Odissi - Introduction

Odissi can quite rightly claim to be the most ancient amongst the Indian classical dances. Evidence of a dance known as the Odhra Magadhai existed even before the Natyasastra and is mentioned in the above work. The rich temple and monument tradition of Orissa are adorned with sculptures depicting this dance form. Literary evidence is also massive, with many manuscripts illustrating the progress of Odissi through the ages. The dancers of Odissi became essential to the temple and ceremonies and social occasions could not be considered complete without them.

Odissi can quite rightly claim to be the most ancient amongst the Indian classical dances. Evidence of a dance known as the Odhra Magadhai existed even before the Natyasastra and is mentioned in the above work. The rich temple and monument tradition of Orissa are adorned with sculptures depicting this dance

Odissi - Repertoire

Odissi like all classical dances of India is divided into nritta (pure dance) and abhinaya (drama). An Odissi begins with a show of obeisance to the earth with a sequence known as the bhumi pranam . This is followed by an invocation sequence known as the bighnaraja puja which is dedicated to Lord Ganesha.

The recital is begun with a sequence known as the batu nritya which is the most difficult sequence in Odissi. The dancer begins with the chowka and as the tempo rises moves through a series of intricate movements. This sequence is the dancer's attempt to weave patterns to a tala (metrical cycle). This sequence is then followed by an invocatory composition known as the ista devata vandana which the dancers dedicate to a God of their choice. The dancer chooses the relevant poem and the movements executed convey a bit about the various characteristics of the God. The dancer then moves into the swara pallavi in which pure melody is introduced into the recital which the dancer

Odissi - Theory and Technique

Odissi like all classical dances in India follows the basic rules set forth in the Natyasastra. The human body is divided into two halves with equal distribution of weight. A deflection takes place when the dancer intentionally shifts weight from one part to the other. The body can be divided into three units namely the head, torso and hips and knees along which deflections can take place. The movement of the hips is a unique feature in Odissi for it is prohibited in the other dance forms. One of the typical poses in Odissi is the natavara bhangi or tribhanga . In Odissi this is achieved by sharply deflecting the hips in one direction, deflecting the torso in another and finally deflecting the head in the same direction as the hip. Odissi employs two techniques when it comes to the foot movements, the kunchita in which the toes touch the ground and the heel is raised and the anchita when the heel touches the ground and the toe is raised. Odissi also has some fairly exotic combinations of foot and leg movements, for instance a pose

Manipuri - Introduction

Manipuri is unique amongst the classical dances of India in the fact that it is comparatively less rigid than the other forms and its movements appear free and spontaneous. It has a unique easy and fluid style

Manipuri developed in what is today the state of Manipur. It is located on the north eastern portion of the country in a mountainous region of tremendous natural beauty. The area was inhabited by a number of different tribes, which can be broadly categorized into the hill people or the valley people. Manipuri developed amongst the valley people who were known as Meities. They trace their origins to Vedic times and as a result religious rituals were an important part of their society. These eventually manifested themselves into dances that demonstrated a devotion to God. The Meities practiced a number of ritual dances that dealt with a different aspect of worship. For instance there was a dance form which was practiced by priests, who clad in spotless white would demonstrate in a series of disciplined movements their devotion to

Manipuri - Repertoire

Manipuri is a dance which is the fusion of various classical and folk dances and hence has many different styles in its repertoire.

Manipuri still retains the ritual dances of the early Manipur dances with the most notable ones known as the Lai Haroba and the Khamba Thoibi . These dances combine nritta (dance) and abhinaya (drama) although the relationship between "word" and "gesture" is not as formally defined as it is in some of the other classical dances. There are various other dance types like a variety of cholams and kartalis . One of the most important dance types is known as the khol which can be performed either solo or go up to even a hundred dancers. These are set to a musical instrument known as the pung and the range of sounds that can be produced through the instrument is astounding. There are several other cholam dances as well like the duff cholam the kanjira cholam. Amongst the kartali dances there are two very interesting ones known as nupi khumbak ishai and nupa khumkak ishai . The above are group dances and many interesting formations are displayed. The dance is built up on the clapping of hands and is accompanied by the pung . The cholam and kartali dances are pure nritta with no abhinaya portions at all.

Manipuri - Theory and Technique

Manipuri is a dance form that is completely different from the other classical dances of India. It does not try to create sculpturesque poses but instead has a more relaxed and fluid approach. This however does not mean that it moves away from precision and technique. Manipuri has a unique approach to dealing with the body, it attempts to connect the body through curves, with a pose in the shape of the figure eight a common feature. The movements are not sudden and one pose simply melts into the next. The pose in the shape of the figure eight is known as the nagabhanda mudra and is the basic pose of the dance. One major consequence of using this pose is that spreading out the feet is no longer possible, which is a characteristic feature with most of the other Indian classical dances. The torso in Manipuri is treated as two units, one above the chest and the other between the chest and the waist. The body is firm but not tense and the dancer weaves out curves in the shape of an 'S' with his or her arms, neck, head, torso, hands etc. . Manipuri dancers execute some intricate movements, for instance when the wrist is moving in the shape of an eight the fingers are executing a different set of movements. Manipuri dancers as mentioned earlier execute their movements in a relaxed manner and their face remains calm throughout the performance with

Kathakali - Make up and Costume

Kathakali is a highly dramatic dance and the dancers make-up is very elaborate. Kathakali dancers must not appear human, instead they must appear to represent a particular mood or abstract aspect of life.

