I am a 17-year-old Kathak artist from Indore. I am a student of Guru Dr Ragini Makkhar Ji and have been learning traditional Kathak since the age of five. I have been a dedicated disciple and am devoted toward the field of art and learning under Guru Shishya Parampara. I have been performing with my guru for more than half a decade and am improvising the art of storytelling by means of the Kathak dance form. With my guru’s blessings, I have performed on various national platforms like the Indian Television Academy Awards (ITAA) 2019, India Banega Manch, Colors TV, Chakradhar Samaroh, Tandav Season 3 and more. I was also fortunate enough to perform at India’s Got Talent Season 8 Colors TV, in the Group Dance category. I have won the Invincible Dance Championship 2019 and performed at the international meet of Rotary Institution. My biggest performance was at the International Presidential Conference 2022 and winning the International Festival of Dance and Music, Bangkok, Thailand (Group Dance category and Duet Dance category) in 2018. I firmly believe that my achievements directly align with my fanaticism in following Guru Shishya Parampara. Every success story has a back frame and mine is my firm belief in ‘uninterrupted succession’.

Kathak taught me not only to become a good artist, but before that, a good human being. All my major enlightenments, blackballing Kathak, have helped me to tackle the ebbs and flows of a stereotypical teenage life much more easily. Initially, it was arduous for me to pursue Kathak as my career, as my acquaintances were planning to get ahead with academics. But the only bright spot which helped me to abide by my ambition was my family and my guru’s credence in me. With their grace and blessings I am what I am today. Today, I am trying to take forward and would want young teenagers to follow the most important mantras of my guru: Dedication, Devotion, Punctuality, Realisation, and Hard Work.

Kathak for me is not only a form of art or a field to continue, but a way to express my emotions and feelings. It challenges me every single day and asks me to fight with my yesterdays. It’s neither a hobby nor a passion for me, but a whole life itself.

The teacher-student relationship in Indian cultural dance and music is much more than just imparting the technique, style and aesthetics of dance and music. The essence of this bond is sheer devotion, love and hard work. Both guru and shishya grow in the process; the student transforms through his guru’s knowledge and the shishya keeps his guru’s teachings alive. Undoubtedly, the guru-shishya relationship holds almost a spiritual place in Indian culture. Respecting this power of the gurus and to honour my guru Dr Ragini Makkhar, who has made a huge impact as a teacher in the world of Indian classical dance, I intend to devote the rest of my life towards Kathak dance and beyond.

The post A Z-gen upholding Guru-Shishya Parampara appeared first on The Teenager Today.

Kuchipudi, the classical dance style of Andhra Pradesh, is accepted as a solo dance but evolved from the dance-drama tradition of Bhagaveta Mela Natakam. Stories from Hindu mythology, particularly Vaishnava Sampradaya (cult of Lord Vishnu), are interpreted through the medium of stylized and rhythmic movements, typical hasta mudras (hand gestures) and expressional dancing. Kuchipudi lays equal emphasis to elegance and vibrant movements and is performed by both men and women.

Evolution and history

The word Kuchipudi comes from the village Kuchelapuram in Krishna district of Andhra Pradesh. The Sanskrit word Kusilava-puram refers to the village of actors, travelling bards or dancers. The authoritative text of dance and dramaturgy, written by Bharata Muni, known as Natya Sastra with 6,000 verses in 36 chapters, studied version, evolved during 500 BCE to 500 CE, that mentions the graceful movements known as Kaishiki Vritti. Pre-2nd century text calls one raga (musical melody) as Andhri (Andhra), related to Gandhari Arsabhi. The 1st milllenium Sanskrit text by Bruna Nettle credits its origin to 3rd century.

Subscribe to The Teenager Today print / digital editions to read the full article.

The post Kuchipudi: Dance drama tradition of Andhra appeared first on The Teenager Today.

Odissi is one of the most elegant classical dance styles of India based on the feminine style of dancing known as Lasya, hailing from Orissa. Prevailing for more than 2,000 years, evidence proves that Odissi existed in the 2nd century, but over the centuries went through various stages of both progression and regression like other classical dances of India. Through the medium of varied movements and expressions, different stories of Hindu mythology are portrayed, particularly Vaishnavism. Nevertheless, stories from other religions are also interpreted in Odissi. Hence, Odissi is a fine representation of secularism and spiritualism.

