Indian Classical Dance Guide Excerpts courtesy of Wikipedia org Table

Indian Classical Dance Guide 2008 Excerpts courtesy of Wikipedia.org. Table of Contents Introduction .................................................................................................... 1 Bharatanatyam ................................................................................................ 2 Kathak ............................................................................................................. 6 Kathakali ....................................................................................................... 11 Kuchipudi....................................................................................................... 15 Manipuri ........................................................................................................ 16 Mohiniattam .................................................................................................. 18 Odissi ............................................................................................................. 19 Sattriya .......................................................................................................... 22 Online Resources ........................................................................................... 24 Indian Classical Dance Introduction Indian classical dance is a misnomer, and actually refers to Natya, the sacred Hindu musical theatre styles. Its theory can be traced back to the Natya Shastra of Bharata Muni (400 BC). Dances performed inside the sanctum of the temple according to the rituals were called Agama Nartanam. This was a spiritual dance form. Dances performed in royal courts to the accompaniment of classical music were called Carnatakam. This was an intellectual art form. Darbari Aatam form of dance appealed more to the commoners and it educated them about their religion, culture and social life. These dances were performed outside the temple precincts in the courtyards. The Sangeet Natak Akademi currently confers classical status on eight "dance" forms: • • • • • • • • Bharatanatyam Kathak Kathakali Kuchipudi Manipuri Mohiniaattam Odissi Sattriya For lack of any equivalents in the European culture, the British colonial authorities called any performing art forms found in India as "Indian dance". Even though the art of Natya includes nritta, or dance proper, Natya has never been limited to dancing alone. At its best, has the most powerful means to lead its worshippers – the artist – to the Divine. It is a sincere depiction of the Divine. It is a sincere depiction of the realities in life, an embodiment of the imagination and gracefulness, the very soul which thereby creates as it were the “Idol of the Beautiful.” Out of the 8 styles, the most ancient ones and the ones that have their origin in Agama Nartanam are Bharatanatyam and Odissi. These two most faithfully adhere to the Natya Shastra. Kuchipudi and Mohiniaattam are relatively recent Darbari Aatam forms, just as Kathakali, and two eastern Indian styles, Manipuri and Sattriya, that are quite similar. Kathak bears a strong influence of the Persian dance. A very important feature of Indian classical dances is the use of Mudras or hand gestures. Mudras are used by the artists to express their feeling or even the whole story. www.dancersdreamland.com 1 Bharatanatyam Bharatanatyam Introduction Bharatanatyam is a classical dance form originating from Tamil Nadu, a state in Southern India. This popular South Indian dance form called Bharatanatyam is a 20th century reconstruction of Cathir, the art of temple dancers. Cathir in turn, is derived from ancient dance forms. The word Bharata, some believe, signifies the author of the famous Sanskrit treatise on stagecraft, called NatyaShastra, and the word Bharatanatyam is sometimes given a folk etymology as follows:Bha for Bhava or abhinaya and expression, Ra for raga or melody, and Ta for tala or rhythm. Bharata refers to the author of the Natya Shastra, and natya is Sanskrit for the art of sacred dancedrama brought to the stage at the beginning of the 20th century. Traditional roots Bharatanatyam traces its origins to the Natya Shastra written by Bharata Muni, a Hindu sage. The Natya Shastra is also called the fifth Veda in reference to the foundation of Hindu religion and philosophy, from which sprang the related South Indian musical tradition of Carnatic music. In ancient times it was performed as dasiattam by mandir (Hindu temple) Devadasis. Many of the ancient sculptures in Hindu temples are based on Bharata Natyam dance postures karanas. In fact, it is the celestial dancers, apsaras, who are depicted in many scriptures dancing the heavenly version of what is known on earth as Bharatanatyam. In the most essential sense, a Hindu deity is a revered royal guest in his temple/abode, to be offered a standard set of religious services called Sodasa Upacharas ("sixteen hospitalities") among which are music and dance, pleasing to the senses. Thus, many Hindu temples traditionally maintained complements of trained musicians and dancers, as did Indian rulers. Bharata Natyam as a dance form and carnatic music set to it are deeply grounded in Bhakti. Bharata Natyam, it is said, is the embodiment of music in visual form, a ceremony, and an act of devotion. Dance and music are inseparable forms; only with Sangeetam (words or syllables set to raga or melody) can dance be conceptualized. Essential Ideas Bharatanatyam is considered to be a fire-dance — the mystic manifestation of the metaphysical element of fire in the human body. It is one of the five major styles (one for each element) that include Odissi (element of water), and Mohiniattam (element of air). The movements of an authentic Bharatanatyam dancer resemble the movements of a dancing flame. Contemporary Bharatanatyam is rarely practiced as Natya Yoga, a sacred Hindu meditational tradition, except by a few orthodox schools. Nataraja (King of Dance) Bharatanatyam is the manifestation of the South Indian idea of the celebration of the eternal universe through the celebration of the beauty of the material body. In Hindu mythology the whole universe is the dance of the Supreme Dancer, Nataraja, a name for Lord Shiva, the Hindu ascetic yogi and divine purveyor of destruction of evil. Natya Shastra (I.44) reads, "... I have seen the Kaisiki style during the dance of the blue-throated lord (Shiva). It consists of elaborate gestures (Mridu Angaharas, movements of limbs), sentiments (Rasas), emotional states (Bhavas). Actions (Kriyas) are its soul. The costume should be charmingly beautiful and www.dancersdreamland.com 2 Bharatanatyam the erotic sentiment (Srinagar) is its foundation. It cannot be adequately portrayed by men. Except for women, none can practise it properly". The symbolism of the dance of Shiva (in the form of Nataraja) is represented by the attitude called "Ananda Tandavam". Also known as the cosmic dancer, he is here the embodiment and manifestation of the eternal energy in five activities (panca-kriya): creation, pouring forth, unfolding; maintenance or duration (sthiti); destruction or taking back (smhara); concealing, veiling, hiding the transcendental essence behind the garb of apparations (tirobhava); and favoring, bestowing grace through a manifestation that accepts the devotee (anugraha). Shiva is depicted dancing on the dwarfish body of the demon Apasmara purusa, "forgetfulness, loss of memory" called in Tamil Muyalaka -- who represents ignorance, the destruction of which brings enlightenment, true wisdom, and release from the bondage of existences. Medieval decline Local kings often invited temple dancers devadasi (Servants of God) to dance in their courts, the occurrence of which created a new category of dancers -- rajanarthakis -- and modified the technique and themes of the recitals. A devadasi had to satisfy her own soul while she danced unwatched and offered herself (surrendered) to the Lord, but the rajanarthaki's dance was meant to be an entertainment. Although most of the contemporary Bharatanatyam ballets are popularly viewed as a form of entertainment, the Natya Shastra-based dance styles were sacred Hindu ceremonies originally conceived in order to spiritually elevate the spectators. Bharatanatyam proper is a solo dance, with two aspects, lasya, the graceful feminine lines and movements, and tandava (the dance of Shiva), masculine aspect, which is identical to the Yin and Yang in the Chinese culture. The famous quartet of Chinnayya, Ponniah, Sivanandam and Vadivelu of the Tanjore Court, during the rule of Maratha King Saraboji II (1798- 1832), made a rich contribution to music and Bharatanatyam and also completed the process of re-editing the Bharathanatyam program into its present shape with its various items. The descendants of these four brothers formed the original stock of Nattuvanars or dance teachers of Bharatanatyam in Tanjore. Originally, they formed a community by themselves and most of them were Shaivite non-brahmins. Modern rebirth Krishna Iyer was one of those who raised the social status of Bharatanatyam and greatly popularized it. Rukmini Devi Arundale was also instrumental in modifying mainly the Pandanallur style of Bharatanatyam and bringing it to the attention of the West. According to Shri Sankara Menon, Rukmini Devi raised Bharatanatyam to a puritan art form, divorced from its recently controversial