Excursion Poetry of dance tour at Chennai

Enjoy an evening at the Madras Club, with an Indian dance performance and cocktails - a perfect way to spend an evening in Chennai!

Tonight, you will be enthralled by the performance of Lakshmi Viswanathan the famous dancer and Artistic Director of the Academy of Arts of India. Taught by the great Guru Ellappa of Kanchipuram, Lakshmi is one of the true representatives of Bharatanatyam - the Renaissance of classical dance of South India, which has its roots in temple traditions. Classical dance in India differentiates itself from traditional Indian folk dances and Bharata Natyam is one of the eight major classical dance forms, which originated in South India over 3000 years ago.

It has three main aspects: 'Natya', the dramatic element where the dancer tells a story expressing various sentiments using subtle facial expressions and hand gestures, 'Nrtta', the abstract dance aspect where the choreography is complex, precise and often very rhythmic - but with no symbolic meaning, and 'Nritya' uses both dance and drama to emphasize the meaning of the lyric and mood of the music. Rhythm is a vital part of this dance, which uses emphatic footwork.

Centuries ago this dance was performed solely by a community of women called 'Devdasis', which literally meant Servants of God. These women brought up by the temple and never married with their life's sole purpose to dance in honour of the temple's presiding deity.

Awarded the highest national award for the arts by the President of India - 'Sangit Natak Academy Award', Lakshmi along with her dance troupe of six dancers and four musicians has performed both in India and abroad. In addition she has taught master classes to dance students and lectured on dance.

Residencies and performances at the Brandeis University, Waltham, Massachusetts, Choreographic presentation at Kresge hall, MIT, Boston, her performance at Jacobs Pillow dance festival, Lee, Massachusetts, choreographic presentation at Singapore at Victoria theatre for SIFAS, master classes at Mark Morris Dance Center, New York, are just a few of her accomplishments. In addition she has written on book 'Bharatanatayam the Tamil heritage' and produced a documentary film 'Poetry of Dance'.

Return to the ship later this evening.

Please note: This tour requires some walking with stairs and inclines, a distance of approximately 265 yards and 10 steps at Madras Club. It is suitable for guests with limited mobility and those who utilise a wheelchair, able to walk short distances and get on and off the coach via steps. Vehicles used are the best available in the city, they will not be of the same standard as vehicles found in the Western countries. This tour has limited participation; we suggest you book in advance to avoid disappointment.