Maya Angelou was one among the first fiery feminists that was hurled at the patriarchal world and surely took it by storm. Her works and life inspired several women to follow their dreams and be absolutely unashamed of their bodies and life choices. Wouldn’t any Women’s Day chapter be incomplete without the mention of a hero like her then?
The folks at IndianRaga surely agree to Angelou’s magnificence and have paid her their tribute using what they do best. Five IndianRaga fellows from 2016 bring Angelou’s iconic poem back to life in their depiction of a woman’s life through Bharatanatyam. Yes, you heard that right. Unlike what you might expect, classical dance has what it takes to depict this poem in all its glory. Shared on their Facebook page, the creative people at IndianRaga captioned it,
“Maya Angelou’s poem, Still I Rise, is depicted through the story of a woman who wants more out of life. 2016 IndianRaga Fellows Surya, Aarthy, Vivek and Swathi present Radhika Ganesh’s iconic choreography in this new-age collaboration that tells the story of the many women we know and cherish in our lives.”
Starting off with depicting a woman’s daily life and the chores she performs on a regular basis as a matter of routine, the choreography goes on to show the shackles she is tied down with. After having done all she can to keep her loved ones happy and healthy, when demanding the freedom to fly and achieve her own dreams she is refused. She manages to fly away though and becomes what she wants to be, just like Angelou did. The brilliant combo of choreography and expressions bring ‘Still I Rise’ to life flawlessly.
This International Women’s Day break free of whatever is holding you back and be assured that no matter how many times life and society throws you down, you have what it takes to rise back up. So, YOU GO WOMEN!
