SELECTED REVIEWS: MANDALA ARTS AND CULTURE
Nadopasana (2004)
A contemporary look at a fascinating ancient dance form, featuring dazzling
performances by bharata natyam master Jai Govinda partnered with the brilliant
Anusha Fernando.
- The Asian Star, Vancouver
Kama (2001)
Govinda fuses styles so carefully that the lines between them are washed away
in a refreshing new language. John and Isabelle Ottman moved as delicately
as sprites then held sculptural poses inspired by Indian mythology.
- The Georgia Straight, Vancouver
Winds (2000)
The surprise of the three programmes was Jai Govinda… Govinda called on his earlier training in ballet to create Winds, a fusion of East and West that seemed, refreshingly, about French Canadian Jai Govinda himself. The shapes are a mix of ballet and, primarily bharata natyam, but with a rhythm and flow that is uniquely loose and easy… In Govinda’s… choreography, the implications of fusion are extremely weighty.
- Dance International, Vancouver
Narcissus (1996)
Dancers from several different backgrounds in movement style forged an impressive and coherent unity of dance movement and presentation which seamlessly united their several abilities and talents. It seems natural to regard Jai Govinda’s choreography as the fully realized blending of different traditions and styles into an entirely new medium. The important feature of Offrande and the Narcissus is quite simply that they were excellent dance and exciting theatre. They worked!
- Kala Magazine, Toronto
The Blue God (1999)
Entrancing Blue God a Hypnotic Fusion of East and West
[Jai Govinda’s] choreography is a seamless fusion of Bharata Natyam and western contemporary and classical styles. Govinda’s command of the technique shone through in his most recent performance,
The Blue God. Govinda’s appearance was striking when he entered the stage… his movements were mesmerizing. Govinda’s new work made for a memorable evening of dance.
- The Georgia Straight, Vancouver
SELECTED REVIEWS: JAI GOVINDA
Jai’s lines were beautifully etched. There was a flow, at once graceful in the execution of the Adavus… convincing interpretations in the Abhinaya spoke volumes for his virtuosity… as to rhythm, he was pat on the beat negotiating footwork with ease, grace and poise… This Prince Charming of Bharata Natyam has much to give and embellish this great style.
- The Statesman, New Delhi
Across the Cultural Divide: Spellbinding
It was an aesthetic experience to watch Jai Govinda. It is not merely an Indian name that this Canadian has acquired; it is the very spirit of Indian dance that he has imbibed. Impeccably profiled, the geometry of Jai Govinda’s Bharata Natyam was a pleasure to watch. With a finely honed sense of rhythm, the fractional intervals of time created no problem to this dancer. But what lifted the performance to great heights was the quality of abhinaya. The verses of the poetry set to music found a level of dance interpretation rarely seen among male Bharata Natyam dancers. Each phrase vibrated with feeling. The entire audience was seeped in the devotional fibre of the dance. The interspersed pure dance portions were full of easy grace, and clarity of rhythm. Jai Govinda showed a uniform concern for aesthetics and in the fine selection of items for a male dancer.
- The Hindu, New Delhi
Of Montreal’s four top solo dancers, Margie Gillis, Marie Chouinard, Dulcinee Langfelder and Jai Govinda, the Quebecer with the Indian name is by far the least known. Jai Govinda is the only one of these remarkable soloists who works strictly within a severely codified dance vocabulary, one which is even more regimented than ballet.
- The Gazette, Montreal
It's not news that Montreal's dance scene has produced remarkable solo artists, but it is surprising that one of those artists is a master of Indian Classical dance form, the Bharata Natyam. Jai Govinda is making an impact on the international dance scene. As a dancer, he has clean technique, strong beautiful lines, and appealing stage presence that allows him to cross cultural barriers.
- The Georgia Straight, Vancouver