A glimpse of the Jataka tales

Dance aficionados have a reason to rejoice this week as contemporary dancer Bharat Sharma is back on stage after a hiatus of 12 years and will perform with his troupe at the NCPA.

A well-known artiste and a teacher with over 37 years of experience Sharma and his troupe will be performing to dance pieces - Neti! Neti! and Jatakmala.

Bharat Sharma and his troupe will perform a piece titled Jatakmala based on the Jataka tales

Speaking to SUNDAY MiD DAY Sharma says, "Contemporary dance evolved by borrowing elements from different styles of dance such as classical, modern and jazz. But we believe in experimenting and creating our own style that brings a fresh perspective tou00a0the dance."

Each performance promises to be different from the other and has unique names. Neti! Neti! is a solo performance by Sharma.

"Neti! Neti! is a Sanskrit expression which means ‘neither this… nor that'. Through this performance we will convey to the audiences that to understand the universe one needs to first understand what is not a part of the universe. This will be followed by another component Jatakmala, which is inspired by the Jataka tales that speak of wisdom and vagaries of life through a series of narratives. Instead of focusing on specific stories we have tried to unfold different scenes that reflect images of animal world, power, dreams, relationships and abstract concepts through vibrant colour schemas, gestures and movements," explains the 57-year-old dancer.

Sharma is also trained in Mayurbhanj Chhau and Kathakali under eminent dance teachers such as Krishna Chandra Naik and Sadanand Balakrishnan. He has danced as a soloist in India and abroad for 18 years and has given over 500 performances.

"My last performance in Mumbai was in 1984. I had received a very warm response from the audiences then. This is the first time I will be performing at NCPA. I hope to get the same response this time too," concludes Sharma.

When: November 7, 7 pm
Where: Experimental Theatre, NCPA, NCPA Marg, Nariman Point
Call: 22824567u00a0