Ananda shanka Jayanth

Choreographer

Ananda Shankar Jayant is known as an excellent choreographer and choreographed six path breaking full length dance productions besides short works and ekaharyas.

Women through the ages have lived life on terms laid out by men. She has lived a straight – jacketed life, trained by her father, reined by her husband and buried by her son. Her intellect, emotions and attitudes have been fine-tuned to suit men, the way men want her.
The laws of the country and the civilized world today profess equality of man and woman, while accepting an inherent difference; yet this equality has not permeated into real life. The woman of today as of yore, is still given roles to play, rules to live, by men; who carve her into a more acceptable form as defined by an unconscious culture.

The collective conscious that decides of how and what a woman should be, is finally what decides the fate of the woman, however much we profess equality of man and woman. These questions translated themselves into a dance ballet "What About Me?", which questions this collective conscious, of what a woman should be, a conscious, as prevalent in both men and women, who see specific roles to be played by women, without ever seeing her as more than a 'mere woman'.

Jonathan Livingston Seagull

Inspired by the book Jonathan Livingston Seagull by Richard Bach, this dance ballet is an adaptation of the same book. Choreographed in a free dance style, set to music ranging from jazz to progressive rock, and abhinaya performed to English narration, this abstract theme glorifies the quest for excellence and perfection.

Premiered in March, 1992 under the 'Spirit of Freedom' series, the ballet has been performed widely, prominent being - National Integration Festival of Bharat Kalchar, Madras, Nrityostav of SICA, Hyderabad, and has been telecast on Doordarshan of Hyderabad, this production was part of series of book reviews on Jonathan Livingston Seagull in JNIDB - Hyderabad, presented to their trainee officers in 2000-2001, the Silver Jubilee Celebrations of CCMB etc.,

Buddham Saranam Gachchami

Inspired by the angst and agony that made Siddhartha into Buddha, Shankaranada Kalakshetra, produced Biddham Saranam Gachchami, a dance ballet set to Sanskrit verse and Bharatanatyam, wherein the life and philosophy of Lord Buddha is delineated. Premiered in January, 1995, in the august presence of Sri T.N. Seshan, the former Chief Election Commissioner of India, the ballet has since been performed at major festivals such as Pune Festival, Konark Festival of Dance Ballets, Govt. of A.P., SICA Nrityotsav Lumbini Festival, Buddha Jayanti Celebrations, in Burma and Laos during the 50th year of India's Independence, etc. and has been blessed by leading Buddhist monks from India and abroad and has been staged 27 times till date.

Sri Krishnam Vande Jagadgurum

Sri Krishnam Vande Jagadgurum a dance ballet in Sanskrit, choreographed in the Bharatanatyam style, depicts the myriad moods of Sri Krishna, highlighting the mischievous deeds of the child of Gokulam, the Sringara of the divine lovers Radha and Krishna in the forests of Brindavan, and the philosophy of the statesman, as he piloted Arjuna's chariot on the field of Kurukshetra.

Premiered in August, 1987, this ballet has been staged 28 times till date all over the country, and has been featured in major festivals such as, Nishagandhi festival, Trivandrum; Kalidas Samaroh, Ujjain; Festival of Hyderabad; Krishna Gana Sabha, Madras; Hyderabad Doordarshan, etc.

Jayadeva, the author of Gita Govindam, has composed movingly on the divine love between Radha and Krishna in the forests of Brindavan. As a prelude and a prayer he pays obeisance to Sri Krishna and describes the Dashavatara or the ten incarnations of Vishnu and Keshava: Matsya, Kurma, Varaha, Narasimha, Vamana, Parasurama, Rama, Balarama, Buddha and Kalki.

Intricate Jathi patterns set to swara notations, and sanchari abhinaya for the sanskrit sloka passages set to various ragas, together portray the Rasas and brings out the divine Bhakti of the Saint Poet Jayadeva.

The dancers move in kaleidoscopic formations, meet, disperse, meet again and draw designs on the stage, while performing complicated nritta and depicting the 10 avataras of Vishunu.

'Shakti - The Creative Energy', is a group production that traces the rising of the Kundalini, from the physical through the mental and spiritual levels, to a higher level of consciousness where Shakti; the Mother Goddess, otherwise known as creativity or Prakruti bursts forth in spiritual energy, and Bliss.

