Twists and taans in time: A bunch of Mumbai Kids learn classical dance through fun and games
Shubha Sharma, Economic Times Bureau
Jan 21, 2012
The class of frisky seven-year-olds cracks up as the teacher clasps his hands together, and twists his face into a scowl. "Sir, are you being naughty?" asks a little one, cheekily. The teacher draws his face in and lets out a harsh, "Sit down." This time, he's the one who's playing. The anger isn't for real, but it has its effect. The class is stunned into a momentary silence.
For children hooked to Harry Potter, Kolaveri and Dance India Dance, the mysteries of Indian mythology, the bols of a Kathak routine and the sinuous moves of a Manipuri Raas Lila were a revelation. And no less exciting. Nearly 70 Mumbai children were bundled up into two rooms at National Centre for the Performing Arts, where over two days, they were exposed to classical Indian dance forms: Bharatanatyam, Mohiniattam, Kathakali, Kuchipudi, Odissi, Kathak and Manipuri.
The children learnt the basic principles of each dance form, of abhinaya or expression, of nritta or rhythmic dance steps and mudras or gestures, in a language they understood best - fun and games. And like all children, they were full of questions. "What's a rasa?" "How do you show bhayanaka (fear)?" Every double-speed taal sequence was followed by collective gasps. And each of the nine rasas, or moods, the basis for all human expression, was performed with spontaneous interpretations.
But how do you communicate to seven-year-olds abstractions like soul, rhythm, or the language of dance?
Parwati Dutta, a Kathak and Odissi exponent, took the children through the finer points using animal movements. They explored everything from the fluttering of a butterfly to the buzzing of a bee and the flapping of an elephant's ears. Minute differences in eye, hand and leg movements were studied. "One child didn't want to do the movements in a single direction. He asked if he could move around, feel the space around him. An entire jungle was soon created, and the kids loved it," says Dutta.
"This was not the usual dance class, with structured instructional sessions. We wanted to give them an exposure to a rich dance heritage and make them feel the dynamics and beauty of every style," she says. Squats, jumps and arm movements were thrown in for good measure. Sanjib Bhattacharya, the Manipuri teacher, had the class do cartwheels. This was freedom and unadulterated fun - squeals filled the classroom. Towards the end, one boy screamed to his friend, "Twenty times!," and the session simply rolled on.
This, explains Dutta, is more than just a hook for children. It is the essence of Indian dance. "While the body is taught to be disciplined and students are taught to pick up gestures and the language of dance, they are also encouraged to be imaginative. It's all about enthusiasm."
At times, the enthusiasm spun out of control. At the end of the two-hour sessions, if anyone was drained, it was the instructors. "Grade 2, settle down," "Shh, please hear us..." were regular admonitions. All of which fell on deaf ears, of course.
Jan 21, 2012
The class of frisky seven-year-olds cracks up as the teacher clasps his hands together, and twists his face into a scowl. "Sir, are you being naughty?" asks a little one, cheekily. The teacher draws his face in and lets out a harsh, "Sit down." This time, he's the one who's playing. The anger isn't for real, but it has its effect. The class is stunned into a momentary silence.
For children hooked to Harry Potter, Kolaveri and Dance India Dance, the mysteries of Indian mythology, the bols of a Kathak routine and the sinuous moves of a Manipuri Raas Lila were a revelation. And no less exciting. Nearly 70 Mumbai children were bundled up into two rooms at National Centre for the Performing Arts, where over two days, they were exposed to classical Indian dance forms: Bharatanatyam, Mohiniattam, Kathakali, Kuchipudi, Odissi, Kathak and Manipuri.
The children learnt the basic principles of each dance form, of abhinaya or expression, of nritta or rhythmic dance steps and mudras or gestures, in a language they understood best - fun and games. And like all children, they were full of questions. "What's a rasa?" "How do you show bhayanaka (fear)?" Every double-speed taal sequence was followed by collective gasps. And each of the nine rasas, or moods, the basis for all human expression, was performed with spontaneous interpretations.
But how do you communicate to seven-year-olds abstractions like soul, rhythm, or the language of dance?
Parwati Dutta, a Kathak and Odissi exponent, took the children through the finer points using animal movements. They explored everything from the fluttering of a butterfly to the buzzing of a bee and the flapping of an elephant's ears. Minute differences in eye, hand and leg movements were studied. "One child didn't want to do the movements in a single direction. He asked if he could move around, feel the space around him. An entire jungle was soon created, and the kids loved it," says Dutta.
"This was not the usual dance class, with structured instructional sessions. We wanted to give them an exposure to a rich dance heritage and make them feel the dynamics and beauty of every style," she says. Squats, jumps and arm movements were thrown in for good measure. Sanjib Bhattacharya, the Manipuri teacher, had the class do cartwheels. This was freedom and unadulterated fun - squeals filled the classroom. Towards the end, one boy screamed to his friend, "Twenty times!," and the session simply rolled on.
This, explains Dutta, is more than just a hook for children. It is the essence of Indian dance. "While the body is taught to be disciplined and students are taught to pick up gestures and the language of dance, they are also encouraged to be imaginative. It's all about enthusiasm."
At times, the enthusiasm spun out of control. At the end of the two-hour sessions, if anyone was drained, it was the instructors. "Grade 2, settle down," "Shh, please hear us..." were regular admonitions. All of which fell on deaf ears, of course.
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