Evolution and History

Odishee (original name) archeological sites related to Hinduism, Buddhism and Jainism and the carvings of dance and music in the Manchapuri Cave in Udayagiri, reveal that Odissi existed in the 1st to 2nd century during the reign of Jain king Kharavela. Hathigumpha inscriptions further ascertain the fact of the existence of this lyrical and graceful classical dance of India.

The “Shilpa prakasha”, Odia architecture and sculptures at the Lord Jagannath Temple, the Konark Temple with a “nritya mandapa”, the Brahmeshwara temple in Bhubaneshwar, are other evidences of the Odissi form. The 8th century saw the emergence of the saint composer and philosopher Shankaracharya, and in the 12th century, the saint-composer Jayadeva wrote the immortal classic Geet Govinda which is considered the mainstay of Odissi repertoire.

Odissi dancers were referred to as Maharis (devadasis). The dancers used to perform inside the sanctum sanctorum of the temple and there were other dancers who danced in the temple courtyards and further moved on to rich landlords and palaces, hence the degradation of dance started for which not only the dancers but also the society is responsible. Alongside, the traditional emergence of Gotipua (boy dancers) prevailed wherein young boys danced dressed as girls.

Subscribe to The Teenager Today print / digital editions to read the full article.

The post Odisi: Classical dance style of Orissa appeared first on The Teenager Today.

Kathak is undoubtedly the most popular classical dance style of northern India. The speciality of this dance is the spins and the circular movements that create a rare spectacle, the highlight is the rhythmic complexity and footwork that takes several years of devotion to master. Kathak has been acclaimed, for centuries, as one of the most distinct classical dance styles of India.

Kathak evolved from the Vedic period and with several evidences in the form of literature, paintings and sculptures, it is believed that Kathak originated from the story telling tradition. Incidentally, the word ‘Kathak’ has evolved from the word kathakaar (storyteller), hence varied stories from the Hindu mythology were narrated for spiritual and social uplift — “Katha kahe, So Kathak Kahalave” (Tells a story, hence known as Kathak).

The community of musicians and dancers were known as Kathakar. Buddhist and Jain literature also mentions the tradition of dancers in Vaishali, Magadh and Kosha. According to Valmiki’s Ramayana, Lava and Kusha, narrated the story of Ramayana to their father, Lord Rama, without realising that Rama is their father. Besides the storytelling aspect, other aspects like expressions, hand gestures and rhythmic footwork were added to attract theatrical appeal, as dance moved on from villages to courtyards, palaces and finally to modern-day auditoriums.

Subscribe to The Teenager Today print / digital editions to read the full article.

The post Kathak: Most popular dance style of North India appeared first on The Teenager Today.

Yakshagana is the traditional theatre art form of Karnataka, particularly prevalent and developed in south and north Karnataka, Udupi, Shimoga and western parts of Chikmagalur district in Karnataka. A group of performing artists is known as a Mela or a Mandali. Through the medium of music, songs with lyrics, drama, dance and dialogue in Kannada, varied stories from Hindu mythology, sacred texts like the Ramayana, Mahabharata and Bhagwatham, stories are enacted and recreated by performers to entertain and enlighten the audience, pertaining to the significance of the presentation, maintaining the cultural and social relevance of the play. It is amazing to note that with 12,000 performances around the year, Karnataka generates a turnover of 6 crores!

Evolution and significance

The earliest prasanga (play) dates back to the 15th century. Ever since, Yakshagana, also known as music of the Gandharvas, has gone through varied stages of development and change in order to suit the changing trends of society. Nevertheless the basic structure of the story-telling has not changed. Originally the performance used to last the whole night but due to time constraints, it has been reduced to two to three hours. There are about 30 professional troupes in Karnataka and about 200 amateur groups that perform around the year, particularly from November to May. During festive occasions, a Yakshagana performance is a must. The performers are essentially males and female roles are also enacted by men.

