Re: 'Cultural items' programming at TANA meeting
sadananda (sada@anvil.nrl.navy.mil)
Fri, 11 Jul 1997 08:17:54 -0400
I compliment the analysis of Sri Chowdary Jampala.
True whether I like it not, the 90% of the attention of the audience or the
attention of the 90% of the audience is on the movie culture. Display of
Sri Devi on the stage for 1 and half minutes even with half hour
preparation for that attracts more than a serious Avadhaanam or Harikatha
or Burrakatha. Having said that some weightage has to be given to a good
cultural programs of the less popular type that other percentage enjoys and
also that sustains the cultural heritage of telugus.
Five years from now, we may forget Sri Devi and hear about some other Bhu
Devi. TANA should also be a vehicle that can highlight the other aspects of
our culture. Many of the artists that come do realize that TANA meeting is
only a gateway and they will travel around at different places to give
programs.
As Sri Chowdary gaaru rightly pointed out TANA should, by now, have a
pretty good idea of the distribution and the density of the audience
tastes, and plan the items and halls accordingly. Registration fee is
quite high. I would guess the one and half minutes of Sri Devi depletes
major portion of the money allotted for cultural budget than any and all of
the Harikathas and music programs put together. Budget distribution should
also be proportional to the time and interest.
Major problem is everyone desires that their program (including the boring
lectures by the organizers themselves) or their favorite artist's or
speaker's or idol's to be on the prime time in the main auditorium. By now
so many TANA meetings have gone. Excessive shuffling of the programs some
for genuine reason but more so by political pressures or individual
pressures is one big problem that organizers should avoid at any cost.
>
> In contrast to what sadaananda gaaru said earlier about turning
>one's back on the conferences, my reaction after my negative experience
>with our production was to get more involved with the organization and
>work from within to influence it to change for the better.
I completely agree with that and also complement Chowdary gaaru for the
right attitude. I do agree that only by active participation one can change
or put pressures to redirect the program to make it better. My reaction
was more based on my personal interests. Since I have more other local
interests, I could not justify neither my time nor my purse for my less
than 5% of interests at TANA meeting, I decided not to attend, even though
the decision was triggered by the internal squabbles during the Washington
TANA meeting. Many of the famous artists including the avadhanis do come
to Washington after TANA, hence I have not missed any thing other than an
opportunity of meeting few fellow telusa members.
My complaint was more on the repeated shuffling of the programs and the boo
booing in the audience ( I was not there either hence my statements were
based on hear-say) when the artists are performing.
May be TANA meetings should have two auditoriums one for the continuous
cultural programs to cater to those interested and the other for the
display of Sri Devis and Bhu Devis that attract 90% of the audience and
booing and wooing that gets lost in the glittering.
Clear commitment to stick to the schedule without too much last minute
additions and subtractions. It is inconvenient to the artists and
inconvenient to the audience and a headache to the organizers too. Time
allotment should include the time for the set-up of the props.
Clear adherence to the time by artists and speakers.
Pre-testing of speakers and the stage requirements to minimize problems and
delays and have a good technical support to solve problems quickly.
Enforcing a clear discipline in the auditorium so that hecklers and booers
who are mostly in the minority do not derail the programs that others are
interested.
May be the next TANA organizers should get audience feed back from those
who attended in terms of what to add and what to drop, and perhaps from
people like me who did not attend ( not exactly like me since I am too much
of a minority) in terms what kind of programs would attract us to attend.
Hari Om!
Sadananda