Sharmila Mukerjee adapts Swan Lake into Odissi dance

Odissi exponent Sharmila Mukerjee has choreographed ‘Hansika’, an adaptation of Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky’s ‘Swan Lake’ for the Indian classical stage. Produced by Praveen D Rao, the production is scheduled for August 30 at Delhi’s India Habitat Centre.

While the production maintains the recognizable core story of Princess Odette and Prince Siegfried, Mukerjee has introduced several creative changes. The original sorcerer is reimagined as a sorceress, and the performance includes an Indian wedding scene. The costumes have been reworked to blend balletic elements with the movements of swans.

A significant thematic addition is the focus on ecology. The production uses the fate of the swans and their lake to comment on the destruction of natural habitats due to pollution and drying water sources. Mukerjee has altered the final scene to transition from synchronized beauty to chaos, aiming to use art as a messenger for environmental concerns.