past by "removing objectionable elements" (mostly, the Sringar, certain emotional elements evocative of the erotic) from the Pandanallur style, which was publicly criticized by Balasaraswati and other representatives of the traditional devadasi culture. Not all love was portrayed, at least outside parameters considered "chaste." Balasaraswati said that "the effort to purify Bharatanatyam through the introduction of novel ideas is like putting a gloss on burnished gold or painting the lotus". While the Pandanallur style, Tanjore or Thanjavur, Vazhuvoor, Mysore, Kancheepuram were based on the art of rajadasis and are exoteric in nature, some others, like the Melattur style and Balasaraswati's style grew out of the devadasis' distinctly different esoteric art. The development of the Bharatnatyam dance form has therefore been surrounded by controversy as some including Ashish Khokar the Indian dance historian have seen it as a means by which many women, www.dancersdreamland.com 3 Bharatanatyam often Brahmin women, have appropriated certain Devadasi traditions while disassociating themselves with other aspects of the contemporary devadasis' practices. Having studied Bharatanatyam for three years, in 1936 Rukmini Devi Arundale founded the school Kalakshetra outside the city of Madras to teach it and to promote other studies in Indian music and art. She was one of first teachers to instruct a few men to perform the dance. The dance, at that time, was exclusively performed by women, while men, called Nattuvanars, had only been teaching Bharatanatyam without actually performing it. It is worth noticing that most of the contemporary Bharatanatyam dancers do not satisfy the criteria for a professional danceuse stated in the scriptures. At present, Bharatanatyam recitals are usually not performed inside the temple shrine but outside it, and even outside the temple compounds at various festivals. Most contemporary performances are given on the stage with a live ensemble. In popular culture, the adapted, or "semi-classical", Bharatanatyam has been exposed largely through depiction in popular movies and TV programs. Learning Bharatanatyam normally takes many years before the arangetram (debut). There are academic and commercialized dance institutes in many countries. Many people choose to learn Carnatic music along with Bharatanatyam as they go together, since both Carnatic music and Bharatanatyam are of purely Indian origins, while Hindustani music and Kathak are a mix of Persian and Indian art. At present, not only the Hindus but many Christians and Muslims learn it, bringing it beyond the rigid forms of religious boundaries. Technique Includes • Abhinaya or Natya - dramatic art of story-telling in Bharatanatyam • Nritta - pure dance movements usually performed as an opening item in Bharatanatyam, reflecting different rhythms of the universe • Nritya combination of abhinaya and nritta Karanas Karanas are the 108 key transitional movements that punctuate Bharatanatyam and other classical Indian dances. Most of these 108 Karanas have a central, static pose as a base, i.e. the dancer is usually supposed to stop and maintain it for a very brief duration (0.5 sec). Read more about Karanas. Hasta Mudras A distinctive feature of Bharata Natyam Dance is the use of expressive hand gestures as a way of communication. Hasta Mudras refers to the varieties of hand symbols that a dancer can use. Many of these hand gestures are well known. For example, Anjali is often used as a salutation when a person greets another person. There are two types of Hasta Mudras: Asamyuta and Samyuta (single and combined, respectively). There are 28 Asamyuta Mudras which are: Pataka, Tripataka, Ardhya-pataka, Kartari-mukha, Mayura, Ardha-chandra, Arala, Shukatundaka, Mushti, Shikhara, Kapittha, Kataka-mukha, Suchi, Chandra-kala, Padma-kosha, Sarpa-shirsha, Mriga-shirsha, Simha-mukha, Langula, Sola-padma, Chatura, Bhramara, Hamsaya, Hamsa-paksha, Samdasma, Mukula, Tamrachuda, and Trishula. Note that hand "mudras" are usually spoken in sanskrit (which is the proper language, used for saying the gestures in the Kalakshetra style) There are 24 Samyuta Hastas which are: Anjali, Kapota, Karkata, Svastika, Dola, Pushpaputa, Utsanga, Shivalinga, Kataka-Vardhana, Kartari-svastika, Shaktata, Sankha, Chakra, Samputa, Pasha, Kilaka, www.dancersdreamland.com 4 Bharatanatyam Matsya, Kurma, Varaha, Garuda, Nagabandha, Khatva, Bherunda, and Avahittha. Note that these too are not in Sanskrit form as it should be. Each of the above hasta mudras has its own origin, usage, and patron deity. Many hasta mudras can be used in more than one way (the usage is called viniyogas), depending on the song accompanying the dance, and what the dancer is trying to convey to the audience. each hasta mudra has its special meaning which elicits the incident. Items Typically a regular performance includes: • • • • • • • Ganapati Vandana - A traditional opening prayer to the Hindu god Ganesh, who removes obstacles. Alarippu - A presentation of the Tala punctuated by simple syllables spoken by the dancer. This really is sort of an invocation to the gods to bless the performance. Jatiswaram - An abstract dance where the drums set the beat. Here the dancer displays her versatility in elaborate footwork and graceful movements of the body. Shabdam - The dancing is accompanied by a poem or song with a devotional or amorous theme. Varnam - The center piece of the performance. It is the longest section of the dance punctuated with the most complex and difficult movements. Positions of the hands and body tell a story, usually of love and the longing for the lover. Padam - Probably the most lyrical section where the dancer "speaks" of some aspect of love: devotion to the Supreme Being; or of love of mother for child; or the love of lovers separated and reunited. Thillana - The final section is a pure dance (nritta) when the virtuosity of the music is reflected in the complex footwork and captivating poses of the dancer. Apart from these, there are items such as Kautuvam, Koothu, Shlokam, Swarajathi, Krithi, etc. The performance concludes with the chanting of a few religious verses as a form of benediction. Certain styles include more advanced items, such as Tharanga Nritham and Suddha Nritham. When a dancer has mastered all the elements of dance, as a coming out performance, he or she generally performs an Arangetram (debut). Other Aspects Costume - From the ancient texts and sculptures, one can see that the original costume did not cover most of the dancers' bodies. The medieval times, with the puritanistic drive, caused the devadasis to wear a special, heavy saree that severely restricted the dance movements. There are several varieties of Bharatanatyam costumes, some of which do not restrict the dancer's movements, while the others do. The modern costumes are deeply symbolic, as their purpose is to project the dancer's sukshma sharira (cf. aura), in the material world. Music - The accompanying music is in the Carnatic style of South India. Ensemble - Mostly, South Indian instruments are used in the ensemble. These include, the mridangam (drum), nagaswaram (long pipe horn made from a black wood), the flute, violin and veena (stringed instrument traditionally associated with Saraswati, the Hindu goddess of the arts and learning). Languages - Tamil, Sanskrit, Telugu and Kannada are traditionally used in Bharatanatyam. www.dancersdreamland.com 5 Kathak Kathak Introduction Kathak is one of the classical dance forms of India (originally from North India). It is a narrative dance form characterized by fast footwork (tatkar), spins (chakkar) and innovative use of bhav in abhinaya. It has today a form that has been influenced at various times in the past by mythological narratives by kathakas, temple dances, the bhakti movement (both Vaishnavism and Shaivite), and Persian influence of the Mughal courts in the 16th century onwards; and these elements are readily discernible. Performers today generally draw their lineage from three major schools of Kathak: the Jaipur gharana, the Lucknow gharana and the Banaras gharana (born in the courts of the Kachwaha Rajput kings, the Nawab of Oudh, and Varanasi respectively); there is also a less prominent (and later) Raigarh gharana which amalgamated technique from all three preceding gharanas but became famous for its own distinctive compositions. The name Kathak is derived from the Sanskrit word katha meaning story, and katthaka in Sanskrit means s/he who tells a story, or to do with stories. The name of the form is properly katthak, with the geminated dental to show a derived form, but this has since simplified to modern-day kathak. kathaa kahe so kathak is a saying many teachers pass on to their pupils, which is generally translated, 's/he who tells a story, is a kathak', but which can also be translated, 'that which tells a story, that is Kathak'. Also the tribe Afghan tribe Khatak is known as a history telling tribe. The greates poet of Afghans came from this tribe, Kushal Khar e Khan Khatak. Repertoire Modern Modern repertoire can include presentation of the three phases of life, creation (symbolized by Lord Brahma), preservation (symbolized by Lord Vishnu), and destruction (symbolized by Lord Shiva). The structure of a conventional Kathak performance tends to follow a progression in tempo from slow to fast, ending with a dramatic climax. A short