Kathak

grace · **Posted:** Sun Jan 14, 2001 1:48 am

Article is no longer available.

[ 24 June 2003, 01:02 AM: Message edited by: Stuart Sweeney ]

Stuart Sweeney · **Posted:** Sun Jan 14, 2001 9:24 am

Here's the link to the topic on Akram Khan, a leading UK-based exponent of Kathak and contemporary dance. <A HREF="http://www.criticaldance.com/ubb/Forum5/HTML/000298.html" TARGET=_blank>http://www.criticaldance.com/ubb/Forum5/HTML/000298.html</A>

Basheva · **Posted:** Wed Apr 04, 2001 6:48 am

From the Guardian:All the right moves Akram Khan infuriates the traditionalists with his mix of eastern and western dance. Judith Mackrell thinks he's found a perfect balanceJudith Mackrell GuardianWednesday April 4, 2001 <BLOCKQUOTE>quote:<HR>Akram Khan is widely regarded as one of the most original and charismatic artists to arrive on the UK dance scene in ages, and has a slew of awards to prove it. The only problem with this 26-year-old prodigy is that no one quite knows how to define him. While he is prized within the South Asian dance community as a leading exponent of Kathak (the classical style of north India), he's also claimed by the modern dance world as one of its most interesting new choreographers. As for audiences, they can rarely be sure whether Khan's shows will feature pure Indian classicism or experimental choreography with a tough urban edge.<HR></BLOCKQUOTE> <A HREF="http://www.guardian.co.uk/Archive/Article/0,4273,4164723,00.html" TARGET=_blank>MORE...</A>

trina · **Posted:** Sat Apr 07, 2001 1:44 pm

Mr. Khan seems like an incredible indiviual. Very few have made the leap from any ethnic/world dance form to modern/contemporary; or succesfully combined the two together, for that matter. Mr. Khan seems a wee bit glib perhaps....as a 14 yr. old in the "Mahabahratha" (spelling) by Peter Brook he found Mr. Brook (certainly one of the theatre mavericks of the late 20C) an "annoying old man" and "all the older actors were fighting over being my mentor"-pulllleeeze!! Stuart, didnt' you interview him recently?I would love to see him perform....will he be touring to North America anytime soon? Anybody???

Maggie · **Posted:** Sat Apr 07, 2001 2:30 pm

I would enjoy seeing him perform also. I would like to see how he blends the dance forms.In terms of Indian dance, I only know of one other who attempted something of a similar nature in the Bharata Natyam form. His name was Nala Najan, and he was a well known performer and teacher in the early 70's. The piece of choreography which stays with me to this day, and was performed at Jacob's Pillow where he taught, was a dance performed to Bach's Toccata and Fugue. While the choreography was traditional, and not a mixture of other forms, performing to music other than traditional was a new idea at the time. It was an awesome piece that I had the good fortune to perform in.

Stuart Sweeney · **Posted:** Tue Apr 10, 2001 12:12 am

'The dazzling Akram Khan.' Judith Mackrell in The Guardian gives this Kathak performance ***** (out of 5) <BLOCKQUOTE>quote:<HR>In the fast weighted turns that are special to the style, he achieves a heady contradiction of precise physical detail preserved within a blur of speed. In the intricacies of Kathak footwork, Khan's feet seem to call on more joints and muscles than is humanly possible as he refracts choreographic rhythm into the most delicate of tremors and the most thrilling of percussive stamps. But it is Khan's upper body, and especially his face, that hold the key to his uniqueness. His torso has a strength and elasticity that allow him to arch, dip and spiral with extravagant grace; his broad arms are as opulent as a ballerina's; and while there is nothing archaic or precious about his face, its expressive range in performance is rapt, fierce and joyous by turns.<HR></BLOCKQUOTE> <A HREF="http://www.guardian.co.uk/Archive/Article/0,4273,4168105,00.html" TARGET=_blank>http://www.guardian.co.uk/Archive/Article/0,4273,4168105,00.html</A> [This message has been edited by Stuart Sweeney (edited April 10, 2001).]

Stuart Sweeney · **Posted:** Tue Apr 10, 2001 11:34 pm

DEBRA CRAINE reviews Akram Khan,

Quote:

Throughout, Khan was the solo performer, and what a performer he is: commanding, graceful and charismatic, with a blistering percussive attack in his incredible feet and a lovely shape to his dancing overall.

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[ 24 June 2003, 01:04 AM: Message edited by: Stuart Sweeney ]

Stuart Sweeney · **Posted:** Thu Apr 12, 2001 11:57 pm

'A passage to ancient India.' Nadine Meisner enjoys this wonderful show, which will be one of the highspots of the London dance year. <A HREF="http://www.independent.co.uk/story.jsp?story=66379" TARGET=_blank>http://www.independent.co.uk/story.jsp?story=66379</A>

Stuart Sweeney · **Posted:** Fri Jun 22, 2001 12:16 am

Sabbatical in India benefits choreographer

Deepti Gupta returns with new energy and new work. Gupta presents a solo program this week featuring two works that examine the roots of Kathak, the classical Indian dance form from the north of India.

by Andrea Rowe for The Ottawa Citizen

Quote:

Four years ago, some people in the dance world thought choreographer Deepti Gupta had lost her mind.

