At the recent performance at the Kala Ghoda Arts Festival, it was evident, right from the very start, that the audience was totally captivated by the dances. It was a magical evening for the girls, when they ascended the stage. The stage was on Rampart Row; the road was packed with people, some sitting, others standing throughout the performance. On the other side of the road, late-comers could find no place on the steps of the amphitheatre. The crowd was enthusiastic and appreciative throughout.
The kummi-s and kolattam-s had the crowds clapping and keeping time to the traditional songs, which goes to prove that the language of dance and music is universal and the cosmopolitan city of Mumbai truly appreciates the vibrancy of folk art. The last four dances, Pinnal Kolattam-s, brought the house down totally ! As the dancers weaved patterns with the ropes hanging from the beam, one could see that the audience was enraptured by the movements. All eyes were on stage, on the plait of ropes and they watched with abated breath as the pattern unfurled, as the dancers wove in and out gracefully, until the last rope was free, in a matter of minutes.
- Jaishree Rao
