THE CONTRIBUTION TO BHARATA NATYAM FROM
MONICA RIZZARDI FROM ITALY

Bharata Natyam, the oldest form of Indian Art has attracted many of the people all around the world. This Art form has increased the number of people to practise it, not only in the United States but in Europe too, there are many people who have taken up this Art form. Among these people, we had not heard anybody from Italy earlier.
This was fulfilled by Monica Rizzardi who has settled in Venice of Italy.
The greatness about Monica is that she has got training under the able guidance of the famous and internationally known Personality, Ram Gopal, an exponent of Bharata Natyam. She would visit him in London and France during her free time and later after the demise of Ram Gopal, Monica took training under the able guidance of Leela Ramanathan, a contemporary of Ram Gopal.
Inspite of such vigorous training, Monica waited for 12 long years for her Debut in dance Performance. These many years of her learning and practise was truly expressed in her performance which was doubtless.
This passion for dance was well expressed by Monica in her debut in Bangalore. The first items of invocation to “Ganesha and Brahma” showed the her perfection in movement and poses.
The next number called the “Jathiswaram in Chakravaka Raga” was the deciding factor of her determination. Though her “Aramandi” was not very perfect, it did not have any blemish on the “Angashuddhi”, the depiction of hands, neck and eye movements. Her body language was perfect.
In the second number that was a famous Shabdam “Shreekara Karunakara”, she could have made better effort in the facial expressions.
The Varnam “Swami Ninne Kori”, in Navaragamallika, chosen by Monica, was not an easy number for a debut, overcoming she shortcoming of the previous item, Monica performed the Varnam with great ease and comfort. The “Teermanams or the Jathis” were perfect and her body movement was performed effortless. Moving around the stage and the slight body movements brought richness to the dance. This kind of expertise in dance but not only talks about her achievement in dance but also speaks of her Guru who was responsible for this.
“Abhinaya” or the expression, is the one that Monica has to still work on.
Though she was able to establish the “Virahotkantitha Nayika” in the second half of the Varnam, her expression fell short of perfection. But the lively “adavus” for the “swaras” were very agile and full of life.
This was ably figured out in the “Dashavatara” Ashtapadi, the explanation of the Ten Avataras was well expressed and the respective hand gestures brought out perfectly and added glamour to the number. The “Vasika Sayja Nayika Bhava” was also well expressed in the next Ashtapadi “ Pashyathi Dishi Dishi”. It also proved that Monica was in the pursuit of improving her Abhinaya and there is no doubt about that.
For this debut of Monica, was responsible the orchestra who are very well known artists of Bangalore. The well known musician Neela Ramanuja also performed the “Nattuvangam” with great ease and the delivery of the “Jathis” were perfect, which gave embellishment to the dance programme. She was ably supported by N.G.Ravi (mrudangam), J.K.Sreedhar (violin) and Ravichandra Kulur (flute).
They were all perfectly in tune and were well prepared, which was commendable.

S.N.Chandrasekhar
Dance/ Music/ Fine Arts Critic

A translation from newspaper “Kannada Prabha” into English
Bangalore (India) 14th march 2004