NEW YORK (TIP): One of the greatest exponents of Bharathanatyam and considered living legend Padma Bhushan Kamala Lakshman is to give a dance performance in New York on Nov 24.

Sri Bharatha Kamalalaya, the dance school of the renowned guru, is to present a dance drama on Lord Rama “Jaya Jaya Sree Rama” with live orchestra at PS 115 Auditorium, 80-51 261st Street, Floral Park, Queens, at 3:30 PM.

Kamala Lakshman Narayan is among the important iconic figures in dance in modern India. After Balasaraswati and Rukmini Devi Arundale, it was Kamala who was responsible for making Sadir the national art of Bharatanatyam. The leading exponent of the Vazhuvoor bani of Bharatanatyam, she has been associated with the dance scene for over six decades.

At age 78, Guru Kamala will be giving a special performance in the show. Guru Kamala’s students will be participating in the drama such as Pooja Aier from Westchester will be playing the role of Rama, Shreya Desikan as Lakshmana, Komal Keerthy as Sage Viswamitra, Ambika Venkatakrishnan as King Janaka and Pallavi Moorthy will be playing the role of Sita in the drama. Rucha Acharya will be playing the role of Ravana.

Planned as a tribute to the living legend, in addition to the dance drama, Mala Desai and dancers will be performing a Odissi piece; guru Sadhana Paranji and her students from Sadhanalaya School of Dance will be performing in Kuchipudi; and Sowmya Viswanath of Kathak Ensemble & friends will do a number in Kathak.

According to the organizers, delicious Indian snacks and dinner will be available at the venue. The last time Kamala presented this drama was some 25 years ago in New York.

She literally took Bharathanatyam to the silver screen, and still brings a misty eyed look to the eye of the rasika. ‘Kottu Murase’ you can hear them think, ‘Naadhar mudi mel irukkum nagapaambe.’ And she is still the sprightly, beautiful ‘Kumari’ Kamala to them.

belongs to the Vazhuvoorar style and was a disciple of Kattumannar Kovil Muthukumarappa Pillai in Bharathanatyam. She started learning Kathak when she was 5 years old at Bombay. Later she shone as a Bharathanatyam artiste, whose dance sequences in Tamil films like ‘Naam Iruvar’, were a vehicle for patriotic messages during the freedom struggle.
The foremost exponent of the Vazhuvoor tradition of Bharata Natyam Kamala is the ideal combination of Dancer and Guru. Her career in dancing has been a long and illustrious one. She has performed extensively in India and abroad, serving as cultural ambassador of international acclaim. She performed at the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II in 1953 and enthralled many dignitaries including Jawaharlal Nehru, S. Radhakrishnan, President Eisenhower, Prime Minister Chau Enlai and Marshal Tito, and the King of Jordan.

She established a dance school, “Sri Bharata Kamalalaya.” Kamala has more than 120 compositions of her own covering the entire margam and including several dance-dramas. She has received many honors including the Kalai Sigamani title given by the Tamil Nadu Eyal Isai Nataka Manram in 1967, the Sangeet Natak Akademi Award in 1968 and the Padma Bhushan in 1970.An exemplary teacher, she conducts classes in New York and New Jersey, where she has introduced many fine young artistes to Bharata Natyam and given them a special appreciation of Indian culture. She is also an Adjunct Professor of Indian Classical Dance at the Center for India Studies, Stony Brook University. She teaches an undergraduate course in Bharatanatyam (Theatre 353) every fall.