danced composition is known as a tukra, a longer one as a tora. There are also compositions consisting solely of footwork. Often the performer will engage in rhythmic 'play' with the time-cycle, splitting it into triplets or quintuplets for example, which will be marked out on the footwork, so that it is in counterpoint to the rhythm on the percussion. All compositions are performed so that the final step and beat of the composition lands on the 'sam' or first beat of the time-cycle. Most compositions also have 'bols' (rhythmic words) which serve both as mnemonics to the composition and whose recitation also forms an integral part of the performance. Some compositions are aurally very interesting when presented this way. The bols can be borrowed from tabla (e.g. dha, ge, na, tirakiTa) or can be a dance variety (ta, thei, tat, ta ta, tigda, digdig and so on). Often tukras are composed to highlight specific aspects of the dance, for example gait, or use of corners and diagonals, and so on. A popular tukra type is the chakkarwala tukra, showcasing the signature spins of Kathak. Because they are generally executed on the heel, these differ from ballet's pirouettes (which are properly executed on the toe or ball of the foot). The spins usually manifest themselves at the end of the tukra, often in large numbers: five, nine, fifteen, or more, sequential spins are common. These tukras are popular with audiences because they are visually exciting and are executed at great speed. Other compositions can be sub-divided: • • the time-cycle, finishing on sam in a statuesque standing (thaat) pose); Vandana the dancer begins with an invocation to the gods. Thaat (the first composition of a traditional performance; the dancer performs short plays with www.dancersdreamland.com 6 Kathak • • • • • • • • or bol in to the performance); Salaami (related to Ar. 'salaam' - a salutation to the audience in the Muslim style); Gat (from the word for 'gait, walk' showing abstract visually beautiful gaits or scenes from daily life) Kavit (a poem set on a time-cycle; the dancer will perform movements that echo the meaning of the poem) Paran (a composition using bols from the pakhawaj instead of only dance or tabla bols) Primalu (a composition using bols reminiscent of sounds from nature, such as kukuthere, jhijhikita etc.) Tihai (usually a footwork composition consisting of a long set of bols repeated thrice so that the very last bol ends dramatically on 'sam') Ladi (a footwork composition consisting of variations on a theme, and ending in a tihai) Aamad (from the Persian word meaning 'entry'; the first introduction of spoken rhythmic pattern There is also an Afghan tribe with the name Katak (Khatak) that have that kind of dance culture. It is thought they are descends of Vishnu by Indian Mythologician. Others Other forms are more conducive to the mehfil or the darbar environment, which can be adapted for the modern stage only with difficulty. Bhav batana is a form where abhinaya dominates. A thumri is sung, and once the mood is set, a line from the thumri is interpreted with facial abhinay and hand movements while seated. This continues for an indefinite period, limited only by the dancers’ interpretative abilities. Shambhu Maharaj was known to interpret a single line for hours. History The story of Kathak begins in ancient times with the performances of professional story-tellers called kathakas who recited or sang stories from epics and mythology with some elements of dance. The traditions of the kathakas were hereditary, and dances passed from generation to generation. There are literary references from the third and fourth centuries BC which refer to these kathakas. The two texts are in the archives of Kameshwar Library at Mithila. An extract runs as follows: Translation: in the month of magha, in the shukla-paksha nakshatra, to the north west of Varanasi, on the banks of the Ganges, the shringar dance of the kathaks in praise of God pleased Lord Adinatha. A 3rd century BC Sanskrit shloka (Mithila, late Mauryan period): Translation: ...sound...and the Kathaks whose duty is dance for the divine peoples There are also two verses from the Mahabharata which also refer to Kathaks: Translation: With the king on the way to the forest were the Kathakas pleasing to the eyes and ears as they sang and narrated sweetly. Shovana Narayan notes: 'Here the emphasis on ‘pleasing to the eyes’ is indication of the performing aspect of the Kathakas.' The other verse is in the Anusasanika Parva. In the post-Christian era, there is also reference to Kathak in the Harsha-charita of Bana. By the 13th century a definite style had emerged and soon technical features like mnemonic syllables and bol developed. In the 15th-16th century at the time the Bhakti movement, Rasalilas had a tremendous impact on Kathak. The form of dance even made its way to the Kathavachakas who performed in temples. www.dancersdreamland.com 7 Kathak Change in the Bhakti Era During the era of fervent worship of Radha-Krishna, Kathak was used to narrate tales from the lives of these figures. Popular performances included Sri Krishna’s exploits in the holy land of Vrindavan, and tales of Krishna-Leela (Krishna’s childhood). In this time, the dance moved away from the spirituality of the temple. Mughal Influence It was when the dance reached the Mughal court after the 15th century that Kathak began to acquire its distinctive shape and features. Here it encountered other different forms of dance and music, most especially dancers from Persia. Dancers were enticed from the temples to the courts by gifts of gold, jewels and royal favour. Patronage soared as a social class of dancers and courtiers emerged in the royal palaces, where dance competitions were held frequently. The environment of the North Indian Mughal courts caused a shift in focus from a purely religious art form to entertainment. Dancers from the Middle East spread their ideas to Kathak dancers, as they borrowed ideas from Kathak to implement in their own dance. Slowly, the two dances became one, as a common link between the Muslim and Hindu culture. Kathak began to shift away from other traditional dances, such as Bharatanatyam. The demi-plié stance of most other Indian dance forms gave way to straight legs taken from the Persian dancers. To emphasize the flamboyant and elaborate rhythmic footwork as many as 150 ankle bells on each leg were worn. It was also during this period that the signature 'chakkars' (spins) of Kathak were introduced, possibly influenced by the so-called whirling dervishes. The straight-legged position gave a new vitality to the footwork, which wove percussive rhythms in its own right, whether together with or in complement to the tabla or pakhawaj. Kathak remained a solo art form, based on personal interpretations and emotional values. The beautiful (but copious) jewelry and costume of the dancers combined with poetic narration to tell fabulous tales of drama, triumph, and tragedy. The music, regalia, atmosphere, and themes developed through the fusion of cultures in a way that no other dance could. Although now substantially different from the other Indian dance forms, the roots of the style remain the same, and as such it displays a consanguineity with the others, particularly in the hand-formations during story-telling, and some of the body-postures, for example the tribhangi position, which is common to most Indian dance forms. Later Court Influences Many specific emperors contributed to the growth and development of Kathak into different gharanas, or schools of dance, named after the cities in which they developed. The Nawab of Oudh, Wajid Ali Shah, not only enjoyed giving patronage to dancers, but danced himself, taught by Durga Prasad. He himself choreographed a dance, Rahas, that he danced himself with the ladies of his court. He brought teachers to his palaces, aiding the expansion of technical vocabulary, and formed the basis of the Lucknow gharana, emphasizing sensuous, expressive emotion. The Lucknow gharana placed emphasis on the abhinaya and natya elements or expressional qualities of the dancing; it was famed for its subtlety and grace (nazakat). This contrasted sharply with the Jaipur gharana, which became renowned for highly intricate and complex footwork, and fast, sharp, and accurate dancing. Even after the Moghuls, courts in Rajasthan enjoyed Kathak as a sophisticated art form, fostering the growth of the Jaipur gharana. The Banaras gharana was also created in this time. During the Raj With the advent of British Rule in India, Kathak went into sharp decline. The Victorian administrators publicly pronounced it a base and unlovely form of entertainment, despite often privately enjoying the pleasures of the tawaif. Indeed, by associating Kathak solely with the tawaifs and then associating the tawaifs with out-and-out prostitution, Kathak acquired an unwholesome image: the entirely British concept of nautch. Kathak was, to Victorian eyes, an entertainment designed solely for the purposes of seduction. During these times of cultural hardship, the role of the tawaifs in preserving the art forms www.dancersdreamland.com 8 Kathak should not be underestimated. Famous tawaifs such as Gauhar Jan were instrumental in the maintenance and continuation of Kathak, even as it was officially denigrated by the prevailing political opinion. Gharanas Because of the linear nature of the passing