Expressions of Truth

'Expressions of Truth' is a contemporary dance production, highlighting the ideals of the Mahatma.

Mahatma Gandhi's life is itself a lesson and an ideal for all mankind for aeons to come. The relevance of his teachings are eternal and perennial, and will continue to be the support base and super structure of the present as well as the future of all mankind, for his way is the only way to live a meaningful, successful yet unselfish life; his way is the only way to live with peace and prosperity in this life as well as in the hereafter. His teachings were simple everyday maxims, which mankind have left by the wayside in his race to the top.

These very simple yet powerful ideals and teachings have been strung together in a garland of music, dance, theatre & poetry in a contemporary format and 'dares the viewer to be worthy of the Mahatma'.

Navarasa - Expressions of Life

Navarasa - Expressions of Life, seeks; to relocate the Navarasas without the immediacy of being surrounded by the narrative; to obviate the incontestable mythical lyric by learning away from the springboard of myth and metaphor to abandon the verbal and arrive at the starting blocks of Bhava and Rasa through the mnemonics of music, body and pure dance strung together in an ecletic order of Rasas set to Swara patterns.

Thyagaraja Ramayanam

Thyagaraja Ramayanam is an Ekaharya, wherein the story of Sri Rama as visualized by Thyagaraja, is portrayed in two parts - from Rama's birth to Sita Kalyanam & from Bharata's search for Rama to the final coronation of Sri Rama in Ayodhya.

Select Kritis of Thyagaraja are used to describe the story of Sri Rama, as well as depict Thyagarja's reaction to the various episodes in Rama's life. Valmiki Shlokas are used for continuity and have been set to music by Smt. Subhashini Shankar.

This is an Ekaharya in which the essence of the Bhagavad Geeta is portrayed. On seeing his kith and kin lined up against him on the battlefield of Kurukshetra, Arjuna breaks down and refuses to fight. Krishna chides him and teaches him the Supreme truth about Dharma and Karma. He enunciates the timeless quality of the soul and the futility of being embroiled in the here and now, and the need to transcend attachment, birth and death. Arjuna realizing that Sri Krishna is the Supreme being requests Krishna to show him His Viswaroopa. The Ekaharya ends on that note.

An Easel Called Life : A mixed media production, An Easel Called Life, was premiered on 23rd February, 2002. Commissioned by Sanghi Group of Industries, this presentation was a synergy of dance, music, painting and poetry, where the varying disciplines of art such as verbal arts, visual arts and performing arts, meet to convey an idea – a canvas portraying the myriad hues of life.

Slides of some renowned painters such as Surya Prakash, Jatin Das, Paresh Maity, T. Vaikuntam and others, along with poetry, music and dance, represented themes such as Nature, Stri, search for one’s self etc.,

The show was witnessed by the who’s who of the twin cities, including the Governor of Andhra Pradesh.

Ananda received kudos from the gathered audience of artistes, and the press who praised Ananda for this new synergy of art forms.

Dr.Ananda Shankar Jayanth is recipient of numerous awards like 'Natya Illavarasi' from Sree Shanmukhananda Sangeet Sabha, New Delhi, the prestigious title of ‘Kalaimamani’, the highest state award given to performing artistes by the Government of Tamil Nadu , 'Aadar Kalai Selvam' - Pollachi Tamil Isai Sangam, 'Woman of the Year award 2000' from American Biographical Institute, 'Nadanamamani' Karthik Fine Arts, Chennai, Title of 'Most Eminent Dancer' - Delhi Telugu Academy, Title of 'Natya Gandharvini' 'Outstanding young person Award for arts' - Secunderabad Jaycees, Government of India Scholarship in Bharatanatyam, 'Talented Artiste' - AP Nritya Academy, Title of 'Natya Mayuri', Title of Abhinaya Bharati, and Gold Medal 'All India Competitions in Music & Dance' - Junior Section etc.


