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2/15/2006 - Portrait of a Dancer: Kathak in Lucknow and Beyond by Richard D. Connerney

ICWA LETTERS Since Institute Current World Affairs Crane Rogers Foundation provided fellowships enable outstanding young professionals outside United States write about international areas issues An exempt operating foundation endowed Charles R Crane Institute supported contributions minded individuals foundations TRUSTEES Bryn Barnard Joseph Battat Mary Lynne Bird Steven Butler Sharon F Doorasamy Peter Geithner Gary Hartshorn Katherine Roth Kono Cheng Li Peter Bird Martin Dasa Obereigner David Z Robinson Carol Rose John Spencer Edmund Sutton HONORARY TRUSTEES David Elliot David Hapgood Pat M Holt Edwin S Munger Richard H Nolte Albert Ravenholt Phillips Talbot Institute Current World Affairs The Crane Rogers Foundation Four West Wheelock Street Hanover New Hampshire 03755 U S A RDC SOUTH ASIA Richard Connerney Phillips Talbot Fellow studying influe impact religion Indian society Portrait Dancer Kathak Lucknow Beyond By Richard D Connerney FEBRUARY The Indians Italians Asia It certainly equal justice Italians Indians Europe under stand I think There Italian Indians Indian Italians They people Madonna goddess religion provide Every countries singer happy every woman dancer walks corner For music inside music inside heart The language India language Italy every something beautiful every banalite These nations where amore pyaar makes cavalier Borsalino street corner makes princess peasant second yours It ecret India first great Italian Gregory David Roberts Shataram In nataraja King Dance Hindu Shiva dances wildly universe trembles The first I Rosella Fanelli Anuj Mishra Kathak performance I similarly moved As danced brought Hindu pantheon Rosella successively adopted roles Radha consort Krishna anxiously waiting arrival In popular image divine lover Sita Shiva Nataraj Kingsuffering Rama Dance vengeful goddess Durga dancing glaring prone In another number demon dancers lined behind destruction imitated Hindu temple sculpture approximating multi armed creation deity Meanwhile Anuj other astounding speed namaste stopped again His physical endurance flexibility split second timing gasps audience Their paced kinetic performance displayed technical emotional authenticity nothing short transcendent Kathak classical Indian style dance literally means storytelling Kathak performances include historical mythological narrative Watching Rosella Anuj getting character almost watching spirit Roberts Gregory David Shantaram Abacus London Swami Pavitrananda trans Siva Mahimnah Stotra Advaita Ashrama Pithoragarh Rosella Fanelli Anuj Mishra possession When Rosella danced particular derwent astounding transformation Before started seemed front crowd When first sounded however vanished every every motion expression followed dictates Kathak tradition Alternately vulnerable proachable Rosella audience hither smile dismissive While character became something ethereal conduit range human superhuman emotions When finished I almost afraid speak surprised conversa again flesh blood woman speaking Hindi Italian accent As turned among stories Kathak dance Rosella story worth telling A Italy moved India study dance Settling Lucknow Kathak dance became student known Kathak Pandit Arjun Mishra Over years Rosella brought unique Asian audiences Europe America Israel She Westerners perhaps alive today critical popular acclaim Left Rosella Anuj roles Ram consort Sita Right Rosella Anuj roles goddess Durga Mahisha demon RDC Kathak dance passionate advocate modernization globalization Deceptively svelte exterior hides coiled muscles professional dancer She explained ankle bells Kathak performers quite heavy performers develop exceptionally strong calves thighs The difficult obstacle learning Kathak however cultural rather physical In India dancing simply teacher controlling influence student Rosella demanded total devotion wanted complete control aspects As ability began rival their relationship soured parted acrimoniously Moreover videshi foreigner Rosella seated feeling among Indians classi Hindustanti dance their expression their souls cannot mastered outsider Rosella sometimes stage performs America because audiences Indian dances performed Indian woman As Western classi music however classical Indian forms international Kathak freshest faces Europe America I wondered world Western music would missed adopted similarly xenophobic attitude toward Asian virtuosos classical music cellist Yo Yo Ma This wariness innovation outsiders exactly Kathak dance Rosella opinion Kathak taken south Indian cousin Bharatiya Natyam international circuit Often fault Kathak gurus understand necessities promotion western style professional If Kathak renaissance Rosella exactly doctor ordered She adverse innovation possesses traditional technique At point performance Rosella dancers gather circle begin chatting village women except their chatter consists complex tukra rhythmic recitations articulated rapid unison almost recall Taa Theii theii theii theii theii theii Not world Kathak dance reluctantly accepting foreigners foreign influences moving abroad finding international audience Both Anuj Rosella performed overseas Rosella danced New York City Lincoln Center experience looks On these trips abroad sometimes Kathak European styles Flamenco style dance which Rosella proficient She explained Flamenco familiar Western audiences prepares Kathak performances When asked should called fusion Rosella interesting reply She consider formances fusion because Flamenco Kathak torically related Flamenco gypsy dancing explained Gypsies India Thus styles intimately related particularly footwork Far being flamenco Kathak performance reunites branches It fusion hyper traditionalism rediscovers Ur style Span Indian forms Anuj asked question responded opposed perimentation within