Lucknow: A thought-provoking dance theatre production titled “Nritya” was staged by the Yayavar Rangmandal at the Rai Umanath Bali Auditorium. The performance, held on March 12, was conceptualized and directed by theatre artist Puneet Mittal and formed part of a 45-day dance theatre workshop.
The workshop was conducted under the guidance of Mohammad Hafeez, with Adya Ghoshal serving as the creative assistant. The presentation was supported by the Ministry of Culture, Government of India. On the occasion, Dr. Sandeep Kumar attended the program as the chief guest.
“Nritya” was an Indo-contemporary dance theatre performance that explored the eternal cycle of life, struggle and balance within nature. The production was distinctive for its absence of dialogue; instead, the performers conveyed the narrative entirely through rhythmic body movements and expressive choreography. The director’s vision brought together dance, music and theatrical expression in a creative synthesis.
The story begins with the birth of water, symbolized by melting glaciers that give rise to flowing streams and ultimately sustain life. From this source, a world emerges where creatures such as fish, deer and hawks coexist according to the laws of nature. As the performance progresses, relationships among these beings evolve, reflecting emotions like beauty, love, fear and conflict.
The narrative highlights how every living being in nature depends on another. Amid hunger, fear and the struggle for survival, conflict arises, leading eventually to death. Yet the production emphasizes that in nature, death is not an end but the beginning of new life. This transformation is symbolically depicted on stage as the creatures, after completing their life cycle, turn into trees. The deer once hunted by the hawk ultimately becomes the tree that provides shelter to the hawk.
Through this symbolic storytelling, the performance illustrated the interconnectedness of all life forms and the endless cycle of life, death and rebirth. In the final scene, water, animals and trees appear together on stage, signifying that the dance of existence continues endlessly, with forms changing but life’s flow remaining constant.
The production also incorporated verses from “Ek Anam Patti Ka Smarak,” a work by noted contemporary Hindi poet Naresh Saxena, adding poetic depth and rhythm to the narrative. The fusion of Indian contemporary movements with elements of classical dance and physical theatre created a visually compelling stage experience.
Among the performers, Prerna Vishwakarma portrayed the fish, Priyam Yadav the hawk, Vanshika Sharma the deer, and Vinay Gujjar represented water, while Adya Ghoshal appeared as the narrator. Their performances were widely appreciated by the audience.
Behind the scenes, Mohammad Hafeez handled lighting design and operations, while stage management was overseen by Sushrut Gupta and Garima Yadav. Music compilation and coordination were managed by Harshita Bansal, costumes were designed by Ibra Parveen, and makeup was handled by Manoj Verma.