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	Ananda Shankar Jayanth
	Kuchipudi : Trained in Kuchipudi by Sri P. Ramalinga Sastry, Ananda Shankar Jayant is a 'top' grade artiste of Doordarshan and an 'established' artiste of ICCR and has been featured in major festivals in India and abroad. Invited to perform Kuchipudi in major festivals such as Khajuraho, Bhagyachandra Dance Festival, Imphal etc. Dr. Ananda is known as a dancer of rare grace and abhinaya. Dr. Ananda is a consummate artiste combining the skills of a performing artiste, teacher, choreographer and researcher, a rare combination further entwined with the administrative skills of a successful bureaucrat. Dr. Ananda Shankar and her Institution, Shankarananda Kalakshetra have come to be accepted as the very home of South Indian art forms. Bharatanatyam: Dr. Ananda Shankar Jayant, a Graduate of the world renowned Kalakshetra, brings to the Kalakshetra style of Bharatanatyam an individual verve and vivacity, marked by split second tala precision coalescing with the dynamic and the graceful coupled with a commanding and arresting stage presence. Dancing with joy, Dr. Ananda imbues technique and grammar with a sparkling quality, bristling with life. She has been hailed as an intelligent and thinking dancer with contemporary sensibility, adapting technique to modern themes as is seen in her choreography of solo, group and dance ballets, both traditional and modern. Her presentations are intense and emotionally charged, striking an immediate rapport with the viewer, at the same time never deviating from aesthetic sensitivity. She performs regularly widely in India & abroad and is known to be a dancer who dances with inner bliss or Dr. Ananda.
	Choreographer Ananda Shankar Jayant is known as an excellent choreographer and choreographed six path breaking full length dance productions besides short works and ekaharyas.
	Full Length Productions
	What about me?
	Year	1999 (75 Minutes)
	Language	Tamil, Sanskrit & English
	Script	Valmiki's Ramayanam, Panchali Shapatham by Subramanya Bharathiar
	Style	Dance-Theatre
	Music	Prema Ramamurthy
	English Poetry	Tejdeep, IPS
	Women through the ages have lived life on terms laid out by men. She has lived a straight – jacketed life, trained by her father, reined by her husband and buried by her son. Her intellect, emotions and attitudes have been fine-tuned to suit men, the way men want her. The laws of the country and the civilized world today profess equality of man and woman, while accepting an inherent difference; yet this equality has not permeated into real life. The woman of today as of yore, is still given roles to play, rules to live, by men; who carve her into a more acceptable form as defined by an unconscious culture. The collective conscious that decides of how and what a woman should be, is finally what decides the fate of the woman, however much we profess equality of man and woman. These questions translated themselves into a dance ballet "What About Me?", which questions this collective conscious, of what a woman should be, a conscious, as prevalent in both men and women, who see specific roles to be played by women, without ever seeing her as more than a 'mere woman'. Premiered on the 19th of the April, 1999, this presentation of dance and theatre spans both legend and the present, and by juxtaposing contemporary happenings with world renowned stories in myth and legend, raises pertinent questions, with today's perception.
	Jonathan Livingston Seagull
	Year	1992 (60 Minutes)
	Language	English
	Script	Jonathan Livingston Seagull by Richard Bach
	Style	Free style
	Music	Compilation of Jazz and progressive rock.
	Inspired by the book Jonathan Livingston Seagull by Richard Bach, this dance ballet is an adaptation of the same book. Choreographed in a free dance style, set to music ranging from jazz to progressive rock, and abhinaya performed to English narration, this abstract theme glorifies the quest for excellence and perfection. Premiered in March, 1992 under the 'Spirit of Freedom' series, the ballet has been performed widely, prominent being - National Integration Festival of Bharat Kalchar, Madras, Nrityostav of SICA, Hyderabad, and has been telecast on Doordarshan of Hyderabad, this production was part of series of book reviews on Jonathan Livingston Seagull in JNIDB - Hyderabad, presented to their trainee officers in 2000-2001, the Silver Jubilee Celebrations of CCMB etc.,
