TEMPLE DANCE FESTIVAL 2008

Colleena Shakti — Fri, 11 Apr 2008 17:46:00 +0000

SHAKTI SCHOOL OF DANCE (Pushkar, Rajasthan - India)
Presents:

THE TEMPLE DANCE FESTIVAL 2008

Here is the link to a 10 minute video
of our classical Indian music and dance festival:

http://gallery.mac.com/taalfiza#100367

Photo's of festival:

Shakti School of Dance - News

Colleena Shakti — Tue, 27 Nov 2007 07:59:00 +0000

News for our Odissi students:

Hello returning students and welcome new students!
Entering into another season of classes we are really excited to witness our dreams taking a stronger shape. There are many new things we are doing this year and changes which we hope will improve every ones experience in our school. Mainly we have been working to: 1.)Make the cost of intensively studying even more affordable 2.) Keep a higher standard of discipline within the school 3.) Open up room for more work with our emotional and spiritual bodies as well. Another big work is that we are going to continue with the Temple Dance Festival as an annual event in Pushkar. The temple has built us a beautiful stage and offered much encouragement.

Schedule and Important News for this Season:
The school is open January through April this year. Intensive courses offered are on a monthly basis only, beginning on the first of each month: Jan., Feb. and March. Please arrive a few days early so that you may attend a mandatory orientation on the first 3 days.

1. New Syllabus, Exams and Requirements for our Odissi Intensive:
Odissi dance is a classical dance with a lot of information, both practical and theory (including: music theory, terms and movements defined in the Natya Shastra, history and cultural information.), which must be understood to properly to build a strong foundation in the dance. To help students with each aspect of the training we have written a syllabus divided into levels. In Level One for instance, the required information is all written out in English and put into a booklet for each student. At the completion of learning the information, students will be tested on the information before they are allowed to pass on to the next level. The amount of time designated for each level is NOT set. Completion of Level One could take 1-6 months, depending on each student’s motivation and discipline in their studies. This way, students can truly progress at their own pace. Certificates will be given for the completion of each level if required by the student.

Here is the outline for Level One syllabus:
(If you are a returning student, you will need to review this information and pass the exam before moving into the Level 2 syllabus as there are some new things which we have not previously covered on this syllabus. This refers to your dance items as well; all beginning items will have to be demonstrated correctly and the bol’s recited before work is undertaken to learn a new item.)
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Practical:
- Demonstrate the 28 Asamyukta Hasta (One handed mudra)
- Demonstrate 10 stepping exercises in Choka posture to Ek Taali in three speeds (Ekgun, Dugun and Chaugun)
- Demonstrate and identify the 4 basic Bhungis (steady poses)
- Demonstrate Magalacharan dance item
- Demonstrate the complete (ukuta) bol and sloka of magalacharan
- Demonstrate the teka of Ek Tal and Khemta tal
- Demonstrate Bhumi Pranam and explain its meaning
- Prayers: Name, recite and explain meaning of Namaskriya and Guru Bandana.

Theory:
- Main classical dance styles in India
- Define: Matra - Laya - Tala
- Name and identify the 13 main Hindu Gods/ Godesses
- Give short history of Odissi dance from its origin story to devadasis, gotipoa and Odissi’s revival
- Who is Lord Jaganath and why is he important to Odissi dance?
- Who are the three main contributing Gurus to Odissi’s revival (three style within Odissi dance)?
- Identify the 5 parts of Mangalacharan and explain their meaning: Mancha Pravesha, Pushpanjali, Bhumi Pranam, Ishta Deva Vandana, Sabha Pranam
- Identify and define the 3 types of dance presentation: Nritta, Nritya and Natya
- Define: lasya and tandavo
Define Guru Shisha Parampara and why is this tradition important to Odissi dance.
- Identify the following texts, the author and list their significance to Odissi classical dance: Natya Shastra, Abinaya Darpana, Gita Govinda.
- Identify the 5 parts of Odissi repertoire. : Mangalachara, Staiye / Batu, Pallavi, Abinaya and Mokshya.
- Oriya Saying:
“Uthaa baithaa thiyaa chaali, budaa bhasaa baunri paali, Odissi nata re atha Beli”. Define quotation meaning, meaning of ‘Beli’ and identify 8 beli’s.
- Complete the 15 journal assignments and 15 self evaluation charts as given in Theory class.

