Dance is a study

 I have heard many people casually say "oh dance is just to have fun, it’s not that serious", but the reality says something else. When I was exposed to Kathak for the first time, I realised you just don’t learn physical movements but you also learn theory.

 

Kathak is as much about understanding as it is about performing. Every gesture, every hand movement and every glance has its own meaning. Take mudras for example, we call it the language of hands. Mudras are not just graceful hand movements, every mudra has a meaning which is derived from a living or non-living object existing in the world. From fish to a shell, to a dholak and Shivling, every word has a mudra for it. It does not end there, there are Asamyukta Hasta Mudras, which are performed by one hand only and Samyukta Hasta Mudras, performed by both hands. Both these categories can carry an entire story when performed.

 

But simply memorizing which mudra comes after what is not enough. To be precise, it is not about recalling a sequence, it is more of feeling the essence behind it. When I perform a Pataka mudra, it isn’t just about an open palm, it can connote different meanings. A Pataka mudra can denote a blessing from god, a forest, wind or even an act of denial; depending on how a dancer wants to portray a story through the mudra.  The power lies in the intention. My guru would always say Kathak is visual storytelling, you mime stories with your movements. From mudras, to chakkars and eye contact with the audience, as a Kathak dancer you tell a story, but narrate is differently.

Theory of course, was never my favourite part. Even today I can clearly recall moments where I would doze off reading those thick books my guru gave me; which were written is old Bengali, with ornate language that felt impossible to understand or even pronounce it. But somewhere between those text heavy pages and long hours of constant practice, I began seeing the connection. The point where theory and practical met. The words I struggled to memorise started coming alive through my body. The dry definitions in my books, found rhythm and tempo. I have always believed that theory is for the brains and putting the theory into practice is for the heart and it is true.

 

That’s the magic of Kathak; the realization that dance is not just about performing; it is about becoming. Becoming aware of how emotion, rhythm, storytelling and the live beats of table comes together to bring one movement alive.

 

 

Shreya Roy Choudhury