Dance ... my everlasting love and Indian dance at that.
Classical Indian dance forms are ample and each carry a vibrant story. They also require years of soulful experience and practise to grasp.
Kathak resides within that circle of art form. It originated from northern India and it is the dance that tells a story. The Kathak dance focuses mostly on the footwork of the dancer that is skillfully controlled and performed straight-legged by dancers wearing the ankle bells (ghunghroo). The costumes and themes of Kathak are often similar to those in Mughal miniature paintings.
Truly blessed we were when the famous Master Birju Maharaj, the embodiment of Kathak came to Temple of Fine Arts, Malaysia to conduct a 4-day(3-6/12/2009) Kathak workshop! Master Birju is also one of the creme de la creme of Kathak choreographers in Bollywood movies, namely Devdas, Dil to Pagal Hai, Gadar, etc. He was accompanied by his great disciple, Madam Saswati Sen who is also one of the great names in Kathak.
It was a chance of a lifetime to meet and get tutored by Him and Madam Saswati. We even got a chance to perform for Him. It was amazing to see a man of that stature to be a patient, kind and down-to-earth person - to a certain extent he reminded me of my late granddad!
Though he seemed a little tired at first (understandable, being 71 and travelled all the way from Lucknow, India!), the second he parted his lips, the whole room was swept away in chills and goosebumps - an amazing singer. The perfection when he struck a pose remain undeniable.
I am blissfully honoured to be a part of his lineage of students and this experience though short lived, will stay with me.
http://www.birjumaharaj-kalashram.com/
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