Natya – The Spirit of Dance

By Apsara Asia andMaya Dance Theatre

Pre-Show

Why Dance?Why Dance?

Think-Pair-ShareThink-Pair-Share• When was the last time you danced in a When was the last time you danced in a

formal or informal setting?formal or informal setting?

• Why do you dance? Share the reasons Why do you dance? Share the reasons with your partner.with your partner.

• How did it make you feel? How did it make you feel?

• Did you enjoy it? Why or why not?Did you enjoy it? Why or why not?

Why Dance?Watch the video below

Answer these questions What are some of the common reasons why people dance? Share these reasons with your class.

*Click on image to link to video

Heritage and Roots of Dance• Think-Pair-Share

Watch this video and discuss the following questions with your partner:

Look at the hands, legs and body. Describe how the dancer moves.

Look at the dancer’s face. Describe the expressions you see on her face.

Where do you think this dance form comes from?

Indian DanceDid you know that 9% of Singaporeans are Indians?

This means that the forefathers of these Singaporeans came from India. Can you locate India on the map?

Bharatanatyam

• The dance you saw is known as Bharanatyam.

• From South India.• One of the oldest

classical dance forms in India .

• More than 2000 years.

Source: http://www.mapsofworld.com/india/maps/south-india-

map.jpg

Origin of Indian Dance• The belief that the world was in a state of chaos.• Demi-gods and sages approached Brahma, the Hindu

god of creation, to stop the misery.• He created dance as a way to bring calm and to stop

chaos.

image source: War in Ancient India - By V R Ramachandra Dikshitar

History of Bharatanatyam

• Before the 20th century, Bharatanatyam is the word for dance.

• Before that, it was danced in temples by women known as devadasis.

• It has spread beyond India to different parts of the world.

• Traditionally, it was an Indian dance but it is now open to everyone, regardless of race, gender or religion.

Features of Bharatanatyam

• Movements often form geometric shapes and lines.

• Movements consist of: - hand gestures with meanings (hastas) - leg patterns- facial expressions (abhinaya).

• Bharatanatyam goes hand in hand with Carnatic music, a South Indian classical music form.

Features of Bharatanatyam

Look at the picture of the dancers. What geometric shapes can you spot in the dancers’ postures?

• Bharatanatyam dancers often create triangles in their poses. Can you spot any triangles in the poses?

• Lines created are straight and angular

Let’s WatchYou are about to watch 2 modern Indian dance

routinesVideo 1: So You Think You Can Dance

*click on images

Video 2 : Say Shava Shava from the movie, Khabi Khusi, Khabi Gham

Think and Share

• Did you enjoy the dancing?• What did you like about it?• Do you know where these dance styles come from?

What is Bollywood?• The dance routines come from

Bollywood films.• Bollywood is the popular name of

the Hindi film industry based in Mumbai, formerly known as Bombay.

• Can you guess how the term Bollywood came about?

• Term is a combination of Bombay + Hollywood = Bollywood• The term ‘Bollywood’ came about when Hindi films started

overtaking Hollywood in terms of its sheer number. • Bollywood produces more than 800 to 1000 films a year, and

it is known for its elaborate costumes and song and dance routines

• Bollywood movies usually consists of 4-5 musical songs in each film, sometimes more.

• The term Bollywood appears in the Oxford English Dictionary

What is Bollywood? The FAST FACTs

• The Bollywood dance style is made up of many different dance forms like Indian folk dance, classical Indian dance and modern contemporary dance

• Bharatanatyam hand gestures, leg movements and facial expressions are sometimes used in a Bollywood dance routine

Dance in Bollywood

Image sources: http://www.indianetzone.com/1/indian_folk_dances.htm

Natya – The Spirit of Dance

• You will be watching Natya – The Spirit of Dance at the Esplanade

• Natya means dance in Sanskrit, an ancient language

• How Bollywood dance routines are influenced by other forms of dance

• shows how an individual can connect to dance, regardless of any cultural differences.

While watching the show…

• Find out more about what Bharatanatyam is• Observe the different dance steps• Observe how Bollywood dance routines are

influenced by different dance genres• Have fun and enjoy the music and dance

performances while observing these 12 rules of theatre etiquette

Presented by

• Apsara Asia was established in 2003 as a performing arts and arts management company that focuses on promoting and presenting a variety of cultural dances and art forms prevalent in Singapore and around Asia.

• Known for creating innovative productions and performances, Apsara Asia has established itself as a formidable force in keeping traditional Asian arts alive through a unique blend of cross-cultural ethnic fusions and collaborations.

• Apsara Asia is also endorsed as a service provider for arts education programmes as part of the NAC-AEP scheme.http://www.apsara-asia.com.sg/index.php?parentMenu=1

• Maya Dance Theatre was founded in 2006 by its Company Manager, Imran Manaff and dance artists, Kavitha Krishnan and Juraimy Abu Bakar. This young contemporary dance company has made its mark locally and on the international stage with performances in Australia, China, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Taiwan, the UAE and US.

• Draws inspiration from Asian traditions and aesthetics, transcending cultural identities and boundaries, Maya Dance Theatre has a unique presence in the Singapore dance scene because of its pursuit of trans-cultural dance as an independent art form.

• Maya is a proud recipient of the National Arts Council’s SEED Grant for FY2012-2015.

• http://www.mayadancetheatre.org/