New Acropolis hosted “The Universal Language of Rhythm” with Kathak exponent Aditi Bhagwat on Sunday 21st January 2024, at the main centre in Colaba, attended by over 70 people. Aditi was joined by Flamenco artist Bettina Castano. Amongst the attendees were the Head of Post, Australian Consulate General, Mumbai – Ms Majell Hind, as well as the Royal Thai Consul Ms. Nuanprae Bunnag.
New Acropolis is a proud member of the Mumbai Festival 2024.
The session explored the theme “Toward Unity through Diversity”, investigating how rhythm can be a force that unites us as human beings, and how we can use rhythm to live more meaningful lives, by building connections with each other.
Aditi explored this theme from several points of view. Her work with harpists, Jazz pianists, African drummers and Korean dancers taught her that tolerance, respect, and humility help build within us the sensitivity and ability to harmonise our rhythm with others. To not judge, but to celebrate the differences. She also explained how Kathak itself is a confluence of two cultures.
The audience was treated to a display of what it means when two very different cultures unite to create harmony, with a Kathak-Flamenco duo performed by Aditi with Bettina Castano. Bettina, like Aditi has collaborated with multiple artists from different traditions & toured the world with her performances. She believes that music and dance have no borders, they unite everybody and give peace.
The audience learnt the strict mathematical framework within which rhythm works, through an engaging interactive session by Aditi. And experienced the diverse and creative forms that can result from a strict framework. She performed the exquisitely contained Shiv Vandana in classical Kathak style and enthralled us with the exuberance of the Lavani, a Maharashtrian folk dance performed only by women and used to express their everyday trials and joys. She explained that certain rhythms, often used in folk music such as Lavani, in counts of twos and fours, connects us all as human beings because it is the rhythm of the beating human heart.
In “Laya ki Kahani”,the story of Tempo, Aditi created an engaging portrait of how we live our lives at different rhythms and the impact these have on us. Told in “Hasya Ras” based on the emotion of laughter, this was a lesson for us to learn to recognise the frenetic speed of our lives and its consequences.
Aditi, started training at the age of 4 under her mother classical singer Ragini Bhagwat and later with her teacher Dr. Roshan Kumari in the Jaipur style of Kathak, shared the values that the practice of Kathak have helped her develop over the years.
She spoke of discipline & devotion; about persevering until your art “runs like blood in your veins”. That one needs to form a relationship with one’s art and devote time to it every day, that it needs “relentless love”.