Kathakali make- up is based on a certain set of colors, each of which is used to represent a particular aspect. Make-up in Kathakali goes beyond simply acting as a method of decorating the face of the dancer and instead is used to transform the dancers into the characters they are playing. Once Kathakali dancers have put on their costume and make- up they are no longer themselves, they have assumed the life of the character they are playing. This is respected to such an extent that no one addresses the dancers by their real names, the performers playing different characters usually do not even converse while the show is on except on stage. A special person is responsible for doing the make-up and is known as a chottikkaran . A

Kathakali - Repertoire

A Kathakali dance recital begins with the sounding of the drums ( melappadam ) which is done to create the proper atmosphere amongst the audience. Kathakali is usually performed outdoors and the light of a single oil lamp and the playing of the drums immediately grasps the audience's attention. A devotional invocation is performed known as the todayam in which one or two characters invoke the blessing of the Gods. This sequence is usually performed behind a curtain. After the todayam is completed a sequence of pure dance follows in which a few of the characters participate. This is known as the puruppadu and is essentially an introductory dance with no acting. The actors perform a number of pure dance sequences known as kalasams which demonstrate the capabilities of the performers. Once the purappadu is over the drama part begins.

Kathakali indulges in a lot of suspense. A major character will never enter the stage directly, but will instead perform behind the curtain. To the accompaniment of music the actor executes many dance movements and is able to keep the audience intrigued and enthralled at the same time. It appears as if he is battling the

Kathakali - Theory and Technique

According to the philosophy of Kathakali the human body is divided into a number of minute anatomical units which can either function individually or together in combinations. Unlike the other classical dances, Kathakali places emphasis on muscles. The movement of the facial muscles form an important part of a dancer's training. Kathakali dancers make geometric patterns which are either squares or rectangles and this is how they cover space.

The dancer moves around in the mandala sthana position, in which the dancer stands with both feet apart, the knees turned out and the outer soles of the feet touching the ground. The dancer then uses his feet, hands and eyes to trace out imaginary shapes in space. The distinctive feature of Kathakali are its jumps, sweeps and leaps. The torso is used mostly as one entire unit although sometimes it is treated as two or three different units. Leg extensions are clearly demonstrated and to achieve them the Kathakali dancers must shift their weight from one foot to another. Whilst the dancers are busy with these

Kathakali - Introduction

Kathakali is unique in the fact that unlike the other classical dances of India one cannot make a clear distinction between the dance and drama portions of it. Kathakali is not a solo dance like Bharatanatyam, nor is it a court dance like Kathak or lyrical like Manipuri. Instead Kathakali is characterized by a strong dramatic element, where the dancers play the role of supernatural characters. It is an awe inspiring experience to watch the dance, with its fantastic costumes and make up and dramatic presentation.

Kathakali like all the classical dances of India has evolved over hundreds of years. Essentially it originated in South India, in the region which today forms the state of Kerela. In Kerela there existed an ancient form of drama known as Chakya Kottu which was very popular at the time. In the rest of South India too there were several dance and drama forms known as attams that contributed to the evolution of Kathakali. The Tirayattam and Kudiyattam were some of the prominent ones, with the latter still performed in Kerela. Tirayattam was a pure dance form without any literary content. They used masks and face painting for makeup. Interestingly the make up on the dancers was based on the patterns used in the dance. The elaborate make up of Kathakali can probably be traced back to this period. Kudiyattam was a

Kathak - Theory and Technique

An interesting aspect of Indian dance is that it usually resembles poses seen in sculptures, however as you have read earlier, our records of Kathak are from paintings. Kathak therefore is a lot like a painting, it conceives space in only two dimensions and hence its patterns are done in a straight line. Space is treated front to back and no attempt is made to make three dimensional patterns. Even when the dance does a spin it is down along the central median with no deflections taking place. Kathak takes the human form to be a straight line and therefore there are very few deflections of the vertical median. The sam pada position (when the dancer stands straight and there is equal distribution of weight) is an important one in Kathak. In no other classical Indian dance style is flat foot dancing so important. Kathak requires minute

Kathak - Repertoire

Like any other dance form Kathak also deals withnritta and abhinaya. The nritta portions begin with a sequence known as the amadaaa. The amadaa is set to a sixteen beat metric cycle ta thei thei tat, aa thei , thei ,tat. The dancer uses the amadaa as the entry to the stage and as an invocation to Lord Ganesha. The amadaa ends with a few spinning movements and the dancer reverts to a static position. What follows is the thata which displays the various possible movements of the body. Sometimes this is done before the amadaa. After the initial sequences are completed the dancer presents pure dance sequences known as tora, tukra and parana . These are named after the varying degrees of complexity of the beats of the accompanying instruments. The tora is presented first and it can be described as a formal pattern set to the sound patterns of the instrument known as the sitar. It is followed by the tukra which is often presented with spinning movements. The dancer first begins with a seemingly slow rhythmic pattern and then proceeds to build up a more complex structure based on the mathematical sequence of the beats. The structure can be built up from any beat but the last step should coincide with the last beat and hence requires a considerable amount of calculation by the dancer. The parana follows and is characterized by the stronger beats it is set to.

