whaaa... and what a journey it has been to arrive at this conclusion.. authenticity. Honestly.. feel like I've been put through a washing machine and wring dried. But here I am.. finally. The sad truth of arts is that it goes no where without commerce in this world. Well when I say no where.. I mean audience reach. In the day of social media and marketing and algorithms and grant funds which require you to tick boxes or know how to write those bloody applications and this and that.. we literally have box package chip chizzle, at times slaughter!! our authentic expression to try to get access t ..read more

We welcome you to Taamara Dance Centre's Chelenga Pooja 2022. Shastram has been kind enough to dedicate a space here for the learners to express about dance in words. My sincere gratitude to Ghirija Jayraj for the generosity. The intent is to continue writing on dance even after the festival has ended. However, for now every student participating in the Chelanga Pooja 2022 will be published here. The work done is not a formal research paper but their first attempt to write on dance . this has not been mentored and is solely their work :). and, to say the least, I am super proud that they have ..read more

MOHINIYATTAM THROUGH AGES AK Aishwarya | Taamara Researchwork | 14-10-2022 MOHINIYATTAM Mohiniyattam, is an Indian classical dance form that developed and remained popular in the state of Kerala. Mohiniyattam dance gets its name from the word Mohini– a historical enchantress avatar of the Hindu God Vishnu, who helps the good prevail over evil by developing her feminine powers. Mohiniyattam is characterized by graceful, swaying body movements with no abrupt jerks or sudden leaps. It belongs to the lasya style which is feminine,tender and graceful. The movements are emphasized by the glides and ..read more

today i danced in anger... im not sure where my "sringaram" ran to but i stomped my feet as hard as I could.. till i felt the pain.. indulged in it.. sweated out my frustration, spun as fast as I could, threw my arms more in punches in the name of adavus... all while questioning the god i was dancing to.. why all this.. ?why are you playing snakes and ladders with me..? why now? Haven't I tried hard enough? Haven't I given enough.. you want more.. ? you trip me up even more..? again and again... i cried i tried i sat through my pain.. in araimandi.. in anger.. i shuddered at my image loathed m ..read more

I am one of those people who walks into an art gallery sees a painting.. doesn't read the caption or the title.. but interprets the meaning of the piece of art the way I see it.. I actually do this a lot in life.. and as someone who practices hinduism I do this as well. I actually love the concept of "finding your own truth" in hinduism.. where life is left to your interpretation... I take each story about the deities and decipher the meaning myself based on life experiences. I have done the same with the Natraja statue... I understand it is about the fine balance of the cosmos... where creati ..read more

It's nearing the end of another year and COVID for me has been a time of pure self reflection.. the lessons I've learnt are immense.. especially about Sringaram.. I don't claim to know how far the rabbit hole of Sringaram really is.. but here I am at this point.. and I think I get it.. Let me share my thoughts. All Indian Classical dancers are told or know that Sringaram is the essence of the art form.. but how many of us are taught this..? I know I actually wasn't.. it's been a massive 2 year journey of trying to consciously understand the whole concept by myself. Yet I truly from the bottom ..read more

It was a moonlit night, a candle lit room I shook away... "stay with me" he said.. pulling me closer.. "stay with me" he said darkness.. The music began.. there I was alone... a thousand people in front of me.. my mind started racing "do I know this dance.. I've practiced it a hundred times but do I know this dance.." "stay with me" it said.. something within me.. "stay with me.." it said.. "let your fears go.. stay with me.." now I know he only came into my life to utter those words "stay with me" so that I may recall them.. when I need it most ..read more

If you have read any of my past blogs you would know that varnams are a thing for me and they are loaded with epiphanies and journeys for me. What I mean is... somehow, I always end up living out the varnam.. as in.. there are meanings behind each line and in order for me to understand these meanings, Iife kind of unravels in front of me. Ok ok maybe its just my imagination, but honest to god it happens to. The only 2 varnams that I fully remember are Aadi Aadi Mahilnthaar and Mathae. They have both had a huge effect on me. Back story - for those you who are not familiar - aadi aadi madhilnth ..read more

Before this pandemic hit... I bet a lot of us had a thousand plans to do a lot of things.. we were going somewhere, doing something with our lives, there was somewhere we had to reach... over there.. far away in the future.. " a goal" Why do we have goals? We see a story that we are trying to create.. something with a beginning middle and an end... and before we leave this planet.. we just want to "make something of ourselves" tick all the boxes that society has set for us.. so that you know.. people look at our photo or dead body or whatever and say.. yes.. this person lived well.. and achiev ..read more

Im in that phase of my journey where I want to experiment. I mean I'm generally experimental but I've always tip toed within the parameters of Indian Classical dance that my teachers had drawn for me. But as I evolve my art evolves, my dance evolves, and right now I'm on a search to find a new way of expression.. or perhaps allow for what is honestly coming from within me. I understand it may not resonate with everyone or even many. But this is very important I feel as an artist to break way and go deeper and most of all be authentic. I do not disrespect anything taught to me.. not at all.. I ..read more