There aren't too many people in Canada who can say they've been commissioned by the Canada Dance Festival one year and National Arts Centre the next (the latter including a juicy residency in Banff), but Gupta was one of them.

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[ 24 June 2003, 01:05 AM: Message edited by: Stuart Sweeney ]

Azlan · **Posted:** Tue Oct 09, 2001 7:12 pm

A review: <BLOCKQUOTE>quote:<HR>Ethnic ethics Makuakane and Das use traditions to innovateRita Felciano, SF Bay Guardian...Kathak dancer Chitresh Das celebrates his 30th anniversary as a member of the Bay Area dance community with the multimedia solo Sadhana.<HR></BLOCKQUOTE><a href=http://www.sfbg.com/AandE/36/02/dance.html target=_blank>More</a>

LMCtech · **Posted:** Thu Oct 18, 2001 9:17 am

More on Chitresh Das.

Quote:

Dancer blends spirituality, autobiography
BY ANITA AMIRREZVANI
Mercury News
When Chitresh Das first came to the United States in 1970, he had $8 in his pocket, a sack of tabla drums in one hand and bag of ankle bells in the other. Such were the humble beginnings of a dancer who is now pushing the boundaries of his art form in unexpected ways.

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[ 24 June 2003, 01:06 AM: Message edited by: Stuart Sweeney ]

LMCtech · **Posted:** Fri May 03, 2002 8:16 am

Another article on Chitresh Das.

Quote:

Beat generation
Dance teacher is master of kathak, a classical Indian dance

Pia Sarkar, Chronicle Staff Writer

It is a drizzly Tuesday afternoon in February, and Chitresh Das is carrying a large suitcase of tablas while darting up the steps of the Cultural Integration Fellowship, a brick building on the corner of Fulton Street and Third Avenue in San Francisco where he teaches kathak, a classical Indian dance.

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[ 24 June 2003, 01:06 AM: Message edited by: Stuart Sweeney ]

Stuart Sweeney · **Posted:** Sun Jul 21, 2002 3:34 am

One I missed earlier, but still worth including now:Dancing in Delhi Reginald Massey in The Dancing Times provides some background history and reports on the Delhi dance scene today. Birju Maharaj, the doyen of Kathak, has always lived in Delhi though his style of dance is named after Lucknow for it was in Lucknow, then ruled by Shia nawabs, that his forefathers fashioned and honed the repertoire. In February he, most ably assisted by his partner Saswati Sen, produced a Kathak festival at New Delhi’s Kamani Auditorium and what a memorable experience it was. Dancers from other Indian cities were invited as were Pratap Pawar and Gauri Sharma Tripathi from London. The former, assisted by his Delhi based daughter Asavari, dwelt on a Sufi theme that mapped the progress from adolescence to old age while the latter presented the riotous colours and joyous movements of Vasant, the celebration of spring. The inclusion of two celebrated musicians, Zakir Hussain (tabla) and Girija Devi (singer), was a great bonus especially when they appeared with Birju Maharaj. The rhythmic fireworks between dancer and percussionist were stunning and the sensitive visual interpretations of the enchanting verses were unforgettable. Birju Maharaj is a master of thumri andaaz, the difficult art of conveying poetry and abstract ideas through hand gestures, arm movements and nigah, eye expression. That night in Delhi with Girija Devi singing and Birju Maharaj performing thumri andaaz will surely rank as a rare and treasured experience.<A HREF="http://www.dancing-times.co.uk/dancingtimes200205-1.html" TARGET=_blank>click for more</A>

Malcolm Tay · **Joined:** Fri Aug 31, 2001 11:01 pm **Posts:** 962

Dance: The source of flamenco
John Daly-Peoples
13 Feb 2003
National Business Review

Kathak Dancers, at the Auckland Concert Chamber, The Edge

Spanish flamenco dancing is said to have derived from the gypsies who journeyed from India into Western Europe many centuries ago.

Seeing dancer Vandana Kaul performing the traditional kathak dances makes it blazingly obvious that this is where the Spanish dance form evolved from.

<A HREF="http://www.nbr.co.nz/home/column_article.asp?id=5121&cid=6&cname=Arts" TARGET=_blank>More...</A>

Stuart Sweeney · **Posted:** Mon Jun 23, 2003 11:01 pm

Secrets of Indian dance
From This is Hertfordshire

It's not easy to see classical Indian dance these days, because modern choreographers tend to favour more contemporary styles.

But one Barnet-based dancer is putting on an evening of kathak dance, which originates from northern India. It will be performed in the strict classical style with the accompaniment of Indian tabla master Kumar Bose - who has been an inspiration to many a percussionist.

Sujarat Banerjee, of Sutton Crescent, has called the dance piece Parampara, which means tradition. It will be staged at artsdepot@The Bull, High Street, Barnet, next Thursday (July 3).

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