NRUTYA LEKHAN ( DANCE NOTATIONS)

Indian Classical dances and also other various forms of dances have been evolved from decades. The volumes of Natyashastra also state that dance forms even existed in 1606. Thus many dance forms, especially folk are getting deviated as they are not being carried on from the present performers to the young generation. But for Indian Classical dances, the Guru-shishya parampara carried on these dance styles to reach up to a lot of people. The Gurukul became the home for the students taking education under Guru-shishya parampara where they were given Guru Mukhi Vidya. With this teaching method, the students generally bi-hearted everything taught to them and thus they may not have felt the need for nrutya lekhan.



With the changing time and period, the British rule came in India, which eventually changed the system of education, right from the basic education. Now the education here took the form of classroom teaching method. Now with the changing generation, the guru-shishya paampara started deviating. Though we know the institution like Lalit Kala Kendra and many other would be helpful for the art lovers. Still, for the people who do not get a chance to come up to such institutions to get such knowledge, I think the script like Nrutya Lekhan would definitely help such dances to reach up to many people and also next generation far and wide.
The second thing would be the help and sense of belonging which we would get if it is in writing. We learn so many dance items and some being choreographed in so many different forms. In such situation, if we have these items and choreographies in written it would be most helpful for dancers like us. Thus whenever we need to recall something’s we can just pop in and see the required data. Some positive points would be the help of writing such notations in details which are most helpful.
Nrutya Lekhan would also help in memorising these notations carefully and vividly as it would be written by us. Even we would get to understand it better by notations. Many a time it would also help in generating various ideas and new steps while we are actually writing these notations. Also, writing these notations in a specific style rather than using different symbols and notations personally is necessary as it would avoid chaos. We have two great examples of Bhatkhande and Paluskar style of writing notations used in Kathak which is really helping them a lot to go through their earlier collection and preserve their own.
As all other things, even this has some drawbacks. Knowing that we have all the material in writing it would make us lean and sometimes we may not take the effort to learn and remember our choreographies. Also during the Guru-shishya parampara the students could pass on the knowledge to their students only which they remembered from the vast knowledge provided to them from their guru. Thus we can say that nrutya lekhan can be a storage device for the knowledge we are going to get from our Guru. It will also help us preserve old choreographies and make some new choreography’s using those.

Thus, I think that avoiding some of the drawbacks which are being present in every condition Nrutya Lekhan is very helpful and definitely necessary. It would definitely add a helping hand to the knowledge which is being parted to us by our Guru.

Introduction to India Performing Arts (Music)

Shri. Atul Upadhye Sir in our Orientation Program( Lalit Kala Kendra, University of pune)said that “Music lies between the gap of two notes, there was sudden plain and clear picture for music in my mind as I never understood it before so easily in such simple words. But this is an explanation to students who take formal education for Music, Dance and Theatre…who makes use of these notes and beats in there Art forms.

Then for common people how does music play a part in their life. I think if you just look at a view where does music lie? Then you will find that music is everywhere. It’s what comes out of the speakers when we play a CD on our stereo. It’s what we hear on the radio. Music is singers singing and Musician’s playing. Music is something that people create and something that people respond to. It is also heard from natural sounds like waterfall, thundering, rains, the trotting of horse, etc. Or we can say the twittering of the birds, dogs barking, etc. and I think these are very pure and basic sounds which we can put forth as different types of music. When these sounds are being put together in proportionate beats, rhythm etc. they constitute to become Music. Especially the Music like classical which is also presented in forms of written notations.
Now comes forth the question why do we hear these types of music or sounds. Sometimes we even hear some music like songs again and again. This has a very simple answer to it being because we like to hear them. And we like to hear them because the soothing sound attracts us towards the music. Music is a type of form which leaves sensation to our whole body. Some people start moving their legs as they hear a tint of music, some dance to the tunes, some get totally envolved and get lost in their own world. I think this is the main power and result of music which holds on to our day to day life, especially artists like us.

Interview with legend Kathak dancer Shama Bhate.

Q. When did kathak dance undergo changes and came to be known as classical dance in India?
Ans. It underwent changes during the British rule as before it was not popularly known. After the British rule it started emerging in various places and was being performed by many known people. The way of presentation has definitely changed but not in any technical part. ie. Mudras, adavas etc. have remained the same.

Q. If Natyashashtra describes only one form of dance then how come so many dance styles have emerged from it?
Ans. Natyashashtra does not talk about tension. Eg. Pataka hasta is shown quite softly in kathak dance but the same is quite stiff in Bharatanatyam. As knowledge has also traveled through the gurushishya parampara, may be such things have also brought about changes in dancing styles.

Q. Did it undergo strong changes during the Mughal period?
Ans. Only technical changes and not many major changes are seen.

Q. Are their different methods or techniques for man and woman?
Ans. Only during practical teaching to man and woman.

Q. Why is it seen that there are more number of songs based on lord Krishna than Shiva or Rama?
Ans. No, there are number of shiva songs for kathak dancers too. Shiva is hilarious, but Krishna offers you a lot of lyrics, enthusiasm on the otherside Rama has a silent image.

