TEN - new performance pieces by ten directors

On 7 and 8 February 2015 at Gyan Manch Calcutta, 

we step into our next decade with a unique evening of performances – TEN

ten directors (4 Ranan associates and 6 from within the Ranan repertory) respond to the number 10 and create ten short pieces with music, movement, text and design.

An evening responding to one impulse through ten narratives; 

ten connections woven into one experience that we hope you will be there to share.

Click here for a promo video

Read on for the concept notes from the directors...

Smt. Rani Karnaa, Kathak Guru and teacher

Juhi ki Kali

A poem by Suryakant Tripath “ Nirala”

This is a ‘mukt chhand’ or a blank verse with unique pieces of alliteration or ‘anupras’. This is well interspersed to perfectly match the mood and situation. The shringaar rasa between a bud (“juhi ki kali”)and the breeze (“pawan”) is a subtle play of love dalliance. Ten different moods & moments between “juhi ki kali” & “pawan”are represented by various ragas & taals.

Debosmita Roychoudhury, Ranan Repertory member

A woman who is dealing with TEN self-contradictory emotions..

I am confident and scared....sometimes

terrified but excited....I am loving and caring....thoughtful yet hopeful.... I am sick and tired....

am shy but friendly....

careful and careless.... sometimes broken & whole ....misguided and mislead... 

am hardworking and determined...but a little scared on inside....

I wish on stars and dream my dreams

I pray to god and cry my tears....                                                  

smile on the outside while I’m dying  inside....

 I listen to others who don’t speak to me…

I’m talking to those who won’t listen to me....so… all I can say…

 I AM EVERYTHING AND NOTHING AT ALL........

Indudipa Sinha, Ranan Repertory member

Ten to me, is  “TEN MONTHS OF NORMAL HUMAN PREGNANCY “…It is a journey of creation…a journey together….the mother & the child…a life in a life..the creator & the creation..

Through my piece I will try to explore different facets of this journey. In every month i. e. in each step of the journey, I will pick up a single impulse & express that. The different impulses I have chosen so far, are as follows…

Germination/ initiation, joy, discovery, power/strength, aloneness, journey towards destination, struggle, contradiction, exchange, agitation, fear, separation, confinement, hope, completeness

Rhea Das, Ranan Repertory member

From Death to Life 

They say that death is a part of life. But what happens after death, particularly the death of someone close to you? How does one make one's way back to the realm of the living. Through this highly introspective piece Rhea Dawn attempts to explore the ten steps, stages or paths she feels must be taken on this very personal journey from Death to Life.

Subhagata Singha, music composer and musician

The 10 Avatars of Vishnu have appeared at various points in time.

Their appearances mark very significant moments in the 4 Yugas/epochs.

Every reincarnation has appeared to carry out a grand task to save humanity.

The time-span of every consecutive Yuga grows shorter.

The pace of life (subjective experience of time) speeds up with every yuga.

Time, pace, time-span, epochs, and, most importantly, the 10 Avatars are going to be the impulses that I will attempt to represent in the form of musical composition! The piece will rely heavily on Kathak rhythms in 10.

Sohini Debnath, Ranan Repertory member

As a Kathak Dancer after about twenty five years of Kathak training, I have just begun understanding the form. So Ranan gives me a wonderful opportunity to this beginning.

I have always been fascinated with the simplicity, beauty and complexity of rhythm and rhythmic variations which play a very important role in Kathak. The little piece that I think I am going to present would deal with the importance and role of temporary pause or silence for that matter in a rhythmic pattern. The presentation would be based on foot work and shall explore a TEN beat rhythm cycle. 

Jayati Chakraborty, Ranan Repertory member

Influenced by the symbolic meaning of ten which says that ten is the first triangular number with a centre, and the centre number is 5 – exactly half of the original. That is why ten is considered as the most perfect and strong number, and also it has the characteristics of wholeness. 

Keeping this in mind I am trying to explore how we can reach the state of wholeness. Each individual has strength, struggle, characteristics, beauty, power But when individuals come together and form one body, then it becomes more powerful and gives the feeling of wholeness. Five different body parts of individuals – in isolation – coming together to form a conceptual ‘whole’ body.