Navarasa Padam

This is a padam I like, coz, they have used various events in the life of the lord of dance himself, to bring out the nava rasas. This is a vey traditional (and a much better choreography, IMHO) than the few I found on youtube.


https://youtu.be/jZl7MjgQT7g

Swamiye Varnam

I like how the second half of the varnam goes - all jathi is set to the same tune as the verses
Don't think i ever danced this on any stage - can't remember doing it

Swamiye Varnam

Hindusthani Thillana

Remember the one time I was part of a big group performance at a temple. This still is an awesome choreography - not sure whether Chandrika Kurup aunty and / or Lakshmi Kurup did it.

I also taught this to two other ladies and we performed at Oracle, OHA 2010, I think.

There is a faster version of the song, and a Bharathnatyam performance to it, in the movie Swathi Thirunal. I personally feel this Thillana is more suited for Mohinitniyattam.


https://youtu.be/mVjnTHBqvgs

Jathiswaram

Don't remember this piece very well - learnt it from Mrs. Chandrakala Jagannathan nearly 30 yrs ago. A very traditional choreography, danced like how a 60 yr old ex danseuse would. Moral of this post - learn the dance well, practice through the week and then make a video at the end of the week.

https://youtu.be/jaQ7zLSfGVs 

better late than never etc etc etc...

Have to try and catch up for the last four weeks.

variga variga has to be followed by endaho vallabha; which was my trademark piece those days.

That is me going "thellum agathaliril ille" at all of 9.

Wish I had known the value of what I was learning, at that time, sigh...

https://youtu.be/JT0m7Ney7w4 

An all time favourite, very popular piece in Mohiniyattam - Variga variga. This was usually Preethy's piece when we were growing up.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a_HfmAiL7OQ&t=48s

So week three and four have already been slacking - so going to cheat and post videos from past. But on the upside, joined salsa classes. So may be a salsa video soon!!

Odissi, I find the most evolved of the three dance forms I have learnt. Managalacharan, though can equate to the alaarippu, is evidently way ahead.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2foA5Q1oUkU

Don't Procrastinate

Late by a day, since I put off recording to the last hour possible, yesterday and that didn't work out and had to be redone this morning.

Mohiniyattam this week. I think the gurus who put down the structure for this said to themselves - let's load the first piece with everything. So the cholkettu, which I think is the first piece taught in most schools, has almost all the steps in Mohiniyattam's repertoire.

This video probably shows how not to do it 😛. No bending, not sitting enough. But it is a tough 11:45 minute piece. The fact that I can even finish it without my knees buckling is a good thing at this stage!

https://youtu.be/jC9kVd_aEJc

Do better

If I can do better, I should. If I do love dance at all, it is high time I did something about it. So here goes - Julie and Julia style - 52 dances in 52 weeks. I am taking up learning / re-learning one dance every week, in 2019.

Will start with the first one of course, Alaarippu.

It is most commonly done in the thishram, but can also be done in chatusram and khandam

Here is a good video on the choreography of an alaarippu.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uZahOHQVvis&t=845s
Guess the struggle with the taala is part of the learning. But helps if you know the panchanada.

Tha ki ta,
Tha ka dhi mi,
Tha ka Tha ki ta,
Tha ki ta tha ka dhi mi,
Tha ka dhi mi Tha ka tha ki ta

And my alarippu, at obscene number of kilos!! Of course, I have to leave my trademark, at least one mistake. Find where the mistake is and it is not where I loose balance in the sitting sequence.

https://youtu.be/hoqtCHcEVgg