Ranjabati Sircar
Contemporary Indian Dancer
Artisitc Profile
Ranjabati works from a base of NAVANRITYA, the contemporary Indian dance training methodology developed over the last fifteen years by her in collaboration with her mother, internationally acclaimed dancer- choreographer Dr. Manjusri Chaki-Sircar. The only comprehensive modern methodology existing in India today, NAVANRITYA offers an alternative approach to traditional physical practices such as classical dance, martial arts, and yoga.
Ranjabati's solo work focuses on individual psychology as seen on an epic scale, and her group work often explores relationships between people in the context of larger issues like gender, social politics, and war.
Ranjabati draws from a large range of movement vocabulary, as framed by Navanritya, covering floor movements, jumps, and spatial extensions derived from Indian sources and applied in a highly innovative fashion. Her work often has deep emotional and spiritual underpinnings, which become evident in disturbing or resonating images of conflict, anguish and hope.
The NAVANRITYA method can be traced to the dance ideas of Rabrindranath Tagore , expressed and explored in the early 20th century, but never really developed in his lifetime.
Training Background:
Bharatnatym, Kathakali, Manipuri, Mayurbhanji , Chhau, Sattvika Abhinaya, Hatha-Yoga, Sattipatthana Zen Meditation
Academic Background:
First Class First in both B.A. and M.A. , English Literature, at Jadaupur University, Calcutta (Four Gold Medals, National Scholarship, UGC Fellowship)
Biography:
Born 1963 Nigeria, brought up in New Paltz, N.Y., Moved to India in 1979. Currently based in Calcutta.
Grants and Awards:
The British Council, Alliance Francaise, Goethe Institut, Indo-U.S. Subcommission, UNESCO, Depart of Culture of Goverment of India, Sangeet Natak Akademi, London Dance and Performance Award (Time Out/Dance Umbrella)
Honours:
Fellowship for Outstanding Artists, Goverment of India, 1993; Awarded "Eminent" (highest) category by Indian Council for Cultural Relations,1998
Performed at (selected):
* Kalanubhavamanjari, Madras 1993
* New Directions Festival, New Delhi 1993
* National Center For Perfoming Arts, Bombay, 1994, '96
* India International Center, New Delhi 1994
* Sangeet Natak Akademi Chorography Festival, Calcutta 1994, Bangalore 1995
* SAMHAT, New Delhi 1996
* Birla Center, Hyderabad 1997
* Max Mueller Bhavan, Calcutta 1998
* Festival Creadores, Caracas 1991
* Festival Danza por la Vida, Caracas 1992
* Vivarta Festival, London 1992
* QE II, 1994, '95 (on ship)
* Magdalena Project, Cardiff 1995
* Festival Vailarin Creador, Caracas 1995
* Women in World Music Festival, New York 1995
* Maison des Cultures du Monde, Paris 1996
* Center Culturel Francais, Dakar 1997
* Comonwealth Festival, Edinburgh 1998
Activity Update:
Ranjabati performed solo and collaborative work in Germany and Belgium, in November 1998.
Ranjabati was invited by the National Institute of Design, Ahmedabad, to offer a new elective course, which she created for them and titled "Body as Design". The course ran for two weeks and resulted in a workshop presentation by the students. She offered a solo performance in conjunction with the course at Natrani theatre.
Ranjabati will be performing with the Dancer's Guild at the World Expo, Lisbon, in July. She then embarks on a tour of Portugal, Denmark, and Germany.
Cassandra was performed at Kamani Auditorium, New Delhi, and Lecture-demonstrations were presented by the Oxford Gallery and Bookstore, Calcutta, the Ladies Study Group, Calcutta, and Parag Cultural Centre, Bangalore.
1997
Cassandra was toured in November 1997 in the U.K. along with Oblique, a new work for five Europe-based, Indian-trained dancers. The work was commissioned by Sampad, Birmingham, with music by Jazz saxophonist and composer Iain Ballamy.
The Wounded Earth, a collaboration with Indian-trained musician/composer Gilles Petit, originally commisioned by the Maison des Cultures du Monde, Paris, was performed at the Nehru Center London, Festival A Sul in Portugal, and in Calcutta, Delhi, and Santiniketan.
Ice and Fire, a collaboration with modern Danish dancer Birgitte Hansen, was premiered at the National Museum, Copenhagen, in December.
Cassandra , origionally produced by Imprsario, Max Mueller Bhavan Calcutta, and Sangeet Natak Akademi Delhi, was performed at Rabindra-Bharati University Calcutta.