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2. All are invited to participate in theTemple Dance Festival:

All Odissi dancers are welcome to participate in the program as long as you are enrolled in the February intensive course (though we encourage 2 months of training before the festival). Please, come prepared to offer all of your attention and efforts for the rehearsals and program preparations if you choose to be a part of it. We expect students to help in all festival preparations and attend each and every rehearsal. There will be the extra cost of buying an Odissi costume, so please plan for this. Students who participate in the festival will be given a DVD and photos of the dance/music event.

3. How to prepare for our Odissi Intensives:

Returning students:
Now is the time to get out your notes from last season and begin to review your theory. Of course, pick up a daily practice of stepping exercises and strengthening exercise (even for 30 minutes a day!). Listen to the music from your items and practice reciting the bol’s. Practice your items slowly while reciting the bol and practicing correct positioning, AND also practice with the recording to get up your stamina (theory, posturing and stamina practice are all equally important. The Bhava and Rasa will only come to a dancer whose mind is relaxed and well practiced in the items.). The more you work with yourself on strengthening, the more time you have to work on the finishing touches and decorative parts of the dance with Padma Sir.

New students:
Best thing to do is to begin a daily yoga practise to develop discipline in your life as well as strength and flexibility. I also suggest that you buy our Odissi dance instructional DVD ( you may find it at the FAT CHANCE BELLY DANCE website -http://www.fcbd.com/). The instructional DVD goes through the ten basic CHOKA STEPPING EXERCISES which we do every day in our practice. Working on these exercises, you will be much more prepared and aquainted with Odissi exercises and dance style. I also suggest the DVD so you know if you ,in fact, like doing the dance.

4. Intensive costs:
Because we want a place of serious practice for dance which students can come to year after year, we are working on making it as affordable as possible. Discounts are given for students who sign up for 2 full months or more. Please remember no half months or partial registration is available. Partial attendance puts a strain on our already tight school schedule and we cannot accommodate it. Please plan in advance for our trainings.

5.) Special workshops for 2008:
This year we have many amazing guest teachers lined up for special workshops and more in the planning stages. Workshops are held on Sunday afternoon and open to all students, all levels. Here is what we have planed so far:

Queen Harish – Rajasthani and Bollywood
Katie Holland– Egyptian Cabaret Belly Dance
Colleena - Indian Arabic Fusion Belly Dance
Jyoti -Classical Indian Singing and Harmonium
Yumiko - Butoh dance of Japan
Sudeep - Kalaripiyartu Martial Arts of Kerala
Sudeep - Bharatanatyam, classical dance training
techniques and mudra of Natya Shastra
Aliah - Tajikasthan dance and Persian Classical dance

Shakti School of Dance

Colleena Shakti — Mon, 26 Nov 2007 09:35:00 +0000

Daily Schedule for January- April 2008

Monday - Saturday
9 -10:30 am
Odissi Stepping Class
(All levels and drop-in welcome)

Monday - Saturday
12- 1 pm
Odissi Item
Level 2-3

Monday - Saturday
1-2 pm
Odissi Item
Level 1

Monday - Saturday
2-3 pm
Khalbelia Gypsy Dance
(drop-in)

Tuesday and Thursday only
4-5 pm
Fusion Belly Dance
(drop-in)

Monday - Saturday
5-6 pm
Odissi Theory
All levels

Monday, Wednesday and Saturday
6-7 pm
Community Odissi class
(local children)

Pushkar Temple Dance Festival

Colleena Shakti — Sun, 25 Nov 2007 09:00:00 +0000

Temple Dance Festival

An Evening of Odissi Classical Music and Dance

Your senses will be flooded with the sweetness of devotion...

The ‘Pushkar Temple Dance Festival’, presented annually by Shakti School of Dance, is an evening performance of Odissi Classical Music and Dance within the historical Old Rangji Temple. This event highlights the divine nature of India’s oldest known temple dance (Odissi), enchanting the air with bhakti for all to participate in. Eight of Orissa’s most talented musicians will accompany 14 dancers (from both India and various international countries) to present items of Nritta (pure dance) and Nritya (dramatic storytelling through gesture) on this enchanted evening. Our goal in creating this event is to offer our community an opportunity to enjoy an artistic and emotional connection with the divine through the traditional medium of dance.

Our next festival is scheduled for:

March 1, 2008 (Saturday)