of knowledge from guru to shishya, certain stylistic and technical features began to fossilise and became hallmarks of a particular school, guru or group of teachers. The different styles are known as gharanas, and these are: Lucknow Gharana The Lucknow Gharana developed in the courts of the Nawab of Oudh in Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh. It particularly emphasises grace, elegance and naturalness in the dance. Abhinaya or expressional acting, especially improvised, plays a very strong role in this style, and Birju Maharaj, Shambhu Maharaj and Lachhu Maharaj are or were all famed for the naturalness of and innovativeness of their abhinaya. Jaipur Gharana The Jaipur Gharana developed in the courts of the Kachchwaha kings of Jaipur in Rajasthan. Importance is placed on the more technical aspects of dance, such as complex and powerful footwork, multiple spins, and complicated compositions in different talas. There is also a greater incorporation of compositions from the pakhawaj, such as parans. Banaras Gharana The Benaras Gharana was developed by Janakiprasad. It is characterized by the exclusive use of the natwari or dance bols, which are different from the tabla and the pakhawaj bols. There are differences in the thaat and tatkaar, and chakkars are kept at a minimum but are often taken from both the right- and the left-hand sides with equal confidence. There is also a greater use of the floor, for example, in the taking of sam. Though the style developed in Benaras, it flourishes today from Bikaner. Raigarh Gharana This was established by the Maharaja Chakradhar Singh in the princely state of Raigarh in Chhatisgarh in the early 20th century. The Maharaja invited many luminaries of Kathak (as well as famous percussionists) to his court, including Kalka Prasad (the father of Acchan, Lacchu and Shambhu Maharaj) and his sons, and Pandit Jailal from Jaipur gharana. The confluence of different styles and artists created a unique environment for the development of new Kathak and tabla compositions drawn from various backgrounds. Today Today, Kathak has regained its popularity after the period of decline during the rule of the British Empire where it was frowned upon by Victorian administrators. Not only in India, but throughout the world, it is recognised as one of the seven classical dance forms of India. Kathak’s unique history has made it very different from other traditional dance forms, although it still retains the same roots. Presently, this classical dance is characterized by a combination of the temple and court forms, inclusive of both the devotion and romantic form that has shaped it through the years. The influence of theatre dance has presented itself in the movement towards dance productions of stories such as Shakuntala. Expressive motion, rhythmic accuracy, graceful turning, poised stances, technical clarity, hand gestures (mudras) and subtle expression (bhava-abhinaya) are important components of modern Kathak. The work of the Maharaj family of dancers (Acchan Maharaj, Shambhu Maharaj, Lachhu Maharaj and one of the great current dancers still alive today, Birju Maharaj) and his students including Pandit Satya Narayana Charka have been very successful in spreading the popularity of Kathak. Another disciple of Acchan Maharaj is Sitara Devi, daughter of Sukhdev Maharaj of Benaras. Her lively, zestful and fiery performances have impressed many audiences. Shambhu Maharaj also trained Smt. Kumudini Lakhia, who, along with Birju www.dancersdreamland.com 9 Kathak Maharaj, has introduced the relative innovation of multi-person choreographies in Kathak. She has gained a strong reputation for combining purely classical movements and style with distinctly contemporary use of space. Ghunghru Ghunghru or ghunghroo are the small bells the dancer ties around his or her ankles. The Kathak bells are different from those of other Indian dance styles, as they are not affixed to a pad or strip of leather, but rather are individually woven along a thick string. The usual number of bells is 100 on each ankle, although for the initial stages of learning or for children, 25 and 50 belled strings are widely available to allow the dancer to get used to them. There is a more or less accepted upper ceiling of 150 bells on each ankle. Greater figures than this tend to involve the topmost circle of bells being tied further and further up a dancer's calf. This is generally regarded as unsuitable, because it is at some distance from the point of impact, giving rise to the upper levels of bells being prone to delayed sounding given the intervening space and amount of leg. Greater numbers are also unnecessarily difficult to control since they are more likely to sound at unwanted moments, being affected by the movement of the whole of the lower leg, rather than just the ankle. Costume As the dance style itself has changed to reflect the different milieus in which it found itself, so too has the costume and performance dress of the dancers. Female Costume Traditional (and perhaps more specifically Hindu) costume sometimes consists of a sari, whether worn in an everyday style, or tied up to allow greater freedom of movement during dance. However, more commonly, the costume is a lehenga-choli combination, with an optional odhni or veil. The lehenga is loose ankle-length skirt, and the choli is a tight fitting blouse, usually short-sleeved. Both can be highly ornately embroidered or decorated. The lehenga is sometimes adapted to a special dance variety, similar to a long ghaghra, so that during spins, the skirt flares out dramatically. Mughal costume for women consists of an angarkha (from the Sanskrit anga-rakshaka 'limb-keeper') on the upper body. The design is akin to a chudidaar kameez, but is somewhat tighter fitting above the waist, and the 'skirt' portion explicitly cut on the round to enhance the flare of the lower half during spins. Beneath this, the legs are covered by the chudidaar or figure hugging trousers folded up giving the look of cloth bangles. Optional accessories are a small peaked cap and a bandi or small waistcoat to enhance the bust-line. A belt made of zari or precious stones is also worn on the waist. Male Costume The traditional Hindu costume for men to be bare-chested. Below the waist is the dhoti, usually tied in the Bengal style, that is with many pleats and a fan finish to one of the ends (although it is not unknown for dancers to tie the garment more simply). There is the option of wearing a men's bandi too. The Mughal costume is kurta-churidar. The kurta can be a simple one, or again, adapted for dance to incorporate wider flare, but is usually at least knee-length. Men may also wear an angarkha (see Female Costume, above). Particularly older variety costumes include the small peaked cap too. www.dancersdreamland.com 10 Kathakali Kathakali Introduction Kathakali is a form of Indian dance-drama. It originated in the Southern Indian state of Kerala during the 17th century. History Kathakali originated from Ramanattom (Raman; attom(enactment) and Krishnanattom (Krishnan; attom(enactment). History has it that Raja (ruler) of Kottarakkara (a province in Kerala) sculpted Ramanattom when the Zamorin (then ruler of Kozhikode, another province in Kerala) refused to allow a performance of Krishnanattom in the former’s palace. Subsequently, Kottayam Thampuran (ruler of Kottayam, another province in Kerala) composed several plays on Mahabharata thereby making these distinct from stories based on Ramanattom. Thus, Kathakali was born. Kathakali shares a lot of similarities to both Ramanattom and Krishnanattom. But it also incorporated several outside elements, which is thought to have contributed to its popularity. In particular, the increasing use of Malayalam, which is the local language (albeit as a mix of Sanskrit and Malayalam, called Manipravaalam) made it more popular among the masses. During its evolution, Kathakali also imbibed elements from folk and martial arts which existed at the time in Kerala. Characters with vividly painted faces and elaborate costumes re-enact stories from the Hindu epics, Mahabharata and Ramayana. Kathakali is featured in the award-winning Indo-French-German produced film Vaanaprastham. Kathakali has traditionally been performed in Hindu temples, but nowadays it may also be seen in theatres. Etymology The name Kathakali derives from the Malayalam words "katha" (meaning story) and "kali" (meaning play) Elements of Fine Art Kathakali is considered to be a combination of five elements of fine art: • • • • • Expressions (Natyam, the component with emphasis on facial expressions) Dance (Nritham, the component of dance with emphasis on rhythm and movement of hands, legs and body) Enactment (Nrithyam, the element of drama with emphasis on "mudras", which are hand gestures) Song/vocal accompaniment (Geetha) Instrument accompaniment (Vadyam) Even though the lyrics/literature would qualify as another independent element called "Sahithyam", it is considered as a component of Geetha, as it plays only a supplementary role to Nritham, Nrithyam and Natyam. Kathakali plays Traditionally there are 101 classical Kathakali stories. Most of them were initially composed to last a whole night. Nowadays there is increasing popularity for concise versions of every story (lasting 2-4 hours instead of a whole night), which has been made by selecting the most dramatic or popular