Bharatnatyam Thillana, at an Oracle OHA - I don't blame the audience for clapping ahead of time to get us off the stage. But I thoroughly enjoyed doing this with Manjula, Savitha and I think the 4th one's name was Lakshmi. Looking at the video now, I see the lack of coordination and my own tardiness. If I was that all those years ago - I have a lot of work cut out for me.

https://youtu.be/VrgSPbWHxlM 

Q4 resolution

 After a long hiatus, back to restart some dancing. Turning 51 can actually remind you of how little time you have left, to dance. Also after the attempt to perform cholkettu at the Mantri Woodlands Onam celebrations, realization that if I don't practice regularly I will simply be unable to dance soon, attempting to start a daily half an hour minimum practice. Posting this after 

day 1 - mangalacharan, battu, vasanth pallavi

day 2 - battu, vasanth pallavi, shankaravarana pallavi 

day 3 - vasanth, shankara, saveri pallavi

Paadhabedha

Udghatithaha
Samshchaiva
Thatha agrachalasancharaha
Anchithaha
Kunchuthaschaiva
Paadaha pancha vidaha smritaha 

Viniyoga

Mayura Viniyoga

Mayuryasye
Lathaayamcha
Shakune
Vamane thatha
Alaghasyapanayane
Lalaata thilakesucha
Nadyo nakasya nikshepe
Shaastra vaade prasidhake
Evam ardheshu yujyanthe mayura kara bhaavanaha


Ardhachandra Viniyoga

Chandre
Krishnashtami Bhaji
Galaa
Hasthaktha kepicha
Bhallaayudhe
Devathaanam abhishechana karmani
Uthpakthre
Uthbhave
Gaathyam
Chinthaayam
Aathma vaachake
Dhyaanecha
Praarthane chaapi
Angaanam sparshane thatha
Prakruthaanam namaskari
Ardhachandroni yujyathe

Araala Hastha Viniyoga

Vishaabdyam amrutha paaneshu
Prachanda pavane picha

Shukhathundakaha Viniyoga

Baana prayoge
Kunthathe
Vaalayasye smriti krame
Manmukthyam
Uprabhaveshu
Shukhathundoni yujyam 

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

Bhuoomi pranaam

Thari               kita               dhi            dhala
anga                tath               dha            -
tath                 dha                thaka        dha
tath                 dha                thaka        dha
tath                 dha                thaka        dha
tha                  dhomtha         kadthak    gadhiin
dhin                thinakadhini    tha          


Sabhapranaam

(Dhai                -                      Dhai              -
Thadhi             kidathaka         dhai              -     2)
Dhai                 dhai                 thadhi            kidathaka
dhai                  dhai                dhai                dhai
thadhi               kidathaka        dhai                dhai
(Dhinda              Atha               atha                dhinda  (3)
dhinda               atha                tha                 dhai - 2)
thinkthere kitethaka nathere kitethaka
(tha                     thomtha           thai               kitathaka- 2)
tha                     thomtha             thai
kidatha dhai kidatha dhai
kidathaka
dinna kidathaka (4)
dheigida             dhinda                kite               thaka
thaka                   -                     gadhi               gine
tha                      -                      kitetha             gadhigine (3)
thaathomtha
kidathaka gadhigine dha (3)

Tripathaka hasta viniyoga

Mukute - crown
Vrikshabhaveshu - tree
Vajre - lightning
thadaravasave -
kethaki kusume -
deepe - lamp
vanhi jwaala - fire
vijrumbane -
kabothe - pigeon
pathralekhaayam - writing a letter
baanardhe - arrow shooting
parivarthane - change difference
yujyanthe thipathakoyam kathito bharatotamiyihi 

