The feet are still dancing. The eyes still twinkle. And there's a definite sense of nostalgia in the air as celebrated artist Janak Khendry reaches an important milestone in his prolific career.
This September, the Janak Khendry Dance Company presents Ganga, at the Harbourfront Centre to mark its 30th anniversary.
in 1949; being the first to dance at opening celebrations of the city of Chandigarh, the new capital of Punjab in 1954; being the first dancer from Punjab to go to South India to learn Bharatnatyam from Swami Muttukumar Pillai, one of the most important Gurus of the twentieth century... Five command performances, from 1957 to 1961, for two Presidents of India - Dr. Rajendra Prasad and Dr. Radhakrishnan, in Hyderabad; being the first dancer to dance on the stage of the newly-built theatre Ravindra Bharati theatre in Hyderabad in 1961. The first Indian sculptor to go to the United States to do his graduate work in sculpture.
My most precious memory is of the day I arrived in Chidambaram to start my Bharatanatyam training with Swami Muttukumar Pillai.
As you reach this landmark, are you setting new goals for yourself?
Yes, I have already set new goals for my self for the next three years to create seven dance works with a totally different approach.
What do you consider as your unique contribution to the world of dance?
I think it is for the viewers and the dace historians to decide what my contribution to the world is. But since you have asked this question – my answer is that my contribution has been of creating and presenting the most undanceable philosophical works such as “Panchkalyanaka” with the message of non-violence; “Gayatri” a Mantra from the oldest Indian scripture Rig Veda about, life, light and creation; “Women Liberated” – is about a woman’s right to choose her own fate; “Upanishad” was about man’s self awareness.
Please tell us about your anniversary production Ganga. How does it reflect such an important milestone?
Ganga itself is a milestone. For the 30th Anniversary I could not have selected a better and more important subject. For several unexpected reasons and circumstances, Ganga has become a very important project. Ganga has been going through the creative process, in my mind, for the last thirty years. Thirty years ago I was in Oxford, England and bought a small book titled Ganga. Over the years I would read few pages and make some notes. Three years ago my dance was invited by the Indian Council of Cultural Relations for a dance tour of India and one the cities we performed was Hardwar, a place very closely associated with Ganga. There on the banks of Ganga, the idea came to me to create Ganga in dance. There is a very deep spiritual connection with the River Ganga.
What about the performance in Ganga speaks to the universe?
Ganga is water and water is the source of life. Besides the history and the philosophy, what I am trying convey is that water from the River Ganga – the purest water that ever existed - in certain parts has been turned into sewage. My concern is that we human beings are destroying our natural resources all over the world. When are we going to stop this destruction?
As you come closer to the opening day, has Ganga shaped up to be the performance you wanted to share with the world on this important anniversary?
Yes, Ganga is shaping very beautifully. Certain parts that I have choreographed, have been created far beyond my own expectations. I say it modestly, that it is going to be a very special experience – both for the audience and me.
You’ve often mentioned a vertical growth in your creative career. Where on that growth curve would you place yourself today?
Yes, I have always used the vertical approach. For me it has been the most important process of creation. I am perhaps half way up the ladder. There are no limits to heights one can climb. With each step I climb, my artistic horizon expands and my knowledge increases.
Known for your experimental nature and emphasis on originality, where do these ideas come from?
The ideas come the most unexpected sources – from a word uttered by some one – from a line in a book – during a casual discussion with a friend and many a times from the sub-conscience.
How does your creative process work?
My creative process starts with the idea, followed by extensive research. The major works can take two to four years of research. I always work with important scholars. Abstract and philosophical works are given a sequential form, which is a very challenging process. After the research is completed, a very precise script is prepared and then the music composer is selected.
What comes first – the choreography or the music?
Music comes first. The script is sent to the music composer. Most of my music is composed in India. My music composer and I spend two or three days discussing the script and what my vision is about the subject we are dealing with. After the music is in my hands for about a month I do not choreograph a single step but keep listening to the music over and over again, till it becomes the part of my soul and then the choreography starts.
You share your knowledge at forums and workshops around the world. What would you like to share with new, young talent?
Young talent is very important to me. They are the future of the dance and we have a responsibility to nurture them. For each project I am working on I share all the information with them – the background of the project, the historical time period, the scriptural information and the choreographic process. Our dialogue continues.
Do you see yourself in a guru’s role, ready to share a lifetime of knowledge and experience?
Guru is a big Word, but I do share, with my dancers, the knowledge and the information I have acquired over the past fifty five years of working in the dance field, reading hundreds of books, travelling extensively around the world performing and researching. I have been very lucky to have worked, in my past projects, with very good and knowledge hungry dancers. For this anniversary performance, I am working with 17 excellent dancers. We regularly talk about the Ganges and its history.
For me the greatest pleasure is to share knowledge. In the very near future I am starting a teaching programme “Dancing at higher levels” designed for young performing dancers.
What can audiences expect from you in the near future?
I am working on several projects to be created and presented in the next three years. In 2010 I am going to present three small works Kaal (time), Pancha Agni and Matter of Opinion. In 2011, I will present a major work, John Milton’s Paradise Lost. In 2012, again I will present three shorter works – Surrender, Agni, Indra, and Spider's Web... This is what my wonderful audiences can expect from me in the near future.
(Photo source: Photo taken from the Janak Khendry Dance Company website)
Comments