Thillana - Hamir Kalyani raaga - Adi taala - Bharatanatyam (Kalakshetra baani)

This is a beautiful Thillana choreography in the Kalakshetra baani to a lilting and well-loved Hamir Kalyani composition by Harikeshanallur Mutthaiah Bhagavathar, who presented this piece in the Mysore court. The ability to go across languages and regions so easily using music and dance as the bridging medium has always fascinated me and presents lessons for our current divisive and exclusionary times.
This piece, typically a concluding item in a recital, was recorded as part of the Doordarshan Chandana series in Bangalore in 2010.
Thillana
Composer: Harikeshanallur Mutthaiah Bhagavathar
Language: Telugu
Raaga: Hamir Kalyani
Taala: Adi
Choreographer: Guru Rukmini Devi Arundale, Kalakshetra
Nattuvangam: Guru Smt. Vasanta Vedam
Vocal: Smt. Vasudha Balakrishna
Mridangam: Sri R. Srihari
Flute: Sri H. S. Venugopal
Violin: Dr. S. Nataraj Murthy
Dancer: Aishwarya Lakshmi Ratan