Moving Poetry at Kips Bay NYPL (5) For the fifth session of "Moving Poetry: Indian Dance and Poetry" at the Kips Bay New York Public Library, we explored the theme of emotions and its depiction in dance, through the poem "Unending Love" by Rabindranath Tagore.
Unending Love Rabindranath Tagore I seem to have loved you in numberless forms, numberless times… In life after life, in age after age, forever. My spellbound heart has made and remade the necklace of songs, That you take as a gift, wear round your neck in your many forms, In life after life, in age after age, forever. Whenever I hear old chronicles of love, its age-old pain, Its ancient tale of being apart or together. As I stare on and on into the past, in the end you emerge, Clad in the light of a pole-star piercing the darkness of time: You become an image of what is remembered forever. You and I have floated here on the stream that brings from the fount. At the heart of time, love of one for another. We have played alongside millions of lovers, shared in the same Shy sweetness of meeting, the same distressful tears of farewell- Old love but in shapes that renew and renew forever. Today it is heaped at your feet, it has found its end in you The love of all man’s days both past and forever: Universal joy, universal sorrow, universal life. The memories of all loves merging with this one love of ours – And the songs of every poet past and forever.
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Moving Poetry at Kips Bay NYPL (4) For the fourth session of "Moving Poetry: Indian Dance and Poetry" at the Kips Bay New York Public Library, we explored the theme of nature and its depiction in dance, through the poem "Over the green and yellow rice fields" by Rabindranath Tagore. Over the Green and Yellow Rice Fields Rabindranath Tagore Over the green and yellow rice-fields sweep the shadows of the autumn clouds followed by the swift- chasing sun. The bees forget to sip their honey; drunken with light they foolishly hover and hum. The ducks in the islands of the river clamour in joy for mere nothing. Let none go back home, brothers, this morning, let none go to work. Let us take the blue sky by storm and plunder space as we run. Laughter floats in the air like foam on the flood. Brothers, let us squander our morning in futile songs. ![]() Flying High Together (Group poem) Brothers and sisters, we shall... Eat the rice for dinner, Sing with joy, Dance in the rice fields with the stalks, Catch the fish, prawns, and crabs, Go to work and go back home, Fly high with bees and ducks, Meditate. Moving Poetry at Kips Bay NYPL (3)For the third session of "Moving Poetry: Indian Dance and Poetry" at the Kips Bay New York Public Library, we explored the theme of rhythm through the poem "The Same Stream of Life" by Rabindranath Tagore. The Same Stream of Life Rabindranath Tagore The same stream of life that runsthrough my veins night and day runs through the world and dances in rhythmic measures. It is the same life that shoots in joy through the dust of the earth in numberless blades of grass and breaks into tumultuous waves of leaves and flowers. It is the same life that is rocked in the ocean-cradle of birth and of death, in ebb and in flow. I feel my limbs are made glorious by the touch of this world of life. And my pride is from the life-throb of ages dancing in my blood this moment. ![]() Rhythms of Life (Group poem) Sirens, traffic, traffic lights, taxis honking Day and night, the subway Pedestrians walking, bicycles The rhythm of nature, leaves, flowers, birds Construction, doors opening and closing, beeping Cellphones, conversations, and music. Bharatanatyam gives learners an opportunity to build on complexityOne of the reasons Bharatanatyam is so suited for older adults is that it gives a way to build on complexity of movement in a modular way. Simpler movements can be combined together to create something longer, giving participants a sense of accomplishment. The video below comprises a pattern that we learned in this sequence: we first learned the rhythm (3 steps + 1 gap), the sollu (the way the rhythm is articulated and spoken), feet movements, hand movements, and then hands in four different directions. At any time, participants can choose to pick all, some, or none of the modalities, as watching is also considered a part of dance in Bharatanatyam. We also did these movements in different speeds, adding an additional layer of complexity. Dancers: Sloka, Marshall Douglas, Deanna vanSecondorf, CS Rani
