Priya Murle- Article in Deccan Chronicle for Music Festival 2010

Rigour helps gain dance versatility
January 8th, 2011
Shubashree Desikan


Priya Murle recalls the roundedness of her training at ShriBharatalaya, under Guru Sudharani Raghupati. Apart from dance, they were taught music, Sanskrit and theory of dance. ‘Our Sanskrit master also told us many stories; after all, dance is visual story-telling! For five years, I only did adavus, much later came solo performances and thematic presentations. Sudha aunty would do the research but always discuss how we should present; she would ask basic questions, “what are you going to highlight here? what swarams and jathis here?” In fact, we never realized we were being trained. I was trained in giving demos, explaining to newcomers through speeches, etc. Even our pronounciation and diction was checked by her. Many people are now surprised that I can handle all aspects: sing, play nattuvangam, do folk-style dance with Anita Rathnam, etc. All my co-students can do all this.’
Priya upholds two performances as special: Amba Shikandhi and the folk-depiction of Indra in Mammudha. ‘In the former, it was a great challenge to depict woman, woman disguised as man and woman becoming a man; especially, doing it sensitively, without being offensive. It would not have been possible without the depth of our training’.
Priya says, ‘I can unconsciously mimick people. Consciously I work at letting go of my ego, for when I portray a character, I have to lose the Priya ego. An important thing is to warm up to the stage quickly and perform instinctively. The body memory should be the guiding instinct, when the dance appears effortless’. Even then, ‘every performance is a test. Losing oneself is rare, and then, but for a moment’.
Conflict between self and the character exists at times, ‘in many cases this lends force to your portrayal’, as for example in One Million Seetas, by Anita Ratnam.
Natyarangam of Naradha Gana Sabha, ‘identify talents and rope them into group activities. They hold camps in Tennangur every year, where daily, we have yoga and lectures, and dance in the temple’. Occasions when one feels down? ‘It is natural to feel a twinge of jealousy sometimes, but I snap out of it very quickly. My family is so supportive, it would be very difficult without that. You must really just reinforce belief in yourself’.