‘Records Holder’ Prodigy Remona Pereira’s Bharatanatyam Performance Mesmerizes Audience at ‘Rangapravesh’
‘Records Holder’ like ‘India Book of Record’, ‘Bharat Book of World Record’, and ‘Golden Book of World Record of London’ Prodigy Remona Evette Pereira’s Bharatanatyam Performance Mesmerizes Audience at ‘Bharatanatya Rangapravesh’ presented by Sourabha Sangeetha Nritya Kala Parishath (R), Mangaluru at Town Hall on Saturday, 26 October 2019.
Mangaluru : A simple and auspicious occasion has transformed into a lavish affair. For many it is the beginning of a career with possibilities; for some it marks an end to a childhood hobby, to which an achievement certificate adds weight; for others it is fulfilling a dream. Whatever the reason, Arangetram/Rangapravesha is a major affair today, much cherished and celebrated not just in Mangaluru but across the world. A fulfilling performance is one when the dancer can say “the audience saw what I saw”. Here is an young Bharatanatyam artist 13-year-old Remona Evette Pereira, who wants to convey to audiences everywhere the idea that Bharatanatyam is not simply entertainment, but must also be ultimately be spiritually uplifting, and come from the heart.
Remona wanted her relatives, friends and well-wishers to come and watch her dance performances, and also shower blessings on her so that the shows go on well and successful- which will also encourage her to perform better. Originating from the court traditions of Southern India, the Bharatanatyam dance form balances elements of expression (bhava), melody (raga) and rhythm (tala) in an intense training regime that includes the study of yoga, Hindu mythology, history, drama and aesthetics. The main purpose of Bharatanatyam dance is for the performer to evoke rasa, or feeling, in the audience through the precise recital of steps, gestures and facial expressions to offer prayers or convey stories from the great Hindu epics – and Miss Remona following all those traditions always gives her best dance performance to awe the audience- and her performance at ‘Bharatanatya Rangapravesha’ was no exception, where she mesmerized the audience with her incredible one-hour plus dance performance.
Seen in photo L-R : Ronaldo Rockson Pereira ( Remona’s Brother), Mom Gladys Pereira, Cousin Sister Nikitha Topo, and Remona
Bharatanatyam is a dance like no other in the world, requiring from its students a perfect blend of “spirituality, discipline, physical mastery, ritual and established form. All good dance is an expression of the soul and human emotion, thoughts and experience — but Bharatanatyam is, first and foremost, a prayer and offering to the gods. The ultimate goal is not the performance, but the closer connection between the dancer and the gods- and I bet Remona has proved that she has all these qualities when she performs in front of her family members, relatives, friends and well-wishers. Remona’s love to this professional dance world has already reached to greater heights in this traditional art.
There are many reasons Remona’s name pops up in the list of talent to watch out for, not the least of which is this dancer’s single-minded devotion to her art. She credits her dance teachers, who were also her mentors, for motivating her to make the shift. In thanking her parents and gurus for supporting her dance talents, Remona commented that she feels privileged to have been given the opportunity to learn about her Indian cultural heritage through her study of Bharatanatyam dance. Born to dance a child prodigy and now a young teenager, Remona Evette Periera is a synonym for dance .Beginning her classical dance alphabets from Vidwan Suresh Attavar and Vidushi Uma Kalluraya, Remona has been traversing in the field of Bharathnatyam past a decade with composed goals. Her rigorous, strict and vigil training under the very sort after Guru Dr Shrividya Muralidhar, at Sourabha kala Parishath(R), inbuilt in her, the nuances and technicality of nritta, dexterity of performance and sturdy base in Abhinaya.
Daughter of late Everest Pereira, and Mrs Gladys Celine Pereira, Remona has a elder brother, Ronaldo Rockson. A small , nevertheless hardworking and supportive family is undoubtedly the spine of Remona’s National success. A student of grade 9 at Paduva High school Mangaluru, is equally doing well in her academics. She is being trained in semi classical dance from past six Years by Manoj Kattipalla and Ms Sandya. K and being trained in Western/ Contemporary by Pramod Kodikal, Preeteshkumar and Nicky Pinto.
