Divine dance

By Liao Fangzhou Source:Global Times Published: 2015-1-28 19:03:01

Small bells woven around the dancers' ankles jingled in rhythm as they pirouetted at lightning speed onstage at the Shanghai Centre Theatre Monday night.

The performance, called "Kathak Pravaah - the Magic of Kathak," focused on the Kathak, one of the eight classical dances of India. The Consulate General of India in Shanghai hosted the performance to celebrate the country's 66th Republic Day.

Kathak traces its origins to the bards of ancient northern India. Most of the interpretive themes center on the idea of the soul's desire to merge with the divine. Kathak Pravaah, which literally means the "ongoing journey of Kathak," seeks to show the evolution of an ancient tradition throughout the centuries.

The opening piece "Niratata Dhanga" was about beauty and playfulness. Six female dancers, each representing a human soul eager to merge with the universe, gently unfolded their movements and expressions.

In the next section "Parhant," male and female dancers dressed in bluish and yellowish colors dazzled the audience with the rhythmic possibilities of their voices, and then created a dynamic kaleidoscope of footwork and pirouettes.

"Tarana," the concluding presentation, was a rich tapestry of melodic phrases, rhythmic patterns, spatial designs and an enchanting, constant dynamic exchange among the dancers.

The performers are part of a troupe at Kathak Kendra, or the National Institute of Kathak Dance in India, whose alumni have been recognized internationally as masters of this art form.

The lead dancer, 30-year-old Deepak Aurora, said that Kathak sets itself apart from other Indian classical forms in that it includes improvisations. He felt that mastering the necessary creativity is the most challenging part of performing the dance. "Kathak means 'on the spot,' and every time we try to do something new," Aurora told the Global Times.

"In other forms of Indian dances, men emphasize masculinity and gait while women stress femininity," Aurora added. "But in Kathak, women also showcase strength and gait through the footwork, and men highlight their bodies' grace too."

Monday's performance was a modern slant on the classical dance. Choreography guru Kumdini Lakhia is known for her mastery of the dance form as an ancient tradition, as well as her ability to explore its contemporary possibilities.

"The choreographer has put efforts in modernizing the body movements and gestures a little bit so that today's generation can like it more," Aurora said.

The costumes were also different. For Kathak, dancers generally wear the same costumes, but at Monday's performance, they presented themselves in various types of attire including saris. "We are here to mesmerize the audience with the best parts of Kathak - the best moments in the dance, the beauty, the gait," Aurora told the Global Times before the show.

He and his fellow dancers made it so. Applause and excited cries burst from the audience from time to time during the performance. When the show ended after about 45 minutes, many in the house were reluctant to leave the world of Kathak, hoping the magic would last just a little longer.

Kathak Pravaah dance performance Monday 

 

Kathak Pravaah dance performance Monday

Photos: Courtesy of the Consulate General of India in Shanghai



 

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