Poetry found a vibrant expression through music, movement, colour as ‘Kavya Nrityam 2 – Celebrating the Lyrical Verses of J. K. Roseline’, presented at the National Gallery of Modern Art (NGMA), Mumbai.on 21st August 2026
The programme presented under the guidance of Guru Dr. Chitra Vishwanathan, founder of Abinayaa institute of research and Fine Arts Vasai Here young trained dancers brought the poems to life through choreography. The performers, demonstrated remarkable confidence and sensitivity in interpreting the different themes.
The evening began with an approximately 15-minute introduction by J. K. Roseline, in which she spoke about her literary journey, the inspiration behind her poetry and the thoughts and experiences that have shaped her work. Her introduction also placed the evening’s performances in the larger context of her journey as a poet and writer.
The presentation brought together ten performances, beginning with Rani Durgavati, and took the audience through a diverse range of themes drawn from the poetry Nature, devotion, patriotism, history, human values and the many facets of life found expression through dance and music.
The presentation brought together ten performances , all from a selection of poems from Roseline’s three poetry collections — A Bouquet of Roses, Nature Tales and The Guiding Lights —The carefully sequenced repertoire moved through themes of history and courage, nature, patriotism, peace, love and the human values It found expression through dance and music.
The response from members of the audience reflected the impact of the presentation.
Akshit Rajan an audience member described the programme as a “magnificent piece of art” and appreciated the way it brought a legacy of artistry to life. The same response specifically praised the work that went into the music, audio, video editing and background presentation, calling attention to the collaborative effort behind the production.
Another viewer, Harshad observed that, amid the darker themes and stories prevalent across television and social media in recent months, Kavya Nrityam offered a very different experience—one that was “relaxing and soothing”, with colourful lights, costumes, meaningful songs and poetry, music and visuals that were pleasing to the eye.
Perhaps one of the most moving responses, he drew a connection between the warriors portrayed in the poetry and Roseline’s own personal journey. The viewer remarked that although many of the poems were inspired by warriors, the evening also revealed “another warrior who survived”, and was now telling stories that inspired both her and the audience through music and dance. This is told in reference to Roseline being a cancer survivor.
Another member of the audience, Khushboo, described the presentation as a warm, feel-good experience, appreciating the combination of poetry, music, dance and storytelling.
The appreciation extended beyond the artistic presentation to the determination and effort behind it. One message described Roseline’s achievement as the result of “real guts and sheer hard work”, expressing joy at seeing her carve a niche in the art world and praising Guru Chitra Vishwanathan for the way the themes were presented and given movement through music and dance.
Among the audience reactions was that of Nilam Kanal, a retired EgyptAir professional and a regular visitor to NGMA, who described the evening as a unique cultural experience:
“It was a unique experience to see Indian classical dancers dancing to soulful English songs. Also, the dances on the courageous Rani Durgavati and Abbakka were of historical significance. All in all, a nice cultural evening. I have been coming to NGMA regularly whenever I see something interesting happening.”
Her response highlighted one of the distinctive aspects of Kavya Nrityam—the bringing together of Indian classical dance with English poetry and songs, alongside historical narratives celebrating courageous women such as Rani Durgavati and Rani Abbakka.
“The program was just excellent. The students performance was truly remarkable.and dedicated.Every moment was enjoyable , I enjoyed it thoroughly .awaiting for the next program . Best Regards” writes Zarin Mehta in her phone message to Roseline
The evening also became an occasion to acknowledge the contribution of everyone involved. At the conclusion of the performances, the participating dancers were invited onto the stage and presented with certificates of appreciation signed by J. K. Roseline. A group photograph with the young of the evening.
For Roseline and Guru Dr. Chitra, Kavya Nrityam marked another significant step in a journey dedicated to bringing literature and dance closer to audiences, particularly the young. The presentation demonstrated how poetry can move beyond the written page to find expression through movement, music and abhinaya, while conveying universal themes of harmony, secularism and human values.
Through workshops and art initiatives, they wish to introduce young minds to creativity and classical dance learning to express through art