portions of individual stories. In spite of being a classical art form, Kathakali can be appreciated by novices and connoisseurs. This is because of the frequent use of “Lokadharmi” (or the elaboration of folk elements)which allows novices to gain a foothold when they start watching Kathakali. In contrast www.dancersdreamland.com 11 Kathakali “Natyadharmi” (which is based on the Natyasastra-the science of Natya and is the more classical component of the art form) delights the experience of novices and connoisseurs alike. It is good to have an idea of the story being enacted. This will help the spectators to appreciate the “personalization” of characters by individual actors. In fact one of the major attractions for traditional Kathakali connoisseurs is their ability to distinguish and debate on the "personalizations" that each actor brings about in his depiction of the story. Often this is a challenging task as most the characters and stories are derived from Hindu epics, which are memorized for people from that region. Success/ failure of amateur Kathakali artistes is often decided by their sensibility to successfully personalize characters. The most popular stories enacted are Nala Charitam (a story from the Mahabharata, Duryodhana Vadham (a story from the Mahabharata), Kalyanasowgandhikam (the story of Bhima going to get flowers for Panchali, from the Mahabharata), Keechaka Vadham (another story of Bhima and Panchali, from the Mahabharata), Kiratham (Arjuna and Lord Shiva's fight, from the Mahabharata), Karna Shapadham (another story from Mahabharata). Recently, as part of an attempt at popularizing the art, stories from other cultures, such as the story of Mary Magdalene from the Bible, Homer's The Iliad, and Shakespeare's King Lear have also been adapted into Kathakali scripts. Music The language of the songs used for Kathakali is a mix of Malayalam and Sanskrit. called Manipravaalam. Even though the songs are set for “ragas” based on South Indian Classical Music” (Karnatic Music), there is a distinct style of rendition, which is known as the “sopanam” style. The Sopanam style incorporates the moods of temple songs which used to be sung (continues even now at some temples) at the time when Kathakali was born. Performance Traditionally, a Kathakali performance is usually conducted at night and ends in early morning. Nowadays it is not difficult to see performances as short as 3 hours. Kathakali is usually performed in front of a Kalivilakku (“kali”= dance; “vilakku”= lamp). Traditionally, the lamp used to provide light when the plays used to be performed inside temples, houses of nobles and palaces. Enactment of a play by actors takes place to the accompaniment of music (geetha) and instruments (vadya). The percussion instruments used are Chenda, Maddalam and Edakka. In addition the singers (usually the lead singer is called “ponnani” and his follower is called “singidi”) use "Chengala" (a round disc made of bell metal, which can be struck with a wooden stick) and "Ilathaalom" (a pair of cymbals). The lead singer in some sense uses the Chengala to conduct the Vadyam and Geetha components, just as a conductor uses his wand in western classical music. A distinguishing characteristic of this art form is that the actors never speak and use hand gestures, expressions and rhythmic dancing instead of dialogue. Acting A Kathakali actor uses immense concentration, skill and physical stamina, gained from training based on Kalaripayattu, the ancient martial art of Kerala, to prepare for his demanding role. Training can often last for 8-10 years. The training program is intensive. In Kathakali, the story is enacted purely by the movements of the hands (called mudras or hand gestures) and by facial expressions (rasas) and bodily movements. The expressions are derived from Natyasatra (the science of expressions) and are classified into nine as in most Indian classical art forms. Dancers also undergo special practice sessions to learn control of their eye movements. www.dancersdreamland.com 12 Kathakali There are 24 main mudras and numerous other lesser mudras. Each can again can be classified into 'Samaana-mudras'(one mudra symbolizing two entities) or misra-mudras (both the hands are used to show these mudras). The mudras are a form of sign language used to tell the story. The main facial expressions of a Kathakali artist are the 'navarasams' ( 'Navarasas' in anglicised form )(literal translation: Nine Tastes, but more loosely translated as nine feelings or expressions) which are Sringaaram (amour), Haasyam (ridicule, humour), Bhayam (fear), Karunam (pathos), Rowdram (anger, wrath), Veeram (valour), Beebhatsam (disgust), Adbhutham (wonder, amazement), Saantham (tranquility, peace). The link at the end of the page gives more details on Navarasas. Make-up One of the most interesting aspects of Kathakali is its elaborate make-up code. Most often, the make-up can be classified into five basic sets namely Pacha, Kathi, Kari, Thaadi, and Minukku. The differences between these sets are the predominant colors that are applied on the face. Pacha (Pacha=green)has green as the dominant color and is used to portray noble male characters who is said to have a mixture of "Satvik" (pious)and "Rajasic" (kingly)nature. Rajasic characters having an evil streak ("tamasic"= evil), such as the demon king Ravana, are portrayed with red as the predominant color in a green background. Excessively evil characters such as demons (totally tamasic) have a predominantly red make-up and a red beard. They are called Chuvanna Thaadi(Red Beard). Tamasic characters such as uncivilized hunters are represented with a predominantly black make-up base and a black beard and are called Kari/ Karutha Thaadi (meaning black beard). Women and ascetics have lustrous, yellowish faces and form the fifth class. In addition there are modifications of the five basic sets described above such as Vella Thadi (white beard) used to depict Hanuman (the monkey god) and Pazhuppe, which is used for the Sun God. The make up is made from various mineral ores and pigments. They are ground on a stone and mixed with coconut oil before being applied on the face. Some characters also have their features enhanced, such as an enlarged nose or an elaborate mustache. There are made using elaborately cut paper which is stuck to the face with a mixture of rice paste and calcium carbonate. Dancers also often place a "chundanga seed" (variety of eggplant which bears small fruits) under their lower eyelid before the performance to turn the white of their eyes red. In fact the "chundanga" is not really a seed and is prepared by removing the ovaries at the base of the flowers of this plant. The procedure used for preparing these seeds involves the rubbing of a bunch of these in your palm until they become black (starting from a white color) and nearly dehydrated. They often last long enough for a season (of around four months) in this condition. Renowned Training Centers for Kathakali The most popular Kathakali artists have obtained their training from one the four centers below, which follow the traditional "gurukula" style. Moreover these four centers are the oldest ones with some of them present from pre-independent era of India. Kerala Kalamandalam (located in Cheruthuruthy, near Shoranur, Kerala) PSV Natya Sanghom (located in Kottakal, near Kozhikode, Kerala) Gandhi Seva Sadan Kathakali and Classic Arts Academy (located in Perur, near Palakkad, Kerala) and Unnayi Varier Smaraka Kalanilayam (located in Iringalakuda, near Thrissur, Kerala) There also several new centers, but they are relatively new compared to these old schools where masters of the art such as Kalamandalam Ramankutty Nair (recipient of prestigious Kalidas award) and Keezhpadom Kumaran Nair (recipients of prestigious Padmashree award) and contemporaries trained their disciples. Vella Kathakali Vidyalayam and Kalabharathi Kathakali Vidyalayam,FACT Kathakali School, RLV Kathakali vidyalayam Trippunitura also conduct Kathakali classes. www.dancersdreamland.com 13 Kathakali KATHAKALI STYLES (Sampradayam) 1, Vettathu Sampradayam 2, Kalladikkodan Sampradyam 3, Kaplingadu Sampradayam. The latest Sampradyam is Kalluvazhy Sampradayam which is implemented in Kerala kalamandalam,Sadanam and Kottakkal. By selecting attractive attams from the Kaplingadu Sampradayam(Thekkan styles) and Kalladikkodan Sampradayam (old Vadakkan styles)and named as Kalluvazhi Sampradayam. Nowadays, Kalluvazhi Sampradayam is known as vadakkan style and Kalladikkodan Sampradayam has vanished.In Kalamandalam thekkan style of Kathakali training also included. www.dancersdreamland.com 14 Kuchipudi Kuchipudi Introduction Kuchipudi is a Classical Indian dance form from Andhra Pradesh, a state of South India. Kuchipudi is the name of a small village in the Divi Taluq of Krishna district that borders the Bay of Bengal and with resident Brahmins practicing this traditional dance form, it acquired the present name. With the dance form attaining perfection by the time of Golconda king Abdul Hassan Tanesha, Kuchipudi brahmins are said to have received 600 acres (2.4 km²) of land as an endowment from Tanesha for the great presentation before him. Siddhendra Yogi is said to be the first scholar to give it the current form of dance drama. Bhamakalapam is one of his celebrated compositions. He also reserved the art to males by teaching it to young brahmin boys