Video credit: Michael Setter Venue: YM&YWHA of Washington Heights and Inwood. Celebrating springtime with learners at the YM & YWHA of Washington Heights and InwoodParticipants of the sessions at the YM & YWHA of Washington Heights and Inwood were inspired by the sights of spring today (some pictures below):
Moving Poetry at Kips Bay NYPL (2) For the second session of "Moving Poetry: Indian Dance and Poetry" at the Kips Bay New York Public Library, we explored the theme of spring and rejuvenation through the poem "Ecstacy" by Sarojini Naidu. Ecstasy Sarojini Naidu Heart, O my heart! lo, the springtime is waking In meadow and grove. Lo, the mellifluous koels are making Their paeans of love. Behold the bright rivers and rills in their glancing, Melodious flight, Behold how the sumptuous peacocks are dancing In rhythmic delight. Shall we in the midst of life's exquisite chorus Remember our grief, O heart, when the rapturous season is o'er us Of blossom and leaf? Their joy from the birds and the streams let us borrow, O heart! let us sing, The years are before us for weeping and sorrow ... Today it is spring! ![]() Today is spring/ Group Poem Blossoming rain Brings flowers Doves cooing, birds cooing, Colors and smells, Beckoning us towards rebirth, Joy and happiness. Hybrid (virtual and in-person) session with Arts for the Aging (2)At Arts for the Aging, we have been trying to come up with ways to include more cultures and disciplines in our creative aging work, and also reach more older adults. In March of 2023, I worked with Annetta Dexter Sawyer with hybrid programing.
A few images are below (image credit: Susan at Kensington Club Parklawn) Moving Poetry at Kips Bay NYPL (1)Our first session as part of the poetry and movement workshop on March 24, 2025 at Kips Bay NYPL, we explored a poem by Ravindranath Tagore titled "Vismaya"/ Wonder (below): Vismaya (Wonder) by Rabindranath Tagore "My heart sings at the wonder of my place in this world of light and life. at the feel in my pulse of the rhythm of creation cadenced by the swing of the endless time. I feel the tenderness of the grass in my forest walk, the wayside flowers startle me: that the gifts of the infinite are strewn in the dust wakens my song in wonder. I have seen, have heard, have lived; in the depth of the known have felt the truth that exceeds all knowledge which fills my heart with wonder, and I sing." ![]() Gifts of life/ Treasures (group poem) "Sunlight, the moon, starts, rain, nature, Space Happiness, joy, family, Life, flowers Imagination, creativity, transitions, Time, youth, old age, Lifecycles, existence, Empathy, compassion, love, gratitude, wisdom, freedom, Completion." Image credit: Elissa King at Kips Bay NYPL
The study of patterns in Bharatanatyam for creative aging (2)In an earlier post, I talked about how Bharatanatyam gives learners the unique opportunity to learn and analyze various rhythmic patterns. At the YM&YWHA, Nagle Avenue, participants different combinations of steps that can make up the count (e.g the count of 9 can be 4+5, 5+4, or 3+3+3.
One learner analyzed the five jaatis as shown in the image below, and shared it with the rest of the group. This also gives an opportunity for learners to share among themselves, building community and trust. Hence, the study of Bharatanatyam for creative aging provides a structured learning opportunity that participants can focus on and master (if they so choose), and provides avenues for creativity within this structure. Additionally, as we see in the example below, it provides ways for learners to build community and trust with one another. In these ways, the study of Bharatanatyam provides a structure that participants can focus on and learn. The study of patterns in Bharatanatyam for creative aging (1)A few weeks ago, I talked about how the study of Bharatanatyam lends itself to a study of patterns. At the YM&YWHA, Nagle Avenue, we have been learning the five Jaatis that make up the talam (rhythm) repository in Carnatic music. I create videos (like the one below) for learners to practice.
On the right is an image of the five Jaatis (3,4,5,7,9) that a learner created and distributed to others. |
AuthorMy name is Sloka. I am a neuroscientist and dancer; you can find more about me here. Archives
April 2025
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