sooraj subramaniam

PALLAVI is a technical work based on Odissi, the classical dance from the eastern-Indian state of Odisha. This grounded form employs a supple, pliant spine and is rich in rhythmic footwork and gestural detail. Named after the Sanskrit word that means “to bloom” or “to grow,” Pallavi symbolises a seed planted in soils far from Odissi’s native home; nourished by contemporary sensibilities, it blooms from abstract minimalism into dense, kaleidoscopic motifs.

The score is premised on the Rāgam-Tānam-Pallavi, an improvisational and virtuosic exposition in the Carnatic (South Indian) musical tradition. Composed by renowned violinist Ambi Subramaniam, it is set in Ābheri, a minor musical mode that is gently melancholic, yet offers footholds for warmth. A ten-beat rhythmic refrain, punctuated by recited syllables and resonant mardala percussion, enters into dialogue with the melody.

What begins as free-flowing improvisation gradually intensifies into a crescendo of melodic and rhythmic complexity. Over this musical architecture, the dance hovers—tenderly at first—and then settles into a resolute relationship. Four dancers discover movement first within themselves, and then gently between each other, blooming with curiosity and camaraderie to reveal ornamental patterns and joyous ensemble expression.