of the village. However, in modern times, the art has been dominated by women. The performance usually begins with some stage rites, after which each of the character comes on to the stage and introduces him/herself with a daru (a small composition of both song and dance) to introduce the identity, set the mood, of the character in the drama. The drama then begins. The dance is accompanied by song which is typically Carnatic music. The singer is accompanied by mridangam (a classical South Indian percussion instrument), violin, flute and the tambura (a drone instrument with strings which are plucked). Ornaments worn by the artists are generally made of a light weight wood called Boorugu. The prominence of Kuchipudi dance form is not limited to India alone. There are now a number of popular Kuchipudi teachers, choreographers and dancers in North America and Australia. Some of them include Nilimma Devi, Sasikala Penumarthi and Revathi Komanduri in Atlanta, Kamala Reddy in Pittsburgh, Ratna Papa in Texas, Jyothi Lakkaraju, Vaidehi Yellai, Himabindu Challa, and Madhuri Kishore in the San Francisco Bay Area, Sandhya Sree Atmakuri in Detroit, Divya Yeluri, Chandrika Ramprasad Yamijala in New York/New Jersey, Mallika Ramaprasad, Mrinalini Sadananda, Lakshmi Babu, Anuradha Nehru and in Sydney, Australia Vimala Sarma. The movements in Kuchipudi are quicksilver and scintillating, rounded and fleet-footed. Performed to classical Carnatic music, it shares many common elements with Bharatanatyam. In its solo exposition Kuchipudi numbers include 'jatiswaram' and 'tillana' whereas in nritya it has several lyrical compositions reflecting the desire of a devotee to merge with God - symbolically the union of the soul with the super soul. Beyond the stylistic differences of Kuchipudi and Bharatanatyam steps, there are certain types of dances that are unique to Kuchipudi. Specifically there is the Tarangam of Kuchipudi which is unique in that the dancer must dance upon a brass plate, placing the feet upon the raised edges. The dancer moves the plate with much balance as the individual is traditionally dancing on the plate with two diyas (small oilburning candles) in his or her hands while balancing a "kundi" (small vessel) containing water on their head. At the end of the dance, typically, the dancer extinguishes the candles and washes his or her hands with the water from the vessel. There are also subtle differences in the costumes of both types of dances. Generally, Bharatanatyam dresses have three fans of differing heights that form the illusion of the spreading pleats of a sari. However, in Kuchipudi there is typically only one fan which tends to be longer than the longest of the three fans present on Bharatanatyam dresses. www.dancersdreamland.com 15 Manipuri Manipuri Introduction Manipuri dance is one of the major Indian classical dance forms. It originates from Manipur, a state in north-eastern India on the border with Myanmar (also known as Burma). History It was originally only performed in temples and continues to form an integral part of the religious and social fabric of Manipur. It is only since the early 20th century that Manipuri dance has been presented on stage. Manipuri dance, whether folk, classical or modern, is devotional in nature. The people of Manipur are very religious and are exclusively attached to the Hindu deities Radha and Krishna, who are often the main characters depicted in dance compositions like Ras Lila. The Early Period A copper plate inscription gives the credit of introducing drums and cymbals into this genre of dance to King Khuoyi Tompok (c. 2nd century CE). The contribution of Maharaja Bhagyachandra (r. 1759 – 1798 CE) for the scientific development of the Manipuri dance is immense. He composed three of the five types of Ras Lilas, the Maha Ras, the Basanta Ras and the Kunja Ras, which were performed at the Sri Sri Govindaji temple in Imphal during his reign. He also designed an elaborate costume known as Kumil. The Govindasangeet Lila Vilasa, an important text, detailing the fundamentals of the dance is also attributed to him. The Achouba Bhangi Pareng dance composition is also his creation. Maharaja Gambhir Singh (r. 1825 – 1834 CE) composed two parengs of the tandava type, the Goshtha Bhangi Pareng and the Goshtha Vrindaban Pareng. Maharaja Chandra Kirti Singh (r. 1849 – 1886 CE) was a gifted drummer and he composed at least 64 Pung choloms (drum dances). He also composed two parengs of the Lasya type, the Vrindaban Bhangi Pareng and Khrumba Bhangi Pareng. The composition of the Nitya Ras is also attributed to him. Contribution of Rabindranath It became better known outside the region through the efforts of Rabindranath Tagore. In 1919, he was so impressed after seeing a dance composition, the Goshtha Lila in Sylhet (in present day Bangladesh) that he invited Guru Budhimantra Singh to Shantiniketan. In 1926, Guru Naba Kumar joined Shantiniketan for teaching the Ras Lila, which created a great interest in Manipuri dance outside Manipur and adjoining regions. Soon, the other celebrated Gurus, Senarik Singh Rajkumar and Nileshwar Mukherji were also invited to teach at Shantiniketan. Later, Guru Atomba Singh came to Shantiniketan as the head of the dance department. They assisted Tagore to choreograph several of his dance-dramas. Further Developments The popular interest in Manipuri dance was spread to the other parts of India when Guru Naba Kumar went to Ahmedabad to teach Manipuri dance in 1928. Soon, Guru Bipin Singh popularised it in Mumbai. Amongst his pupils, most well known are the Jhaveri sisters, Nayana, Suverna, Darshana and Ranjana. In 1954, the Manipur Dance college of Imphal started with three great exponents of this genre of dance in its faculty, Guru Amubi Singh, the principal, Guru Amudon Sharma and Guru Atomba Singh. In 1957, it was renamed as Jawaharlal Nehru Manipur Dance Academy. When the Sri Sri Govindaji Nartanalaya, another premier institute was founded in Imphal, Guru Bipin Singh became the principal. Kalavati Devi and Binodini Devi are the alumni of this institute. It was later renamed as Manipur State Dance College. In 1972, Guru Bipin Singh in collaboration with the Jhaveri sisters and Kalavati Devi founded Manipuri Nartanalaya in Mumbai, Kolkata and Imphal. www.dancersdreamland.com 16 Manipuri Steps The traditional Manipuri dance style embodies delicate, lyrical and graceful movements. The aim is to make rounded movements and avoid any jerks, sharp edges or straight lines. It is this which gives Manipuri dance its undulating and soft appearance. Of course, behind this outwardly soft impression lies a tough regime of body control. In contrast with other Indian dance forms, the dancer’s feet should never strike the ground hard as this would interfere with the delicate flow of the body movements. Every time the dancer puts down his or her feet, even during vigorous steps, it is the front part of the feet which touch the ground first and ‘break the fall’. The ankle and knee joints are effectively used as shock absorbers. The dancer’s feet are neither put down nor lifted up at the precise rhythmic points of the music but rather slightly earlier or later to express the same rhythmic points most effectively. This is possible because the way the feet move is viewed as a part of a composite movement of the whole body. Indeed, Manipuri dancers do not wear ankle bells, whose purpose in other Indian dances is to accentuate the beats tapped out by the feet. Like the movements of the body and feet, the facial expressions in Manipuri dance should be subtle. The main bases of this dance style are devotion and grace. The musical accompaniment for Manipuri dance comes from a percussion instrument called the Pung, a singer, small cymbals, a stringed instrument called the pena and wind instrument such as a flute. The drummers are always male artistes and, after learning to play the pung, students are trained to dance with it while drumming. This dance is known as Pung cholom. Manipuri dance has had a very different evolution from other Indian classical dances. With its origins in Manipur, which is surrounded by mountain ranges and geographically isolated at the meeting point of the orient and mainland India, Manipuri dance developed its own specific aesthetics, values, conventions and ethics. www.dancersdreamland.com 17 Mohiniattam Mohiniattam Introduction Mohiniyattam (also spelled as mohiniaattam, mohiniattom or mohiniyattam; Malayalam: is a traditional South Indian dance form from Kerala, India. It is a very graceful dance meant to be performed as a solo recital by women. The term Mohiniattam comes from the words "Mohini" meaning a woman who enchants onlookers and "aattam" meaning graceful and sensuous body movements. The word "Mohiniyattam" literally means "dance of the enchantress". There are two stories of the Lord Vishnu disguised as a Mohini. In one, he appears as Mohini to lure the asuras (demons) away from the amrita (nectar of immortality) obtained during the churning of the palazhi or Ocean of Milk. In the second story Vishnu appears as Mohini to save Lord Shiva from the demon Bhasmasura. The name Mohiniaattam may have been coined after Lord Vishnu, and the main theme of the dance is love and devotion to God, with usually Vishnu or Krishna being the hero. Devadasis used to perform this in temples. But it also has elements of Koothu and Kottiyattom in it. it