Kathak - Introduction

The origins of Kathak cannot be pin pointed as with other Indian classical dances for it more or less evolved over centuries and over a geographically vast area. Some attribute it to the Mughal Empire, but then there is a contradiction for the state religion of that time did not patronize dance. However, some of the Mughal kings were known to be fond of art and music and it is speculated that Kathak developed during their reign. Unlike most of the other dances we are not able to find much evidence in ancient sculptures, however there is evidence of dance styles that form modern day Kathak. In these paintings one gets a detailed and descriptive insight into the development of this dance. The dance was given a shape by

Bharatanatyam - Repertoire

The repertoire of a Bharatanatyam dance is extensive and we shall deal with those used in a solo dance as the Bharatanatyam of today is largely performed solo. We shall take a look at a typical Bharatanatyam solo dance recital.

Alarippu

The recital opens with the alarippu which is an invocation sequence set to the beat of a drum known as the mridangam. Through simple movements the dancer constructs rhythmical patterns. The basic and most significant movements are presented in an ascending order, quite like the introduction of the chief notes on the melodic scale. The dancer begins with the point of perfect equilibrium (sambhanga) and remains standing. The movements of the neck, shoulder and arms are then

Bharatanatyam - Theory and Technique

The basic theory of Indian dance assumes the body to be a mass which is equally divisible along a central median. When weight is perfectly balanced the samabhanga position emerges. When there is a slight imbalance the abhanga position is achieved and when there are two deviations on opposite sides then a thrice deflected position appears known as the tribhanga . Bharatanatyam is unique in the fact that the movements it conceives are either straight lines or triangles. The head forms the first unit and moving the head laterally is a common feature. The next unit is the torso which is moved as a whole and this is a characteristic feature of Bharatanatyam. Finally the lower limbs are either seen as a straight line or as the two sides of a triangle in space. Other key aspects in Bharatanatyam are nritta (dance) and abhinaya (acting).

Bharatanatyam - Introduction

Bharatanatyam is perhaps the oldest amongst the contemporary classical dances of India. Bharatanatyam is characterized by the use of the ekaharya lasyanga style in which one dancer-actor plays many different roles. This dance form goes back a long way in history and early records appear as sculptures on temple walls and in literature. After the 10th Century AD its development took place mainly in South India and eventually was restricted to an area which forms the state of Tamil Nadu today. The medieval southern kings like the Cholas and Pallavas were great patrons of this dance form and during their reign it received tremendous support. The dance survived the British period and in fact was able to develop further during the colonial period. It remains a popular dance form

Indian Classical Dance - Theory and Technique

Indian dance did not develop in isolation, it is more of a combination of music, art and drama and hence the classical dances of India usually follow most of the techniques and guidelines laid down for theatre. Dances are typically in the dance-drama form, where the dancer is conveying a story to the audience with the help of dance symbols. Indian dances differ significantly from Western Dance forms. Western dancers are concerned more with space, and their dance movements involve moving around in space. Hence they are characteristic by great leaps into the air, or the rapid movement from one place to another. Western dancers create movement by reaching into space and carving out intricate movements in the air, and the central aim is to make movement appear free from gravity. Indian dancers on the other hand have a very different concept, they do not concern themselves with spaces but with time. The central aim of Indian dance is to make a pose so perfect that it appears timeless. Hence the movements take place in time and must be perfectly synchronized with the rhythm, in order to create a series of perfect poses. A perfect pose would be able to capture time for a moment, and in a limited space. As a result most Indian dances,

Indian Classical Dance - History

India's contemporary classical dances trace their origin far back in Indian history. Dance like any other aspect of Indian culture and tradition has developed over thousands of years. It is a very influential art form, for sculptures and pieces of literature from the past all depict some form of dance. Classical Indian dances today trace their roots to a book called the Natyasastra which forms the basis of all the performing arts today.

The first concrete evidence of dance in India can be traced back to the period of the Indus Valley Civilization, , where beautiful bronze sculptures of a dancing girl have been found. Other sculptures found at the Indus Valley Civilization sites indicate that dance was a well developed art. Moving into the Vedic age, we once again find evidence of the continuing tradition of dance with the Vedas speaking eloquently on the art form. Dance was respected as a profession as well as a social activity. Even the Gods have been shown to appreciate dance, with Lord Krishna known as the Supreme Dancer. Essentially one can divide the history of dance in India into two periods, the first one from the 2nd Century BC to the 9th Century BC and the second from the 10th Century BC to the 18th Century BC. During the first period, Sanskrit