The ‘Bharatanatya Rangapravesha’ was inaugurated by lighting of the lamp by Capt Ganesh Karnik- Former MLC, along with Sri Sri Sri Dr Basavananda Gulleri Swamiji, Natyacharya Ullal Mohan Kumar, Ms Gladys Pereira, and also keynote speakesr of the occasion, namely-Suresh Attavar, Francis D’Cunha, Headmaster, Padua School, Vidushi Uma Kalluraya, Dayanand Kathalsar, Manoj kattipalla, Shekar Ajekar, and Preethesh Kumar, among others.Playback-Nattuvangam and Dance Choreography for Remona’s dance performance was by Dr Shrividya Muralidhar; Vocals by Vidwan Swarag, Mahe; Mridangam-Vidwan Suresh Babu, Kannur; Flute- Sri Nitesh Ammanaya, Bengaluru; and Morsing – Vidwan Balakrishna Hosamane Puttur. The programme was compered by Sudhakar Pejavara.
In his inaugural address, Capt Ganesh Karnik said, “First of all we need to compliment Remona’s mother for encouraging her daughter to take up the India art dance, which these days not many youth are interested in it. Having won hundreds of awards and laurels prove that Remona is a talented girl, and has a very bright future in her interest in classical Indian dance. Dance matures like wine with age. Each time you dance it attains a new colour and a discerning audience who are willing to invest time and effort to appreciate will be able to feel the presentation. Dance has to be dynamic, where universal emotions are taken up and translated into art to suit the contemporary mind. Watching Remona’s performance today, I can say that this girl has got talents and she will shine much more in the years to come in Bharatanatyam dance”.
Remona’s quest to learn other dance forms namely Kuchipudi, Kathak, Semi Classical, Folk, Yakshagana, Western and Contemporary dance, proffered her more opportunities to establish and explore as an ambassador of dance. Remona has bagged thousands of prizes participating in innumerable competitions. The number of stage shows she presented is beyond count, though an exaggeration, is the bare truth. With the grace of Almighty, day and nights toil of her family members and sheer talent, Remona is determined and dedicated to her dancing career. Remona likes to absorb the dance, internalize the movements and make it as natural as breathing.
Speaking to Team Mangalorean, her dance Guru Dr Shrividya Muralidhar said, “I feel proud to have Remona as my student, who is quick in learning and gives her the best while performing the Bharatanatyam. The purpose of Indian classical dance is to show the audience this ‘other’ reality which is quite different to the reality of everyday life. This is the third and ultimate stage which a good dancer reaches: the dancer as an artist. A dancer begins as a student, becomes competent as a dancer, and only then, when she reaches the level of an artist, does she gain the ability to take the audience, and transport them, to a different reality. And for that matter, Remona has accomplished all these talents through her magnificent performances, as a “Bharatanatyam Dancer”.
ACHIEVEMENTS OF REMONA EVETTE PEREIRA :
Records created:- India book of Record; Bharat book of world Record; Golden Book of World Record of London. National awards: Chattisgarh-Kala Sanskriti Sanmana- 2018; Orissa-a) Indian dance academy & Asian dance society- 2018; Bharatiyakalashree Ratna award; Konark Nrityakala Ratna award- 2018; Delhi- National Gourava award, Sahithya Sanskriti award, Pride of India award, Kannada Naadu nudi Utsava- Talent award. Goa- Karunada Padmashree award, National konkan Nritya Shiromani award. Hyderabad-Nruthyashree award, Nrupathunga award, Netaji subhash Chandra Bose jayanthi.
Varanasi- Nritya Kala Sanmana award, Ganga Nrityotsavgeetotsav-Appreciation award. Moradabad-Kartikeya Sanskriti Santha – 2018. Haryana-Shri ramleela utsav committee – 2018 (Rohtak). Andhra Pradesh- Shri Kala Hasthi temple certificate, Raghavendra sathbhavana award (Manthralaya). Shirdi-Sri Guru sadbhavana award. Mumbai-The Bombay Andhra Mahasabha & Gymkhana- 2018. Shimla-Abhinay – 2018, Best child artist award. Nashik-All India Dance sport Federation – 10th National Dance sport Championship organized by: Nashik jilha dance sport association- Won 1st place.