Subscribe to The Teenager Today print / digital editions to read the full article.

The post Yakshagana: The traditional theatre form of Karnataka appeared first on The Teenager Today.

Bharatanatyam is the oldest classical dance style, with a history that is more than five thousand years old, and this dance style is acclaimed internationally, too. It is not surprising to watch young children learn Bharata Natyam in New York, Paris, London or Zurich for that matter.

The eight distinct classical dance styles of India are Bharatanatyam (Tamil Nadu), Kathakali and Mohiniattam (Kerala). Kuchipudi (Andhra Pradesh), Odissi (Orissa), Manipuri (Manipur), Kathak (northern India) and Sattriya from Assam. Bharatanatyam reigns supreme and particularly popular even in European countries.

Evolution of Bharatanatyam

Architectural and sculptural evidence proves that Bharatanatyam and some other classical dance styles like Odissi and Manipuri originated from the temples. The earliest reference in the second century from the Tamil epic classic Shilapaddikaram and the temples that developed during the sixth to ninth century signifies and defines dance as a well-refined art form. 

Varied aspects of music and dance were derived from the four Vedas, namely, Rig, Yajur, Atharva and Sam, and the fifth Veda known as Natya Veda was believed to have been created by Lord Brahma. Lord Nataraja (Shiva) is considered the king of dance and all the classical dance styles portray stories from Hindu mythology. Lately, stories from the Holy Bible are also recreated in the dance format. The eight types of classical dance styles are based on texts like Bharata’s Natya Sastra, Nandikesvaroa’s Abhinaya Darpana, Sangita Ratnakara, etc. Stories are told through the medium of varied intricate movements, body language and expressional dancing in order to establish the inter-relationship between the human soul and the divine soul.  

Devadasis or servants of the gods

During the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, the devadasi system prevailed; young teenaged girls were married to the “lord” which was part of the temple ritual. These girls were trained in classical music and dance and performed during religious and social occasions.

Subscribe to The Teenager Today print / digital editions to read the full article.

The post Bharatanatyam: Oldest classical dance style of India appeared first on The Teenager Today.

The southern state of India, Kerala, is known for its rich diversity of art forms. Way back in 1930, Mahakavi Vallathol established Kerala Kalamandalam and introduced two distinct classical dance styles, namely, Kathakali and Mohiniattam, that enthralled even European audiences when performed by Kalamandalam dancers led by the great poet. While the two classical dances gained international recognition, there are several other art forms of Kerala that are comparatively lesser known, some of which I enlist here, that captures the attention of the common people. I dedicate this article to three devoted performers whom I met personally: Veteran Koodiyattam artiste, Mani Madhava Chakyar, Mumbai-based Chakyar Koothu artiste, K. K. Rajan, and Ottam Thullal artiste, Kalamandalam Geethanandanam, who literally collapsed on stage during a performance at a young age!

Theyyam

Theyyam is a ritualistic dance form wherein pantheistic deities are summoned to the body of the performer. The performers are generally men and they perform in a kaavu (small rain forest) manifesting varied aspects of nature. The performers are decorated with leaves, garlands, flowers and fruits. The headgear is really big and personifies Chamundi Theyyam who is the goddess invoked. Particularly prevalent in North Malabar, there are several types of Theyyam, and the dance is performed near temples. There are particular communities that follow this custom with strict adherence.

Koodiyattam

Koodiyattam is considered the mother of Kathakali, and also the greatest form of Sanskrit theatre that led to the development of the dramatic art form of Kerala. Koodiyattam literally means dancing together and is also based on the ‘sastras’, and the language of hand gestures is derived from Hasta Laksha Deepika and is the original form of dance drama and theatre. Kathakali is considered the refined and decorated form of Koodiyattam that portrays stories of Hindu mythology in a dramatized form. While the costume and make-up of Koodiyattam is comparatively simpler, Kathakali moves forward with stylised make-up and costumes that changes according to the character portrayed.

Read the full article by subscribing to the print or digital editions of THE TEENAGER TODAY.

The post Lesser-known art forms of Kerala appeared first on The Teenager Today.

