Artistic Sanction – can performing in chennai do it for you?

Every time I visit Chennai during the “Season” I am astonished and stunned at many things. Whether it is the substandard arrangements on stage, or the no-arrangements whatsoever for the artists who are performing, or the attitude of the non-present secretaries and office bearers, or the depleting audiences, or the dusty empty chairs, or the feverish – young up and coming musicians and dancers, the list is breathtaking to me.

Every year I make it a point to spend at least a few days during this much hyped season. I attend a couple of concerts where young performers are “given a chance” the 12:00 noon or after noon slots. Here is a live delineation of one such concert I attended this year.

The noon 12 o clock concert was just about ending, the young girl who sat on the stage was singing a tukda, her accompanying violinist and mridangist were adeptly playing with her, an average performance, this could easily have been much better since the three of them were quite talented in bits and pieces then what was the problem? They were scared probably, may be de- motivated? There were around 15 members in the audience, some family members of the performer and a few music lovers. If a classical carnatic concert of an up & coming singer who has taken the risk of choosing this as a career has 15 persons in the auditorium, what are the thoughts that go on in the mind of the singer. What is my future? Did i do the right thing to take this up as a profession? When will I be known? When will I get some recognition? How can I get better audiences? Etc etc.

I was pained at this apathy, I have been an impresario/organiser for nearly 30 years and in these years promoted not only the “Star Performers” of the country but also many many young talents who today have become stars in their own right. But I must say the state of audiences has changed. A large part of the work I did was in Bangalore and other cities like Calcutta, Delhi and Bombay/Poona. One did get full houses even for young artists. But Chennai is an altogether different cup of coffee!!!!!

The Prime ambition of most artists from other parts of India is performing in Chennai, whether its music or dance. It is the dream of every carnatic musician and Bharata Natyam dancer to get a couple of shows in Chennai during the season, the thought or idea being – if you perform in Chennai you get the social or rather artistic sanction of being a performer, this is some recognition that they seek.

For dancers too the story is the same, but a bit worse in some cases where they have to pay the organisers to perform. A dancer’s expenses are huge, costume and jewellery is expensive, musicians are also a huge expense, rehearsal charges for musicians and their transport etc, make up and other paraphernalia, lights (most of the time they need extra lights), the lights man, Travel and Stay etc etc ………So one pays the organiser for the “Chance” and spends all this from ones pocket to put up a performance……….

Some dancers do get paid or sponsored where most of the time they manage to get the sponsor through their good offices or contacts. But again the costs don’t break even. I have yet to find a young performer who can tell me that they are earning and making money. Unless you are a top performer like malavika or priyadarshini or senior artists, organisers do not pay sufficiently. But that is not the point of discussion, my issues are :

1. Treatment of the artist
2. Standard of organising
3. Payment conditions
4. Audiences

While the secretaries or representatives of the sabha are not even present to receive let alone welcome the artist, the artists have to find their way in to the hall, check the green room which is most of the times in very bad condition, unclean, no dustbins, A/C’s don’t operate, toilets are pathetic to say the least, not even drinking water is available. So the artists carry their water, control the need to use the toilet and get set with their make up etc. In a while the organiser comes in and says they can start the program. There are no niceties like namaskaram, how are you etc. The artist has to deal with the sound and light person and give them her own instructions. Most times they make do with what ever is available and spend for the extra arrangements. Infact the staff have such an attitude that they normally make it clear – make do with what we are giving you! Just recently a sound guy refused to give me a podium just because he had to lift it from the wings and keep it on the stage, he was upset and told me it is not possible, only after I told him that I would find it difficult and said I would not announc,e let the program go with out announcements he very reluctantly lifted the podium. I have never faced this in Bangalore or Bombay or Calcutta or Delhi. Is it not our prerogative to announce the way we want?? Some of the dancers who in their own city get huge audiences are sad to see a paltry 20 or 30 members in the audience during their looked forward to programs. Is it about Dance or only your favourite dancer. If audiences do not witness new performers how can we nurture them, allow them to grow, appreciate them or give them feedback on what they can do to enhance or better their art. Every performer works so hard to give their best but if they are not even given a chance of being seen it can be extremely frustrating and upsetting.

I know many dancers and musicians will relate to what I am sharing.

While I do not want to get in to “small level thoughts” my only worry is towards the larger picture.

It is not an easy task but all of us associated with the arts must work starting at an individual level to working together in unison.

Though, thankfully we are not facing this crisis in the city of Bangalore. Every senior dancer has not only appreciators but also fans in the form of students of dance. It is heartening that at any performance of a Star, one can easily find if not less at least 60 dancers. Were we not told that one must not just practice and train but also see performances to enhance ones learning? This is not only about those who are training in dance, but also about developing and increasing the tribe of connoisseurs/audiences/appreciators of the arts.

After three decades of being an events consultant I dare say that Chennai organisers need lessons in humility, the attitude has to be of support to promote and propagate the ART rather than that of giving “a Chance”, taking good care of the artists, making them feel comfortable, etc. If all the artists had learnt a lesson or two from the great Kishori Amonkar, they would know how to react to the pathetic behaviour of some organisers in the mecca of arts.

I would like to make it amply clear that these are ONLY MY PERSONAL VIEWS AND EXPERIENCES and if you do not agree to them I am okay with it.