Divya Warier: A Philanthropic Artist with a Large Heart
February 18, 2024
“Harmony in Diversity: Pratiroop – Empowering Indian Classical Dance for a Cause”
February 18, 2024Pratiroop by Warrier Foundation is a Novel idea of a mentorship program where Senior professional practitioners from various classical dance styles are mentored by Legendary Gurus from a different classical styles. This 1 and a half month mentorship program was a Collaborative opportunity for the mentees to come up with a unique and creative piece based on the discussion, guidance, and mentorship of the Senior Gurus.
The project is also an initiative to raise funds for 300 underprivileged children who are a part of the NGO- Warrier Foundation-Bal Mandir and enable their remote learning in this pandemic situation. This entire series was powered by Indian Raga. The crowdfunding on the Give India page has generated 1 lakh towards this noble cause.
The Unique Project was successful only because of team work of Pratiroop which included Pratibha Jagannathan, Ramesh Vasu, Vidya Pradeep, Keerthana Ravi, KeerthiKumar & spearheaded under the leadership of Divya Warier, Mohiniyattam Artist & Trustee at Warrier Foundation.
Mentee’s List
Rama Vaidyanathan- Prateeksha Kashi ( Kuchipudi )
Neena Prasad – Monami & Rohini ( Odissi )
Prerana Shrimali – Keertana Ravi ( Bhartanatyam )
Vyjayanthi Kashi – Arti Srivastava ( Kathak )
Sharmila Biswas – Divya Warier ( Mohiniyattam )
All mails and communications can be forwarded to warrierfoundation@gmail.com,
Our Pratiroop series which was showcased on Warrier Foundations Youtube channel, Produced many insights to the life of an artist and their artistic journey. Concluding Discussion of Our Pratiroop Project were along the lines of “Reflection- Perception -Connection”
-Brief reflection on the Pratiroop Mentorship Project process. (Insights, thought provoking process analysis, breaking barriers , collaborations.)
– Perceptions-
Srirams– (Indian raga CEO) input about how we can change the perceptions of the viewers towards research oriented productions or work like witnessed in Pratiroop!
– Connection– How to maintain the connect with the rasikas, reaching new audiences globally, social media presence, digital platform, believing in collaborations, senior artist creating digital content for this era, etc
About My work in brief
Divya Warier– Why I choose it….I wanted to get out of my comfort zone. The character Hidimbi provided that opportunity.
As didi explained…Hidimbi as a single mother, a woman who has gone against her community and married bhima, a kshtriya prince. Yet she brought up her son with the basic knowledge and ethics of her community.
Sharmila biswas Didi – we were dealing with a kind of motherhood we have never seen. We were dealing with a cannibal, and trying to justify it, from her perspective. We were dealing with woman with simple but strong likes and dislikes.
Both
So this process we were not doing it with an idea that we have to present it in one month, so didn’t shorten it, we looked at it as a whole production.
We kept it flexible, whatever we can complete we will show , as it’s still a work in progress, many things we will not show , but will work on it as a whole idea . No short cuts.
Few Reviews Received on my work on Hidimbi, under the Mentorship of Sharmila Biswas Didi.
Rama Vaidyanathan
I think you have really pushed your boundaries in the true sense of the word. Extremely creative and very captivating dancing. You have infused a new synergy to Mohiniattam with this portrayal of Hidimbi. You were HER through out the piece !
Congrats Divya 🙏
My Guru and teacher Dr. Neena Prasad.( She published the above on her facebook page)
Very rarely sishyas amaze their Gurus. Even while they can impress Gurus as they dance well, do brilliant choreography etc etc…the magical moment is not so common. Here is a presentation by my sishya Divya Madhavan Divya Warrier (under the guidance of Odissi exponent Sharmila Biswas Ovm for Pratiroop series by Warrier Foundation) which gave me moments of amazement as she heeds with the character Hidimbi, bringing the raw identity of the character which contrasts to the regular mohiniyattam nayika.
Let me tell you, this is not a conventional presentation ; neither it is flawless or complete , but dancer grasps Hidimbi to her core even while finding the theatrical possibilities within the form of Mohiniyattam.
Neatly presented Divya.!
As I was watching, you kept my heart beat in tense but finally made intense!
