you are transported to another realm, as her tales seem to come alive right in front of your eyes. Her conviction in her art is evident and it comes as no surprise that Sarpatatvam, the dance documentary based on the ancient wisdom of serpents, a fruit of her research, has become a contender for the Oscars. It proves that language and culture cease to be a barrier when it comes to art. For this gifted artiste and scholar, dance has been a companion since the age of four. As a young girl, she mastered the Thanjavur style of Bharatanatyam under Guru Melattur S Natarajan. She went on to pursue a degree in commerce, won a gold medal in MBA and briefly worked in a media house; until she realised that dance was her true calling. She set out to pursue her dream - a doctorate in dance from Kolkata. But that required a post-graduation in dance and once again she completed her masters with a gold medal (this time, in Kuchipudi) and went on to receive her PhD. She stunned dance critics by mastering Mohiniyattam and her signature style of dance has since become one that boldly defies convention and breaks all stereotypes. Her dedication and hard work have won her prestigious accolades like the Ustad Bismillah Khan Yuva Puraskar, the Devadasi National Award and the Kerala Sangeeta Nataka Akademy Award! Ritz gets into a candid chat with the charismatic and super talented Dr.Methil Devika, who is married to renowned Mollywood actor and politician, Mukesh.

WHEN DID YOU REALISE THAT DANCE WAS YOUR CALLING?

I always knew that dance would be a part of my life. I was not just interested in performance but I wanted to learn the philosophies, science and semiotics involved in the art. I perceived dance as an amalgam of subjects and was as serious about it as any of my other academic pursuits. My academic interest in dance and the allied subjects were so strong that it reflected in my performance and made it very dynamic. Especially in Mohiniyattam, which involved a lot of self-study, self-appraisal and self-criticism; after a certain age, I was never under the influence of any Guru. Therefore, I was fearless since I was not struggling to fit into a ‘class of artists’. This made my performance bold and gave it, its fair share of viewers.

TODAY, AMIDST COMMERCIALISATION AND MULTIPLE DANCE FORMS, HOW DO YOU GUIDE YOUR STUDENTS TO STAY FOCUSSED?

I don’t guide them, I just let them be. When I started to do Kuchipudi, people told me that ‘if you are a Kuchipudi dancer, then you can’t do Mohiniyattam’ but it never bothered me. I enjoyed the best of both worlds. I believe Indian classical dance has a common code and if you have trained for a long time in a particular form, then you are ready to execute it. The energies are different in different styles, but if you practise it long enough, then you will master it. In fact, I think artists should try different dance forms as you can’t be constrictive with dance. To me, it is as simple as speaking multiple languages.

WHAT WAS THE INSPIRATION BEHIND THE MAKING OF SARPATATVAM?

There was no inspiration but it was purely intuitive. Just as I started my research, I was called to perform at two temples - the Manarshala and the Nageshwari Pulikkal. It seemed like a sign. What began as intuition came to a fruition.