Depth of dance

For years, she has been known for conceptualising and choreographing dance dramas and promoting other cultural activities. But, the director of Shri Ram Bhartiya Kala Kendra — Shobha Deepak Singh, this time, is showcasing another hobby that she has nurtured since childhood — the photos she took during those shows. Dancescapes — an exhibition of her photographs, will showcase the photos she has taken over the years. Curated by Dr Alka Pande, it will feature 70 vivid moments from the stage, which includes pictures of performances by Pt Birju Maharaj, Sonal Mansingh and Uma Sharma, and younger artistes like Asavari Mazumdar, Sharmistha Mukherjee and Rajendra Gangani. Shobha says that she has always been interested in photography, and carries her camera around. “When an actor is doing an emotional scene, I freeze the moment when the tears roll down her cheek. That is my idea of perfect photography,” she says. Once, during a Kuchipudi recital at Kamani auditorium, she reached a little late and got a back seat. But, she wanted to capture the beautiful twirls. “I took the picture and now it looks like a blooming flower,” she says, adding that some of her best photographs have come from difficult situations. Odissi guru Kelucharan Mahapatra used to perform in Delhi very often, but due to whatever reason, Shobha could never take his photographs. However, during one particular performance, she couldn’t keep from clicking as the artiste danced. “And it turned out to be his last performance in Delhi,” says Shobha, referring to one of the pictures that will be displayed. “A photograph becomes a testimony to the performance and a photographer has to be alert enough to not miss the moments that can tell the entire story,” she believes. Shobha admits she is not very aware of the technical advancements in photography, and that she prefers film photography to the digital form. She started using a digital camera almost two years ago but her love for negatives is such that she has requested her technicians to turn all the pictures taken from the digicam to negatives. “Film will always remain the mother,” she says, as she talks about her transition from one camera to another. “As a child, I got a Roliflex camera and moved on to a Yashika later.” In the late sixties, she bought a Nikon camera. However, her real stint in photography started in 1992 and there has been no looking back after that. The exhibition will be on at Visual Arts Gallery, India Habitat Centre, Lodhi Road, New Delhi from March 25 to April 2.