The scintillating Indian classical
dance, Kathak, originated in the ancient temples of
north India before finding its way into the royal courts
of Awadh and Jaipur. With the onset of the Mughal period,
it became a court dance for royal entertainment: we
have, therefore, on the one hand, devotional temple
Kathak and, on the other, the dazzling court Kathak
with its exotic costumes and Persian influence. As a
story-telling form, Kathak is born of the narrative
tradition of the village minstrel – the story-teller,
also called Kathak, or kathakar. The kathakar sang of
heroic tales and legends, dramatising lyrics with subtle
gestures and expressions. This graceful, spontaneous
dance form reveals the poetry, mythology and spiritual
ethos of its roots, and most importantly, India’s
rich Hindu-Muslim heritage.
Shama Bhate (Pune) - Kathak - 23 October 2010 (Saturday)
Shama Bhate brings to her dance a holistic understanding of
the Kathak tradition. A disciple of Guru Smt Rohini Bhate, she
was blessed with special insight from her close association
with Pt Mohanrao Kallianpurkar and, later, with Kathak maestro
Pt Birju Maharaj. She has created her own idiom of Kathak, blending
it with special inputs from Pt Suresh Talwalkar in tala and
laya. This idiom has evolved over the years and is a remarkable
blend of virtuosity and abhinaya, revealing the high degree
of classicism Shama has imbibed from her gurus. Her perspective
on the dance form allows her to choreograph abstract subjects
and contemporary themes with equal ease. As performer, teacher,
choreographer, artistic director, thinker and administrator,
Shama’s work spans over more than 30 years. Working with
several young enthusiasts of classical music, Shama has galvanised
the artistic scene with her unique institution, Nad-Roop. The
troupe has presented choreographies on both traditional and
contemporary themes in both India and abroad. It has performed
and been appreciated at many prestigious dance and music festivals
all over India.
Presentation
Conceived by Shama Bhate, PARINATI is something of a culmination
of her understanding and insight into her chosen dance form.
The world of Kathak, as she has experienced over the years,
comprises not just technique and content, but also the aesthetics
and philosophy of Kathak, the art form. Parinati is an attempt
to present the heritage, handed down to us by our ancestors
and maestros, and its transformation down the ages. The choreographer
endeavours yet again to strike a balance between re-forming
with the newer sensibilities and still retaining the classicism
lying at the core of the ever changing performing arts. Music
is one of the core concerns of Shama’s choreography, the
other being theme. That makes Parinati a spectrum of bandishes
from classical composers – with different musical sensitivity
and design, various ragas and talas, and a range of emotions
and colours.
