A Life of nritya

Photos: Sheikh Mehedi Morshed

When the news of Leela Samson coming to perform in Dhaka, Bangladesh, hit the newspaper stands, in the middle of April, every passionate dancer in the country had butterflies in their stomachs. It was after all, THE Leela Samson. I, just like those other dancers, was on my toes to come face to face with this living legend of a Bharatanatyam dancer.

Samson travelled to Dhaka with her troupe Spanda, a company she formed in 1995. From April 21-23, the group presented a three-day Bharatanatyam Festival titled “Roop Bahulya”, and have begun a Bharatanatyam dance workshop from April 24-28 at Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy (BSA). Shadhona and Srishti Cultural Center, in association with BSA, have organised the programmes.

A leading Bharatanatyam dancer, Leela Samson's life as a dancer was no less than a wonder.

“It's strange, the way life works,” says Samson, in her soft, almost soothing voice. “I was sent to Kalakshetra, founded by Rukmini Devi Arundale, at the age of nine. She was not my direct teacher. I was trained by some of her senior disciples. But when I started performing in dance dramas directed by her, I had the honour of getting her direct criticism and guidance. Those inputs from her always stayed with me.”

Her memories with and of Rukmini Devi, who is considered the most important revivalist in the Indian classical dance form of Bharatnatyam from its original 'sadhir' style, still bring a smile to her face. “She was such an awesome figure of a woman. She was a theosophist and a direct disciple of Annie Besant. So her philosophies of life were very inclusive of all religions. She frequently talked about higher aspirations, and philosophies. Her instructions were not like a regular teacher,” she smiles, “Dance, to her, was like a higher offering, not a form of entertainment. Her life, whether it was reviving old textiles, her animal welfare work, or her work at the national level for culture, was inspirational and exemplary. That's what she passed on to us.” Samson had her Arangetram (graduation) in 1971.

She then moved to Delhi where she taught dance at Shriram Bharatiya Kalakendra, and was also associated with Gandharva Mahavidyalaya. She regularly performed with Odissi dancer Madhavi Mudgal, and had set up a flourishing career as a soloist. Her performances were captivating since back then, and she is still known for her technical virtuosity.

“When Rukmini Devi had fallen ill, she had asked me to accompany her during a tour in China. I helped her look after the company then. After she passed, I went back to Kalakshetra and spent a year there to write the biography on her and her life.” The book, Rukmini Devi: A Life, was published in January 2010. “After Rukmini Devi, though, there was nobody who had that fire in their belly– to take the institution further with the same amount of zeal.” she says, “The then director, Mysore S. Rajaram, who taught me Carnatic vocals during my time in Kalakshetra, called me in. I was not prepared, but they took my interview anyway.” She was then selected as the director of Kalakshetra in 2005. “It was a hard decision for me because I was doing well with my solo career and had already established Spanda. But I thought maybe I should give back to the institution that has given me so much. I tried to bring back that fire and wonder. I don't know if it worked, but I know I tried my best.”

After retiring from the post in 2012, Leela Samson went back to being a soloist, and also revived Spanda. Some of the dancers that she has trained and mentored went on to become big names in the field of Bharatanatyam or elsewhere. American bharatanatyam dancer Justin McCarthy, actresses Aditi Hydari and Swara Bhaskar, even our very own Anisul Islam Hero, are some of the famous names that have been mentored by Leela Samson.

Apart from India, Samson has taught in countries scattered across the globe, including Italy, the US, the UK, and more. She has even given lectures and taken workshops in noted universities such as Princeton and Columbia.

Of dancers and dance enthusiasts in Bangladesh, she says, “There's a healthy scenario of dance here. The dancers seem to be naturally inclined towards the arts. One problem will be language. It was also a problem for me since I didn't grow up in Tamil Nadu. I had to make an effort to learn Sanskrit and Tamil, the root languages in Bharatanatyam, since most of the sahityas (literature) are written in these languages,” she says, “You can also adapt to the times and make Bangla songs. But someone has to take the time and create new Varnams, Shabdams, Padams and Javeris (Bharatanatyam dance items) in the local languages and then maybe compose them in Carnatic sangeetam (music). But then, sometimes, if you change the language, the whole thing may lose its identity. So there's a lot to think about in this regard.”

Today, at the age of 64, Leela Samson still exudes the epitome of grace, elegance and beauty. The way she moves her hands while speaking also has a hint of dance and art in it. She embodies the ideal Bharatanatyam dancers, and teaches one how to be one. “You just have to do it (dance)! You have to love it. You have to be happy with it. A lot of it is about the affection you have for what you do. Love dancing, and dancing will love you.”