	Buddham Saranam Gachchami
	Year	1995 (90 Minutes)
	Language	Sanskrit
	Script	Budhacharita, Lalita Vistara & Soundara Nanda by Ashvaghosha Padya Cudamani - by Buddaghoshacharya
	Style	Bharatanatyam
	Music	Prema Ramamurthy
	Inspired by the angst and agony that made Siddhartha into Buddha, Shankaranada Kalakshetra, produced Biddham Saranam Gachchami, a dance ballet set to Sanskrit verse and Bharatanatyam, wherein the life and philosophy of Lord Buddha is delineated. Premiered in January, 1995, in the august presence of Sri T.N. Seshan, the former Chief Election Commissioner of India, the ballet has since been performed at major festivals such as Pune Festival, Konark Festival of Dance Ballets, Govt. of A.P., SICA Nrityotsav Lumbini Festival, Buddha Jayanti Celebrations, in Burma and Laos during the 50th year of India's Independence, etc. and has been blessed by leading Buddhist monks from India and abroad and has been staged 27 times till date.
	Sri Krishnam Vande Jagadgurum
	Year	1987 (120 Minutes)
	Language	Sanskrit
	Script	Krishnacharitam by Sri Krishna Prasad Ghimire, Geetagovinda by Jayadeva Bhagawad Gita
	Style	Bharatanatyam
	Music	Prema Ramamurthy
	Sri Krishnam Vande Jagadgurum a dance ballet in Sanskrit, choreographed in the Bharatanatyam style, depicts the myriad moods of Sri Krishna, highlighting the mischievous deeds of the child of Gokulam, the Sringara of the divine lovers Radha and Krishna in the forests of Brindavan, and the philosophy of the statesman, as he piloted Arjuna's chariot on the field of Kurukshetra. Premiered in August, 1987, this ballet has been staged 28 times till date all over the country, and has been featured in major festivals such as, Nishagandhi festival, Trivandrum; Kalidas Samaroh, Ujjain; Festival of Hyderabad; Krishna Gana Sabha, Madras; Hyderabad Doordarshan, etc.
	Short Group Works
	Dashavataram
	Year	1987 (20 Minutes)
	Language	Sanskrit
	Script	Jayadeva
	Style	Bharatanatyam
	Music	Prema Ramamurthy
	Jayadeva, the author of Gita Govindam, has composed movingly on the divine love between Radha and Krishna in the forests of Brindavan. As a prelude and a prayer he pays obeisance to Sri Krishna and describes the Dashavatara or the ten incarnations of Vishnu and Keshava: Matsya, Kurma, Varaha, Narasimha, Vamana, Parasurama, Rama, Balarama, Buddha and Kalki. Intricate Jathi patterns set to swara notations, and sanchari abhinaya for the sanskrit sloka passages set to various ragas, together portray the Rasas and brings out the divine Bhakti of the Saint Poet Jayadeva. The dancers move in kaleidoscopic formations, meet, disperse, meet again and draw designs on the stage, while performing complicated nritta and depicting the 10 avataras of Vishunu.
	Shakti
	Year	2001 (40 Minutes)
	Language	Sanskrit
	Script	Soundaryalahiri
	Style	Bharatanatyam
	Music	Prema Ramamurthy
	'Shakti - The Creative Energy', is a group production that traces the rising of the Kundalini, from the physical through the mental and spiritual levels, to a higher level of consciousness where Shakti; the Mother Goddess, otherwise known as creativity or Prakruti bursts forth in spiritual energy, and Bliss.
	Expressions of Truth
	Year	2001 (50 Minutes)
	Language	Sanskrit
	Script	Select Sayings of Mahatma Gandhi
	Style	Dance, Theatre, Folk dances
	Music	Prema Ramamurthy
	'Expressions of Truth' is a contemporary dance production, highlighting the ideals of the Mahatma. Mahatma Gandhi's life is itself a lesson and an ideal for all mankind for aeons to come. The relevance of his teachings are eternal and perennial, and will continue to be the support base and super structure of the present as well as the future of all mankind, for his way is the only way to live a meaningful, successful yet unselfish life; his way is the only way to live with peace and prosperity in this life as well as in the hereafter. His teachings were simple everyday maxims, which mankind have left by the wayside in his race to the top. These very simple yet powerful ideals and teachings have been strung together in a garland of music, dance, theatre & poetry in a contemporary format and 'dares the viewer to be worthy of the Mahatma'.
