Grace in Evolution: Malavika Sarukkai’s 50-Year Dance with Tradition and Change

Malavika Sarukkai, the great Bharatanatyam dancer and Padma Shri recipient, is redefining classical dance convention after 50 years of stage experience. At 50+ years on the stage, Sarukkai is a torch-bearer of the classical, yet she continues to push at its boundaries in order to make Bharatanatyam applicable in modern times.

 

Her future and existing work—whether "Beeja – Earth Seed" or not—is preoccupied with themes like climate change and the volatility of the environment, not just speaking for humans but for nature itself. Sarukkai is respected for reworking compositions into richer, more introspective performances that address desire, vulnerability, feminism, and environmental sensitivity without deviating from discipline and tradition.

 

Key Highlights
Innovating from Within: Sarukkai will not copy after the great masters. Based on her introspective nature, she is able to reinterpret old pieces—such as "Krishna nee Begane Baro"—with fresh emotional depth in each rendition.

 

Contemporary Themes: Contemporary plays tackle global issues, with "Beeja – Earth Seed" (opening this September in Delhi) focused on the uncertainty of the world and the trees and animals speaking out, asking humanity to take into account the footprint of humanity.

 

Feminist Stories: She subverts archetypal roles, recasting stereotypical female characters from passive to active and challenging the applicability of past stories to the contemporary world.

 

Mentorship and Advocacy: Sarukkai helps emerging dancers with fellowships, residencies, and her own annual festival—completely devoted to the growth and maintenance of the art form.

 

Recognition and Resilience: Celebrating her milestone 50th year with outstanding productions and winning performances, she survives in spite of purist criticism and continues to display authenticity and self-honesty in her work.

 

Interaction with the World: Her path is one of constant transformation in line with the modern world, but she holds an unshakeable regard for the past.

 

"One need not forsake tradition but extend. If you respect a particular discipline so much, there will be restraint when you extend." — Malavika Sarukkai

Source: The Indian Express, The New Indian Express, Deccan Herald