certain limits If Kathak dancer A shared scholars The Gypsy language Romani appears related certain tribal languages northwest India Pakistan For reasons clear Gypsy people apparently India about AD INSTITUTE OF CURRENT WORLD AFFAIRS wears skirt The Eight Stages Woman Love In before Christmas Rosella friends threw party nearby Carlton Hotel By I arrived sometime after midnight Rosella taken dance floor Released straints tradition danced inspired tarantella sound Bombay music Also holiday cheer I joined could By unable continue staff hotel hinted leave Accompanying evening Apurva jeweler A member wealthy trading family Apruva studied knack flattering cajol local women buying array glittering glowing extravagant wholly unnecessary jewel laden accessories The ladies Lucknow bring their husband weekly wages leave enough geologist jealous My Deborah unfortunately become A purva victims Twenty years Apurva sched married short weeks sight Rosella dancing reconsider At party Rosella refused leave tipsy could drive Instead asked Apurva owned myself whose Apurva drive When reached apartment Apurva insisted walking despite After failed attempt goodnight Apurva climbed Unrepentant kisses front I Rosella called Rick loves We Rosella doubtful shoulder disappeared through A later Rosella Anuj filmed promotional video Israeli council Between takes I watch choreograph their numbers Many Kathak moves names peacock horse tails their arrangement worked We peacock horse flowers Rosella Between numbers performers bickered about lighting amplifiers modern perform At other times called rhythms other Try tabla player Dhin daage trike daage trike Dhin asked vocalist devotional traditional bhajan Between shots Rosella tyrant When tabla player mistake rhythm scene launched You scene think funny That wrong For about enjoyment If I enjoy I dance You think It ridiculous Later pizza Anuj Rosella admit international attention Kathak starting attract While discussing rhythm agreed recent years plification beats Kathak performances Traditionally Kathak Indian classical music array signatures anything teentaal truly rhythms cycle sarenau In these unique rhythmic patterns appeared Kathak performances Old school audiences could appreciate technical difficulty dancing example signature These lament Anuj Rosella international audience audiences Bombay under stand little Only tradition steeped places Lucknow Patna Benares Allahabad audiences appreciate these difficult rhythmic patterns Kathak requires sense balance between RDC culine feminine Both female dancers exhibit lasya tandav womanly manly modes respectively Depending particular dance dancer display feminine female dancer To other invite wrath critics One Western Kathak dancer displays lasya little tandav Indian dance community univer sally eschews despite considerable physical abili Dancers Jaipur Kathak tradition other dance tandav Lucknowi dancers consider dimensional Aesthetics reveals itself Kathak formers depict romantic Rosella explained sometimes portrays dance Eight Stages Woman Love traditional theme Indian This theory holds woman moves through eight successive stages beginning woman total fatuation which lover wrong through inevitable disappointment feelings betrayal finally resignation inconstancy These eight stages include which woman verbally physically abuses faithless lover Do I talking about Reek Rosella asked Yes I In I think I known women stuck stage The Guru Anuj invited visit father Rosella Pandit Arjun Mishra Mr Mishra India respected names Kathak lives modest house neigh borhood Nishatganj Knowing Rosella working separately I tried avoid mentioning Instead I simply I writing article Kathak dance several occasions Then I Rosella dance remarked sourly When I admitted I Pandit Mishra launched tribe value relationship You study least years before yourself artist He Fifteen years enough When I asked dancing admitted years claimed living house learn faster So daughter example learning years equivalent years This respect number years dancer studied common Kathak dancers perform their physical Although Pandit Mishra looks continues headline festi India Still limbs nevertheless quired unavoidable heaviness stiffness middle While interesting watch master certain moves Kathak dancers execute batic spins require flexibility reflexes young Pandit Mishra concede however He denies dancer prime counterbalance experience physical prowess In Pandit Mishra older better individual tradition itself He generation dancer dancing tradition stretches century years Pandit Mishra family involved Lucknow Kathak tradition turies hopes tradition daughters This tradition makes innovation Bevkufi This silliness He claimed If I dancing Kathak using Western drums rotten In afternoon Pandit Mishra students arrived downstairs dance studio practice As called rhythm three young girls danced complicated prolonged dance number I impressed their dexterity their I applauded Pandit Mishra disap proving He called girls Hold He Obediently forearm Pandit Mishra grabbed slapped forcefully wrist He repeated other girls They practicing I given ishment explained It tough According Anuj I witnessed dancing studio taste father strictness He course educa father broke sticks Once particularly progress father manded dance At another after trips Europe which dancing flamenco father noticed stiff flamenco upper posture Still Anuj nothing respect father Only corpo punishment opinion instill necessary discipline motivation learn Kathak A Quick Note Several later I visit Rosella digital neighborhood Indranagar where editing promotional video Israeli council When I arrived showed footage several harried assistants edited minutes aterial Reek quietly video accompanied promotional brochure You writer I nodded You write promotional material I think When I agreed Rosella requested document containing history Indian classical music expla nation Kathak technique brief biography