is a drama in dance and verse. The dance which has influences and elements from two South Indian dance forms, the Bharatanatyam and Kathakali, was formulated in the court of king Swati Tirunal by Vadivelu, one of the Thanjavur Quartet. The dance involves the swaying of broad hips and the gentle movements of erect torso from side to side. This is reminiscent of the swinging of the palm leaves and the gently flowing rivers which abound Kerala, the land of Mohiniyattam. There are approximately 40 different basic movements, known as 'atavukal', in Mohiniyattam. The costume includes white sari embroidered with bright golden brocade (known as kasavu at the edges. The dance follows the classical text of Hastha Lakshanadeepika, which has elaborate description of Mudras (gestural expressions by the hand palm and fingers). The vocal music of Mohiniyattam involves variations in rhythmic structure known as chollu. The lyrics are in Manipravala, a mixture of Sanskrit and Malayalam. The mohiniyattam dance is performed to this accompaniment by the subtle gestures and footwork of the danseuse. The performer uses the eyes in a very coy yet sensual manner, the purpose being to enchant the mind without enticing the senses. www.dancersdreamland.com 18 Odissi Odissi Introduction Among the classical Indian dance styles, Odissi and Bharatanatyam are the most ancient, and are the most orthodox in following the Natya Shastra. Odissi is native to Orissa. The flowing movements and graceful poses of the dance can be traced back to Kaisiki style mentioned in Natya Shastra. Odissi may claim to be the earliest classical dance style of India on the basis of archeological evidence the most outstanding being the Rani Gumpha caves (Udaygiri, Orissa) of the second century BC. These are the very first specimens of a dance scene with full orchestration found in sculptures of that historical period. Some scholars have dated these caves to be earlier than the writings of Bharata's Natyashastra, in which Odissi is mentioned as the peculiar style from north eastern India called Odra Magadhi. Tradition and Dancers Whatever mention Odissi has in caves and treatises, the living tradition of the Odissi dance form has been kept up by the Maharis and the Gotipuas. Maharis are the devadasis from Orissa. ‘Mahan’ – ‘Nari’ or ‘Mahri’ are - the great one, chosen one for the seva or service to the Lord. The Maharis would sing and dance for the Deity. That was their seva to the Lord. The Maharis performed dance sequences based on the lyrics of the Geet Govind of poet Jayadev. Before the time of Jayadev, the Maharis performed mainly nritta (pure dance) and abhinaya based on mantras & shlokas. Various reasons are attributed to the discontinuance of the Mahari tradition of dance and the emergence of the Gotipua tradition. Gotipuas were young boys dressed as girls and made to dance. They were taught the dance by the Maharis. The Maharis themselves never performed outside the precincts of the temple. It was always inside the temple. In fact there were two clans of Maharis - the bhitari gauni Maharis, who would reach the sanctum sanctorum of the temple and bahari gauni Maharis who would be in the temples but outside the sanctum sanctorum. But once the Gotipuas - these young boys were taught the dance, it stepped out of the precincts of the temples. 0ne of the reasons given for the emergence of Gotipuas is, that the Vaishnavites did not approve of dancing by women. During this period, Vaishnav poets composed innumerable lyrics in dedication to Radha and Krishna. Gotipuas danced to these compositions. Hence even to this day one sees that the Odissi repertoire is full of ashtapadis from Jayadeva's Geet Govind (performed by Maharis) and songs on Radha & Krishna by Oriya poets (performed by Gotipua). There is a discerning difference when an ashtapadi is performed with a smooth transition from one movement to the other as opposed to the slightly jerky movement when an Oriya lyric is performed. Odissi Today Most of the present day Gurus themselves have been Gotipua dancers, and in their turn passed on the dance form to dancers and teachers all over India and abroad. From the precincts of the village temple to the metropolitan theatre is quite some distance. Odissi has successfully and meaningfully spanned it. The Maharis and Gotipuas are still gratefully remembered, but today it is the great Gurus coming from the same tradition that guide the destiny of Odissi. They have created a generation of highly talented dancers who have ensured the continuity of the dance form with an awareness and enriched consciousness, not by merely repeating what is handed down to them, but by creating and offering an aesthetic experience that carries the dance to greater heights. It is through the performers and teachers that the art draws its sustenance and continuity. Their number is ever increasing. It was in the early fifties that the outside world took serious note of Odissi. It was Priyambada Mohanty who represented Orissa in the classical dance category at an Inter University Youth Festival. Dr Charles www.dancersdreamland.com 19 Odissi Fabri hailed Odissi as a great dance form. He helped Indrani Rehman study the dance form and the initial credit for bringing Odissi to the international scene goes to this great dancer. With Gurus like late Padmavibhushan Guru Kelucharan Mohapatra, late Guru Pankaj Charan Das, late Guru Deb Prasad Das, Guru Mayadhar Raut and dancers like Late Sanjukuta Panigrahi, Kum Kum Mohanty, Sonal Mansingh, Madhavi Mudgal and Late Protima Gauri, the propagation of Odissi is in full swing. In recent years a number of institutions and individuals in India and abroad are imparting training in this dance form. On the whole the Odissi dance scene today is pulsating, having crossed the national frontiers it has become part of the international scene. Dance Vocabulary and Repertoire The two main postures used in Odissi are the tribhangi and chaukha. Tribhangi (literally: three parts break) is a three-body-bend in essence, and is very feminine in nature. It is it relates to the poses of Lord Krishna. The chaukha of Odissi is comparable with the araimandalam used in Bharatanatyam, except that chaukha is essentially wider than araimandalam. It is the masculine aspect of Odissi and is said to be derived from Lord Jagannath's idol at the temple in Puri. A traditional Odissi repertoire consists of: • • • • • • Mangalacharan: An invocational piece. After paying homage to Lord Jagganath, the reigning deity of Orissa, a sloka (hymn) in praise of some God or Goddess is sung, the meaning of which is brought out through dance. Mangalacharan also includes the ‘bhumi pranam’, begging forgiveness of mother earth for stamping on her, and the ‘trikhandi pranam’, a threefold salutation, above the head to the Gods, in front of the face to all the gurus (teachers) and in front of the chest to the respected audience. Battu Nrutya: A dance piece offered to the Lord of dance - Lord Shiva in his ‘Batuka Bhairava’ form. This piece brings out the essence of Odissi. Pallavi: A pure dance item for which there are no meaningful words sung, but a particular raga (musical melody) is elaborated through eye movements, beautiful body postures & intricate footwork. Abhinaya: Through hand gestures (the language of Indian classical dance), facial expressions and body movements (mime) the meaning of a poetic piece is brought forth & conveyed to the audience. It is telling a story without using the spoken word. Abhinay in Odissi are set to Oriya poetry by famous poets like Banamali, Upendra Bhanja, Kavi surya Baladev Ratha, or to the Ashtapadis from Jayadeva's Geetgovind. Dashavataar: A dance piece describing the ten incarnations of the Lord. The verses are taken from the Geetgovind. Moksha: A pure dance item with only the mardal-pakhawaj (percussion) accompaniment - the dance of liberation. One may feel that the repertoire of an Odissi performance is limited. But it is abundant. There are various items of Mangalacharan, Pallavi, and Abhinaya depending on the hymn, raaga or poem chosen. Artists Guru Padma Vibushan Kelucharan Mohapatra, Guru Pankaj Charan Das and Guru Deba Prasad Das were some of the foremost proponents of Odissi. Smt. Sanjukta Panigrahi the great exponent of Odissi was the jewel in the crown in Guru Kelucharan Mohapatra's endeavour to revive this art form. When Odissi was www.dancersdreamland.com 20 Odissi on the verge of extinction, she was the only woman who fought all odds and became a world famous exponent of Odissi. Another prominent figure was that of Guru Surendranath Jena, who propagated a different style of Odissi in which the poses of the style are used as moving parts of sequences rather than static poses. The style differs from the better-known style of Guru Kelucharan Mohapatra in being slower and therefore requiring greater balance and control. His disciples, including the late Usha Chettur and Radhika Jha have learned this style. The current crop of dancers includes Sujata Mohapatra, Daksha Mashruwala, Aloka Kanungo, Gangadhar Pradhan, Surupa Sen, Bijayini Satpathy, Madhumita Patnaik, Nandita Behera, Durga Charan Ranbir, Jhelum Paranjape, Ramli Ibrahim, Ratna Roy, Madhavi Mudgal, Sonal Mansingh, Ileana Citaristi, Leena Mohanty, Joyoti Das the direct disciple of Guru Sanjukta Panigrahi, and many others. www.dancersdreamland.com 21 Sattriya Sattriya Introduction Sattriya, or