Luise Elcanness Scripps, patron, artiste, India lover and main supporter
of Balasaraswati's art in USA (and of her family art as represented by
Lakshmi, Aniruddha and Douglas Knight), passed away last week in USA.
She with her husband Samuel Scripps started many initiatives on west,
then east coast to help Indian arts and artistes.
Read the tribute in the site
This article is based on the identification of the use of the Maxims of
methodical teaching for giving training in dance. It is seen that the
use of “maxims of methodical teaching [1]” help organize and grade teaching
matter according to the age, background and psychological make-up of
the students to be taught. The judicious and ingenious use of these
maxims also helps expedite the teaching-learning process of the students
in the academic curriculum.
The researcher has attempted to expose the use of these maxims in giving
training or teaching Bharatanatyam by using as a model the curriculum
design of Sri Rajarajeshwari Bharatanatya Kala Mandir (the Alma Mater of
the researcher, therefore the progression of lessons is as learnt by
the researcher then). The researcher has been fortunate to learn under
all the gurus of the institution and observe their teaching methods at
close quarters; particularly of Late Guru G. Karunambal, the co-founder
of the institution Sri Rajarajeshwari Kala Mandir, Mumbai, who taught at
the Chembur branch. There, with her, the researcher has worked as
trainee, assistant teacher and teacher for nine years. Through
observations and analysis of her mentor’s teaching methods as a trainee,
the researcher attempts to document the commonly used teaching
methods of Bharatanatyam under the varied techniques as per the list of
maxims of methodical teaching.
Read the article in the site
Natya Shastra must be the most used and abused word today.
Wherever I go, Pune or Paris, Baroda or Bolivia, this is one random word
thrown by those who wish to impress their bookish, inapplicable
knowledge of Indian dance. It is another matter when I ask some obese
dancer or guru what NS has to say about age and weight of a dancer fit
for stage or what dimensions stage ought to be, then they look blank or
have excuses that it was WRITTEN eons ago and not applicable in its
entirety today! Some silly teachers have drilled NS so much into ears
and brains of poor unsuspecting students that most students are lost
today and are feeling dance art is too heavy and redundant. Imagine,
even modern dancers are suffering from this overdose of NS. One beauty
from Bombay asked me, “Sir, how to use NS in modern dance by Bombay
beach?" (as though its content and concepts of purvarangam or rasa
theory would be used differently in mountains of Almora or sands of
Jodhpur!).
Read the article in the site
Abhinavagupta, the commentator on Bharata’s Natyashastra says that the
origin of dance (and of Art) is not something that can be traced. It is
as ancient and ever existing as the knowledge contained within the Vedas
themselves. Every generation rediscovers it, re-interprets it and gives
it its own identity according to their own evolution, state of mind and
understanding.
Dance, the representation of joy through our only vehicle, our body,
seems to hold universal appeal and continuity. Yet, because we are human
and contain intellectual facility to think, to reflect and to wonder
and then to come to a conclusion about our place in the universe, a
stylization enters that elemental representation of joy and beauty.
The aim of dance according to him is to either entertain or to
enlighten. The universe in its abstractness and vastness holds a
mystical power over the human mind. The human body is endowed with an
incredible tenacity to display the most mystical and vast phenomenon of
the universe through its minutest gestures. Dance is that
representation of the infinite through the finite and perishable body of
a human soul.
While the history of Odissi dance too is as clouded and obscure in the
passage of time as any ancient art is, historical evidence of the dance
form suggests a 2000-year-old antiquity and beyond.
Read the article in the site
The most beautiful aspects of Balinese dance which leaves an
unforgettable impression on visitors are the locations and spaces where
dances are performed everyday of the year. The architectural beauty of
temple entrances, the ambience of blooming frangipani trees, the subtly
lit courtyards of palaces, the long bamboo poles adorned with flags
swaying in the island breeze, fire lamps circling the stage.....the
whole picture is one of aesthetic pleasure for the viewer.
Bali (Indonesia) is an island of beauty and Art. The people are gentle,
practice their version of Hinduism, believe in tradition and dance like
angels. Visiting Bali again after a decade filled me with enthusiasm on
the one hand and trepidation on the other. I knew things would have
changed, but hoped the old atmosphere was not forsaken entirely for
tourism. The famous city Ubud, an ancient capital with a royal palace in
central Bali is still a centre for the Arts, but has become over
crowded. However, there are still many spots in Bali which have a quiet
charm, not yet over run by tourists.
Read the article in the site
Since the days of remote past, rich traditional heritage of arts and
culture in India have continued to prove their creative magnificence.
With the passage of time and advent of globalization, we have witnessed
the emergence of a consistent macro-culture. Under the influence of such
a voracious macro-culture the arts and culture of our country is
suffering from attrition and erosion. The development of art and
cultural organizations has been closely related to government policy to
create an environment that is more favorable to arts, artists and
cultural development.
Puppetry is a very ancient art form that originated about 3000 years
ago. Natya Shastra by Bharatamuni in the second century brings much
evidence on puppets. The producer-cum-director of the human theatre has
been termed as ‘Sutradhar’ meaning the holder of strings. Puppets have
been used since the earliest times to animate and communicate the ideas
and needs of human societies. Although puppets have been employed by
various disciplines and community, little has been written about their
use as a communication tool in research. A qualitative research study on
string puppets of Maharashtra is conducted to explore the origin and
history of puppetry, to revive the art and to explain how and why
traditional art forms continue to have educational efficacy for
contemporary developmental projects.
Read the article in the site
August
is Madras month. It was 376 years ago on August 22 that the British
leased a small strip of land from the Dutch on a date which is now
widely marked as the birth of Madras - Madras Day. While the
celebrations began in a modest way several years ago by a small group of
citizens who wanted to revive the "idea" of Madras and its colourful
history, the week has now grown to become an entire month filled with
talks, heritage walks, and rare cuisine offerings, music, movies
and even standup comedy! Theatres, cafes, art galleries, hotel lobbies,
heritage buildings and private homes became venues for the month long
celebrations.
For a dancer, it was a dream month. A chance to watch the legends talk,
share and perform. To watch practitioners in their seventies and beyond
make us gasp and sigh in admiration!
Read in the site