Singing, dancing, acting, writing poems are all different faculties of fine arts. It is very rare to have all these qualities in one person, but Jiniya Chatterjee has all these and much more. This multifaceted young girl not only made her parents but also her college proud when in January 2019, she represented India as a delegate for the Harvard College in Asia Programme, an exchange conference that takes place between Harvard University (Boston, USA) and nine countries pan Asia. The theme of the conference was ‘Empowering Education through Global Leadership’, and this gave her a chance to understand the challenges that education faces today, and how those problems can be solved by developing oneself as a global citizen. She also showcased her talent in Indian classical dance and music and enthralled the audience.

The bespectacled soft-spoken lass also topped the TEDx Personality Contest organized by TEDx St Xavier’s College, Mumbai, in 2018. She was the youngest participant and winning the first prize helped her hone her personality skills to a great extent. She also bagged the first prize as well as the rolling trophy for her college in the inter-collegiate singing competition among 55 colleges in Mumbai. She made a hat-trick by winning a poetry writing competition organized by Tata Literature Live.

Jiniya is a trained Hindustani classical singer and has been learning music (Indian and Western) since she was 3, from her father, Dr Chandranath Chatterjee (disciple of Pt. Amarnath of the Indore Gharana), a singer and researcher. Her sense of rhyme scheme and recognizing particular sounds developed at a really young age, and was the beginning of her journey into the field of music.

“I started performing for the first time when I was just 5,” smiles the Mumbai-born girl. “My first singing performance was on Tara Music channel Kolkata TV. After that, I got good reviews and that led me to cut my first album with singer Sonu Nigam titled Om Namo Shree Siddhivinayak.”

From there it was no looking back; she bagged many awards at the interschool level and performed on All India Radio and Doordarshan (Mumbai, Delhi and Kolkata). As a dancer, she won laurels at the Jaipur Durga Puja festival, and performed at the inaugural event of the Indian Music Group of St Xavier’s College — Aaroh, a classical music concert. At 12, she made her acting debut in a leading role in the bilingual film, An Unknown Island (Anjaan Dweep), and also sang in the film.

Though Jiniya showed an aptitude towards the Sciences post Std 10 and wanted to pursue medicine, her parents picked out her talents and abilities in the humanities, which proved to be fruitful. Her keen interest in art, history and culture, coupled with her ability to educate people helped her get into the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Vastu Sangrahalaya (formerly Prince of Wales Museum) as a docent for the exhibition India and the World: A History in Nine Stories, in collaboration with the National Museum, New Delhi, and the British Museum, London. Due to this experience, she got an opportunity to visit France, Italy and Vatican City, to explore the culture and life in these countries.

Jiniya happens to be a “millennium baby”, and the year 2018 turned out to be very fruitful for her when she released her first book of poems entitled Keep It Intact, a collection of 18 poems. She recently became the all-India topper of Sangeet Visharad (Bachelor of Music). Her dream is to make it big in Bollywood someday.

Jiniya wishes to do something that helps and inspires people in society. Celebrating her 19th birthday this month, she hopes that she will be able to put her talents to good use and make the world a happy place to live in.

The post Jiniya Chatterjee: Reaching for the Sky appeared first on The Teenager Today.

Arundhati Banerjee is a budding young artiste who has won prestigious dance competitions. At the young age of 16, she is an Artreprenuer and founder member of AIDA-Bharatanatyaved, a dance academy in South Australia, imparting training in Indian classical, contemporary and folk forms.

A resident of South Australia of Indian origin, this Class 11 student of Brighton Higher Secondary School has been selected to represent South Australia as a national finalist at Miss Diamond Australia 2019 in Brisbane. As part of her pageantry journey she supports the institution e.motion21, a non-profit organisation that provides Australian-first, evidence-based, innovative dance and fitness programmes for children and young adults with Down Syndrome. She identified e.motion21 as an organisation as her charity given that she is passionate about performing arts and how dance can make a difference, bring joy and happiness irrespective of age, gender and levels of abilities. She believes that “Dance is for everybody — integration of mind, body and soul.”