Sattriya Nritya, is one among eight principal classical Indian dance traditions. The other seven are Bharatanatyam, Kathakali, Mohini Attam, Kuchipudi, Odissi, Kathak, and Manipuri. Whereas some of the other traditions were revived in the recent pasts, Sattriya dance has been a living tradition since it its creation by the Srimanta Sankardeva in the 15th century in Assam. Sankardeva created the Sattriya dance to accompany the Ankiya Naat (a form of Assamese one-act plays devised by him) which was usually performed in the Sattras. As the dance developed and grew within the Sattras, the dance was named Sattriya by the literateur Maheshwar Neog, who tried to promote it. Though the dance form has come out of the confines of the sattras to a wider audience, the sattras continue to use the dance form for ritualistic and other purposes for which it was originally created 500 years ago. The Dance The core of Sattriya Nritya has usually been mythological stories. This was an artistic way of presenting mythological teachings to the people in an accessible and enjoyable manner. According to tradition, Sattriya is performed only by bhokots (male monks) in monasteries as a part of their daily rituals or to mark special festivals. Today, in addition to this practice, Sattriya dance is also performed on stage by men and women who are not members of the Sattras, on themes that are not mythological. Sattriya dance is divided into many genres: Apsara Nritya, Behar Nritya, Chali Nritya, Dasavatara Nritya, Manchok Nritya, Natua Nritya, Rasa Nritya, Rajaghariya Chali Nritya, Gosai Prabesh, Bar Prabesh, Gopi Prabesh, Jhumura, Nadu Bhangi and Sutradhara, to name but a few. Like the other seven schools of Indian dance, Sattriya encompasses the principles required of a classical dance form: the treatises of dance and dramaturgy, like Natyashastra, Abhinaya Darpana, and Sangit Ratnakara; a distinct repertoire (marg) and the aspects of nrtta(pure dance), nrtya(expressive dance), and natya(abhinaya). Sattriya dance is accompanied by musical compositions called borgeets (composed by Sankardeva among others) which are based on classical ragas. The instruments that accompany a traditional performance are khols (drums), taals (cymbals), the flute. The violin, harmonium etc have been recent additions. The dresses are usually made of pat a kind of silk produced in Assam, woven with local motifs. The ornaments too are based on local traditional design. History In the second half of the 19th century, Sattriya emerged from the sanctum of Assam's Sattras. It moved from the monastery to the metropolitan stage. The Sattras had maintained certain rigid principles within their walls, and until the first half of the 19th century this dance style was performed in a highly ritualistic manner by male dancers alone. The classical rigidity, the strict adherence to certain principles, and the non-engagement of academic research on the dance form all contributed to the delayed recognition and acceptance of Sattriya as one of the eight classical dance forms of India. On November 15, 2000, the Sangeet Natak Akademi finally gave Sattriya Dance its due recognition as one of the classical dance forms of India, alongside the other seven forms. However, despite its delayed inclusion within the recognised schools of Indian classical dance, and the accompanying lack of organisational support from the Centre that that entailed, Sattriya continued through the centuries to maintain within its forms the classical exactitude and intricate detail that mark ancient art forms. One positive outcome of Sattriya's strict adherence to the principles of the Sattras has been this ability to maintain its pure forms, its distinct style. Now that it has made its journey from the www.dancersdreamland.com 22 Sattriya sanctified world of Assam's Sattras to the demotic spaces of the world's stages, it is time for an appraisal of Sattriya's artistic and aesthetic qualities. www.dancersdreamland.com 23 Online Resources For additional resources, clipart, publications, etc., please visit the Soul Movement’s Online Resources guide at www.dancersdreamland.com. Art India www.artindia.net Founded in February 1989 by GS RAJAN and Anjana Rajan, both alumni of Kalakshetra, Madras, and Ashutosh Sundriyal, Art India was established in New Delhi in 1989 with the aim of putting into practice their beliefs concerning the arts. Art India’s aim was – then as now – to offer, on the one hand, programs of genuine quality to audiences, and, on the other, to true artists, a forum where their talents could be exhibited most effectively – through proper organization and aesthetic presentation. Bharatanatyam http://in.geocities.com/medhahari/bharatanatyam/bharatanatyam.html Check out this extensive site with images, pictures, and more about Bharatanatyam. Chandrakantha www.chandrakantha.com/articles/indian_music/nritya.html Use this page a jumping off point for learning more about Indian dance. Follow the “related pages” links on the left to learn more about the individual styles. This site is extensive with history, photos, videos and more. I Love India http://dances.iloveindia.com A site dedicated to all things Indian, including classical dances, folk dances, dance festivals, resources, and more! Indianetzone.com www.indianetzone.com/dances Explore information on classical Indian dances, folk dances, elements of the artform, dancers, institutes, and more! Kala Chethena Kathakali Company www.kathakali.net In 2008 we will celebrate 21 years of touring Kathakali in the UK. As a touring Company we have been able to bring Kathakali to communities in small rural areas in addition to inner cities all over the country. The Company was founded in 1987 by KALAMANDALAM VIJAYAKUMAR, Kathakali actor, and KALAMANDALAM BARBARA VIJAYAKUMAR, Kathakali Chutti - make up artist. We strive to make Kathakali accessible to all through imaginative projects, a strong education program, regular full Company national tours and an advice service. Kanakasabha.com www.kanakasabha.com As the web has spread, and as have the number of sites of Indian classical dance, we thought it would be great to collect this information from across the web, and across the world of Indian www.dancersdreamland.com 24 Online Resources classical dance to present together in a one-stop format, a sort of portal for Indian classical dance. This site is primarily targeted at the Indian classical dance afficionado across the world, but we hope we will also become a useful resource for dancers, choreographers, dance organizers, dance scholars and any one else interested in Indian classical dance. Our aim is to provide a space on the web, where any one interested in the preservation and promotion of Indian classical dance will find useful information, and also feels welcome to contribute in any way they can think of to keep this art form thriving. Kathak.net www.kathak.net/default.htm Born into Kathak, Gauri Sharma Tripathi's link with the art of Kathak goes back to her guru, her mother, Padma Sharma, a disciple of Lachu Maharaj. The world is Gauri's stage and she is carrying the message of Kathak and Indian culture abroad. Kuchipudi Art Academy www.kuchipudi.com Ever since its inception, the Academy, with the active support of connoisseurs has grown in stature and today it stands as a premier Institution recognized by the Government of India as Category 1 of Eminent Institution. Manipuri Dance http://manipuri.20m.com/ Check out this site for extensive information on Manipuri. Mohiniattam.com www.mohiniattam.com Song and Dance, and the desire to spread their message around the world-this is the driving force behind Geeta Radhakrishna - an exponent of Mohiniattam. She has been performing for the last two and a half decades. She is known for adding a different kind of touch to the 'DANCE OF THE ENCHANTRESS.' That of bhakti, thereby raising Mohiniattam to a height of 'SATVIKAM' or divine serenity. Narthaki http://narthaki.com/index.html I have watched this little, small, madness of mine take wing and become the daily habit of thousands of dance maniacs around the world. How strange and wonderful that a bee-in-my bonnet that stung me in New York twelve years ago could morph from one book, a second edition and finally into its current avatar in cyberspace! When NARTHAKI was published in 1992, it received a rapturous response and came to be called the "Bible" of Indian dance. The second edition in 1997 was welcomed for the continuity it provided. NARTHAKI went online in April 2000 and can be regarded as the third edition. – Anita Ratnam Odissi.us www.odissi.us/cms A site dedicated to promoting Indian classical dance throughout the world. www.dancersdreamland.com 25 Online Resources Parul Shah Dance Company www.kathakdance.com The Parul Shah Dance Company is a talented group of dancers and musicians creating original works through the medium of Kathak, a North Indian classical dance. Based in New York City, the company builds upon the dance form’s mythological storytelling roots to explore bold, contemporary narratives. Sadanam Kathakali Akademy www.kathakalisadanam.com ‘Gandhi Seva Sadan- Kathakali and Classic Arts Academy’ popularly known as “SADANAM KATHAKALI AKADEMY", was started in 1953 as a cultural wing of GANDHI SEVA SADAN. It is the third Kathakali training center of Kerala after Kerala Kalamandalam and P.S.V. Natyasangam. www.dancersdreamland.com 26