century saint poetess Mira Bai concise summary relevant Hindu mythology elucidation Yogic philosophy understandable language panegyric dance troupe That order I When What She asked Six thirty Rosella thought moment I motional material clock Rosella I I Why asked You these things school Not I I Rosella hardened moment I thought RDC I might witness unrehearsed displ Durga Pose You Reek I thought writer Okay forget Well I exactly A hours later I returned hastily written document I authored Luckily Rosella English could perceive essay shortcomings Now appeased thanked warmly Holding CD This perfect I I night worked Rosella after years India ready return Europe She would Kathak start school Italy needs right location adequate sponsorship She expressed peration constant struggle recognition funding Sometimes I think I commit suicide She C I Then I McDonald thinking thing opinion worse suicide At midnight Rosella guessed would another three hours She wanted could morning flying Rajasthan Maharana King Udaipur New Years Eve party needed finish video night I stayed I could dance floor I could headed As I I turned around computer monitor splicing digital herself together heavy exhaustion patience This scene seemed emblematic challenges Kathak century In dancers learn dancing Today Kathak dancer international stage perform Rosella understand promotional brochures councils This tension between tradition modernity times seems tearing apart seams Rosella Anuj Pandit Mishra differ audiences In Lucknow Jaipur Benares cognoscenti demand total adherence traditions The world however wants dance flexible paced innovations Sat isfying audiences simultaneously almost impos sible The between Rosella Pandit Mishra growing chasm between necessities present opened traditional performing India On modern world European tours recording contracts other millennia Kathak tradition Throughout Rosella maintains poise laser sharp focus Every dancer knows success dance matter education alone junction training circumstance genetics A great dancer requires certain traits cannot taught grace beauty unflagging confidence Rosella these qualities abundance All needs production assistants writer knows something about dance INSTITUTE OF CURRENT WORLD AFFAIRS Current Fellows their Activities INSTITUTE OF CURRENT WORLD AFFAIRS Richard D Connerney January INDIA A lecturer Philosophy Asian Religions Logic Rutgers University Rick Connerney spending years Phillips Talbot Fellow studying writing about intertwining religion culture politics India described former U S Ambassador John Kenneth Galbraith functioning anarchy Rick B A M A religion Wheaton College University Hawaii respectively Kay Dilday October FRANCE MOROCCO An editor New York Times Op Ed years Kay holds M A Comparative International Politics Theory Graduate Center City University New York Bachelor degree English Literature Tufts University graduate Universiteit Amsterdam Netherlands Cours Civilisation Sorbonne She traveled written Haiti began journalistic council reporter Somerville This Week Somerville MA Cristina Merrill June ROMANIA Born Bucharest Cristina moved Romania United States mother father Learning English retaining Romanian majored American History Harvard College there became captain women tennis She received Master degree Journalism New York University worked several U S publications Adweek New York Times spending years Romania watching emerge darkness Ceauscescu regime presumed light membership European Union NATO Nicholas Schmidle October IRAN A journalist researcher Pew Forum Religious Publ Life Nick finishing Master program Comparative Regional Studies Middle East Central Asia American University Washington DC He studying intensive Persian fiancee Rikki Bohan anticipation departure Iran after marriage autumn Andrew J Tabler February SYRIA LEBANON Andrew lived studied worked Middle East since Rotary Foundation Ambassadorial Fellowship enabled begin Arabic language studies toward Master degree American University Cairo Following Master editorships Middle East Times Cairo Times before moving Turkey Lebanon Syria working Senior Editor Oxford Business Group correspondent Economist Intelligence Unit His ICWA fellowship bases Beirut Damascus where report Lebanese affairs Syrian reform Jill Winder July GERMANY With B A politics Whitman College Walla Walla WA Master degree Art Curating Bard College Annandale Hudson NY Jill ICWA Donors Fellow looking Germany through ideas viewpoints contemporary artists Before months intensive study German language Berlin Thomas J Watson Fellow looking communist practice cultural politics transition former Soviet Czech Republic Slovakia Poland Croatia Hungary Latvia Romania Slovenia Ukraine Institute Fellows chosen basis character previous experience promise They young professionals funded spend minimum years carrying designed programs study writing outside United States The Fellows required report their findings experiences field month They write subject formally informally The result unique reporting analysis periodic assessment interna tional events issues Author Connerney Richard D Title ICWA Letters South Asia ISSN Imprint Institute Current World Affairs Hanover NH Material Type Serial Language English Frequency Monthly Other Regions East Asia The Americas Europe Russia Mideast North Africa Sub Saharan Africa ICWA Letters ISSN published Institute Current World Affairs Inc exempt operating foundation incorporated New York State offices located West Wheelock Street Hanover NH 03755 The letters provided charge members ICWA available libraries profes sional researchers subscription Phone Fax E Mail valley Web address Executive Director Peter Bird Martin Program Administrator Brent Jacobson Publications Design Management Ellen Kozak Institute Current World Af fairs The Crane Rogers Foundation This newsletter reprinted republished without express written consent Institute Cur World Affairs