	Navarasa - Expressions of Life
	Year	2003 (45 Minutes)
	Language	Sanskrit
	Script	Select Shloka on Nava Rasa from the Natya Shastra.
	Style	Bharatanatyam & Body Kinetics
	Music	Prema Ramamurthy
	Navarasa - Expressions of Life, seeks; to relocate the Navarasas without the immediacy of being surrounded by the narrative; to obviate the incontestable mythical lyric by learning away from the springboard of myth and metaphor to abandon the verbal and arrive at the starting blocks of Bhava and Rasa through the mnemonics of music, body and pure dance strung together in an ecletic order of Rasas set to Swara patterns.
	Ekaharyas
	Thyagaraja Ramayanam
	Year	1986 (45 Minutes)
	Language	Telugu, Sanskrit
	Script	Based on Thyagaraja Kriti Ramayanam by D. Seshadri
	Style	Bharatanatyam
	Music	Kritis of Thyagaraja, Shlokas from Valmiki Ramayanam - set to Music by Subhashini Shankar
	Thyagaraja Ramayanam is an Ekaharya, wherein the story of Sri Rama as visualized by Thyagaraja, is portrayed in two parts - from Rama's birth to Sita Kalyanam & from Bharata's search for Rama to the final coronation of Sri Rama in Ayodhya. Select Kritis of Thyagaraja are used to describe the story of Sri Rama, as well as depict Thyagarja's reaction to the various episodes in Rama's life. Valmiki Shlokas are used for continuity and have been set to music by Smt. Subhashini Shankar.
	Gitopadesa
	Year	1987 (20 Minutes)
	Language	Sanskrit
	Script	Select verses from the Bhagawad Gita
	Style	Bharatanatyam
	Music	Prema Ramamurthy
	This is an Ekaharya in which the essence of the Bhagavad Geeta is portrayed. On seeing his kith and kin lined up against him on the battlefield of Kurukshetra, Arjuna breaks down and refuses to fight. Krishna chides him and teaches him the Supreme truth about Dharma and Karma. He enunciates the timeless quality of the soul and the futility of being embroiled in the here and now, and the need to transcend attachment, birth and death. Arjuna realizing that Sri Krishna is the Supreme being requests Krishna to show him His Viswaroopa. The Ekaharya ends on that note.
	Mixed Media
	Year	1987 (20 Minutes)
	Language	Sanskrit
	Script	Select verses from the Bhagawad Gita
	Style	Bharatanatyam
	Music	Prema Ramamurthy
	An Easel Called Life : A mixed media production, An Easel Called Life, was premiered on 23rd February, 2002. Commissioned by Sanghi Group of Industries, this presentation was a synergy of dance, music, painting and poetry, where the varying disciplines of art such as verbal arts, visual arts and performing arts, meet to convey an idea – a canvas portraying the myriad hues of life. Slides of some renowned painters such as Surya Prakash, Jatin Das, Paresh Maity, T. Vaikuntam and others, along with poetry, music and dance, represented themes such as Nature, Stri, search for one’s self etc., The show was witnessed by the who’s who of the twin cities, including the Governor of Andhra Pradesh. Ananda received kudos from the gathered audience of artistes, and the press who praised Ananda for this new synergy of art forms.
	Awards
	Dr.Ananda Shankar Jayanth is recipient of numerous awards like 'Natya Illavarasi' from Sree Shanmukhananda Sangeet Sabha, New Delhi, the prestigious title of ‘Kalaimamani’, the highest state award given to performing artistes by the Government of Tamil Nadu , 'Aadar Kalai Selvam' - Pollachi Tamil Isai Sangam, 'Woman of the Year award 2000' from American Biographical Institute, 'Nadanamamani' Karthik Fine Arts, Chennai, Title of 'Most Eminent Dancer' - Delhi Telugu Academy, Title of 'Natya Gandharvini' 'Outstanding young person Award for arts' - Secunderabad Jaycees, Government of India Scholarship in Bharatanatyam, 'Talented Artiste' - AP Nritya Academy, Title of 'Natya Mayuri', Title of Abhinaya Bharati, and Gold Medal 'All India Competitions in Music & Dance' - Junior Section etc.
		Contact details Shankarananda Kalakshetra 130, Road No.14, Banjara Hills, Hyderabad-500 034 A.P., INDIA Phone: 91-40-23542378 & 23548384 E-mail: anandasj@rediffmail.com