Being in a Nrityagram Choreography

there is the gurukul and the surrounding area that makes you want to stay there forever - and the trepidation i feel as i enter anticipating the yelling that's definitely coming at me in that day's class - its somewhat like being in an abusive relationship - one that i cannot give up. at 40 it really hurts to see how much the body has forgotten or probably never even learnt - the difference being aware of what muscles i was using to hold a particular pose, can make to that pose - how i could feel perfect but there is still another level of corrections that there is. i am not giving up. how feeling like a tree yourself can actually make the audience believe you are a tree - how there is no one among the 13 of us on stage that is not being seen at any point of time - "not on my stage" - how this will NOT do - how every single person is uma putra even if someone else is depicting uma and putra - how thandava priya putra is absolutely different from that - how much making a connection with the person next to you can actually help you balance your own pose - how none of this makes any sense unless you are there, going through it yourself!!  

Chowk 5.3

Extend both hands together in front of chest as if receiving something, pull hands towards chest - then goes to chowk position.
leg - half stretch right leg in front in the same line as a chowk leg (closer if needed but not wider from a chowk position) - bring left leg to same level as the right leg in chowk, right tap at chowk, left tap at chowk, right tap at chowk.
Bol - dhai kidathaka dha thunna - kidathaka dhai dha thunna

Pathaaka hastha viniyoga

List of things that can be depicted using just the pathaaka hastha

Naatyaarambhe - At the beginning of the dance
Vaari vahe - clouds
Vane - forest
Vasthu - things
Nishedhane - to say no
Uchasthale - to show the chest / breasts
Nishaayamcha - darkness / night
Nadyaa - river
Amaramandale - heavenly bodies
thurange - fast moving objects (like a horse)
Khandane - to kill
Vayu - breeze
Shayane - sleep
Ghamanodhyame - to walk together
prathapecha - valour
prasaadecha - to console
chandrikaayam - moonlight
ghanaathape - unbearable
kapaatapaatane - opening a door
saptha vibhakthyarthe - dividing into 7 parts
Tharangake - little waves
Veedhi - pathway
praveshabhavepi - entering
samathvecha - equal
changaragake - annointing oneself
Aathmarthe - Me
Shapathe chaapi - to promise
Dhooshneembhaava Nidharshane - to tell a secret
Thaala patreecha - manuscript
Khetecha - shield
Dravyaadi sparshane thadha - touch
Aashirwaada griyaayamcha - blessing
Nrupashreshtasya bhavane - king of kings
thatratatrethi - here and there
vachane - speak
sindhoucha sukruti krame - big waves
sambhodhane - to adress people
purogethu - to invite inside
katga roopasya chaarane - bearing a sword
maase - month
samvatsane - the passing of many months
varshadhine - rainy day
sammarjane thadha - to clean
evam ardhesu yujyante pathaaka hasthe bhaavanaha - these are the meanings of all the pathaka hastha depictions

Greeva Bheda (Neck movements)

1. Sama (normal)
   
2. Natho (Chin down touching the chest)
3. Unnatha (stretching the neck up)
4. Trayasra (move in a V shape)
5. Reechitha (side to side from the back of the neck - usual dance neck movement)
6. Kunchitha (cringe the neck)
7. Anchitha (stretchin the front)
8. Valithacha (move out in a semi circle)
9. Nivrithcha (come back in a semi circle)

Greeva nava vidhartathaha

Steps Thirbhanga 1 - 2.3

Thribhangi - 1
left foot chowk - right foot thrasya
left hand at hip mushti hastha - right hand on thigh - shikhara hastha
tap right leg

Thribhangi 2.1
leg right leg vipareedhamukha - left leg kunchitha - chowk
left hand on hip mushti hastha - right hand pathaaka hastha near chest - chowk position

Thribhangi - 2.2
leg - right leg vipareedhamukha - left leg kunchitha - vilagnapashni
hand left hand stretched out the the side hamsasya hastha - right hand held near the navel shikhara hastha

Thirbhangi - 2.3
leg - left leg vipareedhamukha - right leg kunchitha to vipareedhamukha - moving fwd
hands - both held near left sholder in tripathaaka - right hand makes a rainbow abow the head and left moves to join the right hand at sholder level