Kathakali
This is in continuation of my earlier post.
On our recent visit to the state of Kerala we witnessed a Kathakali performance in Kochi.Before the actual performance one of the male actor-dancers gave us a demonstration of the facial expressions and hand gestures (mudras) that would be used during the actual performance to express various emotions ,words etc - to tell us the story .We were really enthralled by the way he conveyed love, desire, anger, sarcasm, humour, sorrow and a myriad other feelings and emotions through the movement of his eyes, eyebrows, facial muscles and his hand gestures.He played the female role in the play and was probably the most versatile actor-dancer in the troupe.Kathakali actor-dancers undergo rigorous training for many years before they perform on stage.
Kathakali is a traditional form of Indian classical dance and one of the oldest theatre forms still practised.It is a "story game" genre of art , distinguished by the elaborately colourful make-up and costumes of the traditionally male actor-dancers.It is native to and almost entirely practised by the people of Kerala, the state at the south-western tip of India.
The roots of Kathakali can be traced back to at least the 1st millenium CE.
The term Kathakali is derived from the words "katha" meaning story or conversation and "kali" which means performance or play.The traditional themes are folk stories,religious legends and ideas from the Hindu epics and Puranas.Like all classical dances of India, a Kathtakali performance synthesizes music, vocalists, choreography and hand and facial gestures which express ideas and emotions.
A Kathakali repertoire is an operatic performance involving actor-dancers in the front supported by musicians and vocalists.Typically all roles (even the female ones) are played by male actor-dancers.
Traditionally a kathakali performance is long ,starting at dusk and continuing through dawn with breaks for the artists. Modern performances are shorter. The stage is mostly bare with only a few drama related items.The front of the stage is adorned with a huge brass lamp (kalivilakku) with its thick wick sunk in coconut oil.When there was no electricity this lamp provided the light for the night performances when the actor-dancers would gather around it.
Of all the classical dances, Kathakali has the most elaborate make-up and costumes consisting of head dresses, vividly painted faces and masks.It typically takes hours to prepare a kathakali troupe for a play.
The make-up follows an accepted code that helps the audience identify with the characters.The colours which are made from natural ingredients are used denote different characters.For eg.The colour Pacha (green) with brillint coral lips potrays a noble character ,Thaadi (red) denotes an evil streak, Kari (black) is the code for forest dwellers, hunters, demons etc.
The actors speak a sign language where the word part of the dialogues is expressed through hand gestures ( mudras) while emotions and moods are expressed through facial and eye movements.
Source :- Wikipedia
Kathakali
This is in continuation of my earlier post.
On our recent visit to the state of Kerala we witnessed a Kathakali performance in Kochi.Before the actual performance one of the male actor-dancers gave us a demonstration of the facial expressions and hand gestures (mudras) that would be used during the actual performance to express various emotions ,words etc - to tell us the story .We were really enthralled by the way he conveyed love, desire, anger, sarcasm, humour, sorrow and a myriad other feelings and emotions through the movement of his eyes, eyebrows, facial muscles and his hand gestures.He played the female role in the play and was probably the most versatile actor-dancer in the troupe.Kathakali actor-dancers undergo rigorous training for many years before they perform on stage.
Kathakali is a traditional form of Indian classical dance and one of the oldest theatre forms still practised.It is a "story game" genre of art , distinguished by the elaborately colourful make-up and costumes of the traditionally male actor-dancers.It is native to and almost entirely practised by the people of Kerala, the state at the south-western tip of India.
The roots of Kathakali can be traced back to at least the 1st millenium CE.
The term Kathakali is derived from the words "katha" meaning story or conversation and "kali" which means performance or play.The traditional themes are folk stories,religious legends and ideas from the Hindu epics and Puranas.Like all classical dances of India, a Kathtakali performance synthesizes music, vocalists, choreography and hand and facial gestures which express ideas and emotions.
A Kathakali repertoire is an operatic performance involving actor-dancers in the front supported by musicians and vocalists.Typically all roles (even the female ones) are played by male actor-dancers.
Traditionally a kathakali performance is long ,starting at dusk and continuing through dawn with breaks for the artists. Modern performances are shorter. The stage is mostly bare with only a few drama related items.The front of the stage is adorned with a huge brass lamp (kalivilakku) with its thick wick sunk in coconut oil.When there was no electricity this lamp provided the light for the night performances when the actor-dancers would gather around it.
Of all the classical dances, Kathakali has the most elaborate make-up and costumes consisting of head dresses, vividly painted faces and masks.It typically takes hours to prepare a kathakali troupe for a play.
The make-up follows an accepted code that helps the audience identify with the characters.The colours which are made from natural ingredients are used denote different characters.For eg.The colour Pacha (green) with brillint coral lips potrays a noble character ,Thaadi (red) denotes an evil streak, Kari (black) is the code for forest dwellers, hunters, demons etc.
The actors speak a sign language where the word part of the dialogues is expressed through hand gestures ( mudras) while emotions and moods are expressed through facial and eye movements.
Source :- Wikipedia