Q. Why doesn’t Kathak have Dasha Avatar?
Ans. Undoubtfully it has. I have myself performed Dasha Avatar in many of my programmes.

Q. A different side of Kathak?
Ans. The way of using the expressions, abhinaya, actions, etc. it’s more realistic.

Q. When was ‘thumri’ added into Kathak?
Ans. It was added during the Mughal period. Ashtapadi, Sanchalis were performed till that time. Pictures of shades, depth of emotions could be seen.

Q. From when have you been learning dance?
Ans. I have been learning dance now for more than 40 yrs. till I was 20-22, I didn’t ever take up dance as my full time carrier. It was after that I took it professionally.


Q. Can you tell us about your Guru/ Guru’s?
Ans. Rohini tai (Dr. Rohini Bhate) is my great guru. But I have also taken training from Pandit Suresh Talwalkar. I have talked to him about rhythm and different compositions, as I was always interested in learning different things.

Q. What do you think as you are such known and successful dancer what could be the reason behind it? What is that keeps you known in all other dancers?
Ans. First of all thanks a lot for the compliment you have given me. I have taken traditional classical traning for a long period of time, which has enabled me to get a hold over n number of compositions, abhinaya. Sensitive and always welcoming for other music, dance styles, Traveled to different countries like America, London etc. and observed the way they dealt dance and stage performances which developed in me different thinking and imagination.
Once I had attended a seminar-com-workshop of some lady from America. I am really sorry I don’t remember her name. She explained the dance in very different style rather I should say, in different language. She called circle a sphere, square as cube and when our whole body is taken under consideration she called it cylinder or can even form cone. This drastically changed my way of thinking. I started presenting my programs with different choreographies. I took a theme and tried to present in many different ways so that the audience would appreciate me and even my students.
Looking further we can see that kathak is a rigid form of dance and has some restrictions but they can be pulled a little bit to some other end, which fascinates me to choreograph differently. Classical dance can have many forms.

Q. What is margam called in kathak and what do you think is the time span needed to complete it?
Ans. Margam is known as ‘Silsila’ in kathak. It can take approximately 10 yrs. But it can even take more or less than that as per the student’s capacity. Talking about the time span of one particular dance item it can vary from 10mins to 40-45 mins. Varman is known or adjacent to thumri in kathak dance.

Q. Why isn’t the Younger generation not much interested in these dance forms?
Ans. Different levels could be considered, as lots of students leave it soon, do not try to make much physical allotment of time and not much financial returns.

Q. How long will classical dance be known to this world?
Ans. Classical dance/music is the real India. Others like painting, theatre, movies have undergone lots of changes. Dance and music are the true preventatives. They can’t vanish over. There could be highs and lows in their popularity. They are eternal beauty and society has to respect them.

Q. Can you tell us your memorable moment in life related to dance might be on stage?
Ans. Once I had to perform in open stage, where the audiences were sitting in open and the stage had shelter. Soon the program started it started raining, but people applauded and asked to continue the performance. Sooner it started dropping on the stage and we had to stop. It was the most memorable moment in my life where I really could experience the love from my audiences.

Thank You.

INDIAN DANCE

Albert Murray says,

“ Highest Qualities comes from Art !”

Similarly, dance is also categorized as one of the art forms. Dances in India cover a wide range of dances from ancient classical and temple dances to folk and modern styles. There are hundreds of folk dances such as Bhangra, Garba; etc. India also offers a number of classical dances which have been traced to their particular region as well. Similarly, the presentation of Bollywood dance styles and accepting some western forms has made dance more popular in India as well as on global level.
India's great diversity of religious practices, languages, customs, and traditions are examples of this unique co-mingling over the past five millennium years. The various religions and traditions of India that were created by these amalgamations have influenced other parts of the world too. Similarly I feel though, India has taken up western dance styles and accepted them to be performed in our theatres or films. But I think they should accept it keeping our traditions,culture and body language and make it as though it would influence others, as our other trditions do. Copying their dance styles blindly though if it would not be suiting Indian people’s body structure does not definietely make us feel the true Indian who have always been known for their skills and intelligence right from the Aryabhatta period.
As we talk about accepting other dance forms does not mean that we should forget our auspicious and extra-ordinary dance forms which lie all over India in hundred forms. We youngsters are the one who could preserve them and take the initiave to keep them alive over the other regions too. Respect your elders is taught to us from childhood…but does that mean that we should respect only our elders? Don’t we respect our traditions and cultures as well? Then why is it that these days we see our youngsers making jokes of classical dance and even folk dances. We should think about the creativity and the mind behind our ancetors who have developed such immense choreographies and actions which still keeps us going.
If we itself keep flowing towards the western culture then do you think we can preserve the “Unity in Diversity in India”of which our ancesters have been wouching off?
THINK ABOUT IT DEAR FRIENDS…!