State Level Accomplishments:- Gold medal – Kala kumbha Sanskriti vedike, Mangalore; 1st place -Bharatnatyam in 5 states – Chattisgarh, Orissa, Goa, Haryana, Shimla; 1st place – Semi- classical in 4 states – Orissa, Goa, Haryana, Shimla; 1st place – folk dance in 4 states – Chattisgarh, Orissa, Goa, Haryana; 1st place – Kuchipudi in 3 states – Orrisa, Goa, Shimla; 1st place in Western dance in 2 states – Orissa, Goa; 1st place (Chickaballapur)
AWARDS:- Aaralu mallige award, Karnataka natyamayuri award, Karnataka jyothi award, Karnataka Rathnashree award, Prathibharathna award, Nadina aprathima chaithanya award, Spoorthi shree prashasthi, Karnataka navachethana kala nikethan award, Kala Sangama ,(Delhi) Desi sambhrama karnataka rajyotsav prashasthi – 2017,Delhi; Nrupathunga kala nikethana Sanskritik sambhrama – 2010 award, Chaithanya arts academy merit certificate, Kala yashaswi award and certificate, Hubbali
Festivals performed :- Makkala habba ( Pillikula) – 2015, 2017, Makkala habba balabhavan ( Puttur) , Belavadi utsava – 2018, 2019, Sangoli rayana utsav – 2018, 2019, Purandara utsav – 2017,Hampi utsav – 2016, Mysore dasara – 2016, Janaparautsav ( Shimoga) Chiguru program.
Remona has exemplary danced using properties like glass pieces, glass tumbler, copper plate, mud pot, nail pad, on wooden roll, hula hoop, with flame, with skates shoes, balancing multiple pots on head, preparing tea on head, with a stick tied to leg etc. Her creativity and zeal to explore the unexplored in dance is par excellence and unparallel .
ABOUT DR SHRIVIDYA MURALIDHAR :
Bharathnatyam Dancer – Guru, Guide , Choreographer , Researcher , Scholar, Author – Art Presenter and an event Organizer, Dr Shrividya Muralidhar is a celebrated artist, phenomenal in her works. An ardent disciple of Guru Karnataka kala Thilaka Late Sri Muralidhar Rao, the Maestro, she has been teaching abhinaya and focused on creating abundant manodharma in the Pandanallor style of Bharathnatyam. Dr Shrividya is the Founder-President of Sourabha Sangeetha Nrutya Kala Parishath (R), Mangaluru. She is also the Artistic Director of the Sourabha Performing Art centre, Frankfurt Germany, known for the high aesthetic quality of its presentations that showcase Shrividya metier as Choreographer.
Dr Shrividya Muralidhar with Remona
She has also toured the Asian countries, The Gulf Countries extensively, The United Kingdom, Sri Lanka and Europe (scheduled- 2020) to perform, Conduct dance workshops and participate in Art seminars. She engages in the widest range of dance-related activities: performing, teaching, conducting, scripting, collaborating, organizing, writing and speaking to new youth audiences. In addition to her pursuit of her strong passion in the performing arts, Dr Shrividya has an exceptional academic record, which exhibits her multi-dimensional personality.MA in English Literature- Mangalore University, MBA- human Resource from symbiosis –Pune, P hD- Bharathnatyam- Hampi University, Junior and Senior Fellowship- Ministry of Culture, New Delhi.
Dance productions:- Shakthi Swaroopini, NavadurgiVaibhavam, Vijaya Krishna raya, SriKaveriMahathmyam, Bahubalivijayam, krishnaayathubhyamnamaha, Kumara sambhavam, ashtalakshmi, navarasa Kannada, Natyarani Shanthale, Kuvempu Ramayana Darshanam etc. She has various awards to her credit. Dr Shrividya has set herself an example, leading to show, upcoming dancers the true definition of the professionalism in the approach and systematic study required to learn and perform this art form. Giving the flavour and essence to the subject, spreading across the globe to imprint Bharatanatyam with her personal vision .
