Courtly dances of India in NZ

[Guest guest]

Courtly dances of India

 

03.02.2003 By BERNADETTE RAE

Kathak dance, one of India's six dance disciplines, began in the

Hindu temples of the north as a devotional and dramatic

acknowledgment of the gods and to re-enact the great stories of the

scriptures: the Mahabharata, the Ramayana and the Puranas of Sanskrit

literature. From there it moved into the courts of both Hindu and

Muslim rulers and the emphasis became more one of lavish

entertainment.

 

It was also carried by bands of early gypsies into Spain, where the

flamenco of today bears striking witness to its influence, in

intricate footwork, whirling pirouettes, graceful hand movements and

dramatic facial expressions.

 

A leading exponent of kathak performs in Auckland this week. Vandana

Paul, from the Jaipur gharana (or school), will dance in the Auckland

Town Hall's Concert Chamber on Wednesday night, accompanied by four

musicians. Vocalist Ramesh Barihaar, Shakeel Khan on the tabla, Vijay

Sharma on the sitar and Vandana's teacher, Guru Ravi Kuma, will

accompany her on the pakhawaj (a second form of drum), creating the

distinctive, rhythmic sounds so important to the tradition.

 

Vandana began her training as a 5-year-old. Fifteen years later she

commenced her professional career - and still practises for up to 10

hours a day, necessary, she explains, to keep her combinations of

mime, footwork and "rounds" in perfection.

 

A traditional kathak performance features a solo dancer on stage,

surrounded on all sides by the audience. The repertoire

includes "amad", the dramatic entrance of the dancer on to the

stage; "thaat", a slow and graceful section; "tukra", "tora"

and "paran", improvised dance compositions; "parhant", rhythmic light

steps and "tatkar" or footwork.

 

Auckland's dance audience has more frequently seen the South Indian

dance of Bharat Natyam.

 

Kathak, Vandana explains, is less angular, more rhythmic, more

courtly and romantic than the rigorous and religious-themed Bharat

Natyam.

 

Male dancers in the kathak tradition wear a Persian costume of wide

skirts and round caps while women wear either a fully gathered skirt

(langha) with a fitting blouse and a long scarf, or a full dress

(tarana), again with flowing skirt and veil-like scarf, ideally

suited to showing off the graceful movements of the dance.

 

At 30 years of age, and based in Delhi, Vandana Kaul is one of her

country's youngest professional Kathak dancers, and has already

toured widely through Europe, China, the Middle East.

 

* Vandana Kaul, Auckland Town Hall Concert Chamber, Wednesday,

7.30pm.