Arundhati will soon be coming up with a production titled the Dancing Sutra this Fringe Season 2019 at the Marion Cultural Centre in Adelaide. Dancing Sutra will be a dance ballet depicting the Story of Eve around the theme “From Darkness to Light” integrating Indian classical, folk and western forms. The proceeds from the show will go to the organization e.motion21.

Arundhati has trained in Bharatanatyam under renowned Guru Padmashree Shobana Chandra Kumar, a national award winner, actress, dancer, and choreographer. She is currently receiving training in western forms of dance like ballet, hip-hop, jazz, tap, etc., in addition to getting specialised training in the areas of art of emotions, the ancient text in dramaturgy and learning to play the instrument nattuvangam.

She has been awarded membership in the prestigious International Dance Council partnered with UNESCO for a second consecutive year. Just recently, she won the Miss Glamourgenic-Talent Supreme Title at Brisbane and was selected as the National Finalist-Face of Capezio. She is presently with the Australian Girls’ Choir and performed at the Adelaide Oval for the test match between Australia and England.

Arundhati’s mantra is “Dance is for the soul and for the betterment of the society.”

The post Arundhati Banerjee: Dancing to make a difference appeared first on The Teenager Today.

Bethanie Mickles, Esq is an African-American attorney and mental health professional residing in Lynchburg, Virginia (USA). She is a senior dancer learning Kathak, Manipuri, and contemporary dance forms at Nrityajyoti Dance Academy since 2012. She began dancing at age 5, having performed around the world for several forms of dance including flamenco, jazz, clogging, Mexican folkloric, Polynesian, Middle Eastern, and Indian Bharatanatyam. Recently, she triumphed in the North Carolina leg of the Ms Tourism competition.

ABHIJIT GANGULY sat down with Bethanie for an exclusive interview for THE TEENAGER TODAY.

You started dancing at the age of 5. What has kept you motivated to stick with dancing all these years?
Dance has always been my main creative outlet and primary fitness activity. I have studied numerous forms of dance from tap, ballet and jazz to Polynesian, Middle Eastern, Mexican folkloric and flamenco. Learning multiple dance styles has always come easily for me. Dance has also opened numerous doors for me and afforded me several opportunities for international travel and scholarship money for continued academic study.

How did you get attracted to Indian Classical dance? Throughout your training, what challenges have you faced as a westerner?
Actually, seeing a Bharatanatyam costume at India Fest Raleigh many years ago got me interested in Indian classical dance. I was attending the annual two-day festival at the NC state fairgrounds and saw a group of young women pass by wearing Bharatanatyam dance attire. I just loved the bright colours, elegant jewellery and hair decorations that comprised the costume. I immediately inquired about where I could find dance classes that used this attire. Not too far from where I was living at the time, a new Indian dance school, Natya Academy of Cary, NC, was opening and would offer Bharatanatyam and Kathak classes. I quickly signed up for classes and have been dancing ever since. That was in 2007. When I initially showed up at the Indian dance school for classes, people stared at me a great deal and thought that I was lost or at the wrong place. One person even attempted to direct me to the popular Indian cafe nearby, thinking that I must surely be in the wrong place! My Guru, Smt. Asha Bala, always made me feel welcome from the first time that I arrived at the dance school. I haven’t really faced any challenges as a westerner as far as learning the different dance techniques and steps is concerned. I do, however, often have to try and explain the dances to my family members and friends, as most are not familiar with Indin culture or Indian classical dance.

What drove you to participate in Ms. Tourism North Carolina USA 2017? What can you tell us about North Carolina tourism in general?
I decided to participate in the Ms. Tourism NC USA pageant because I felt that it perfectly incorporated several of my favourite activities — travel, charity, and community service. I have had a great time travelling around the state and beyond volunteering and promoting my dance fitness platform ‘Dance For Your Life: Creative Movement towards Better Health’. Earlier this year, I visited the West African nations of Liberia and Sierra Leone, as well as Belgium.

Read the full article by subscribing to the print magazine or the digital edition.

The post Bethanie Mickles: “If only my college ballet teacher could see me now!” appeared first on The Teenager Today.