Author: beenabansal

Pari (the youngest ones) being taught tatkar by Prabhat (the not so young ones) students…a chance to be a teacher once in a while helps make them a better student.

Concentration and focus while reading theka!One of the things which attracts me towards kathak is this need to be always “present” in the moment, lest you lose track of the rhythm. As soon as you master something, there are new challenges available. When everyday work is repetititive and mundane, kathak is challenging on one hand,… Continue reading Being present!

Arpan 2019, our annual Dance and Music celebration is around 8 months away. Over the last several months , amidst the daily rounds of class, workshop etc. the mind kept returning to the little seeds of ideas for dance pieces for all the Aakriti students at various levels. A few words of poetry caught during… Continue reading Creating the soundtrack.

“Four young mothers, plucked enough courage and gathered enough determination, to walk into my class as students. Watching their daughters’ journey in the Aakriti Kathak classes had re-kindled the creative urges and inspired them to pick up their long lost tryst with dance. It has been an quite a journey since then. The group has… Continue reading Is it ever too late to learn?

Today’s lesson- Kathak is about expanding our sensibilities, learning to listen. Music involves becoming aware to the sounds and rhythm all around us and connecting ourselves to them.

WHAT IS KRISHANA? Anything which evokes love and bhakti is Krishana. The bhav (emotion) gracefully expressed by Sushmita Guruji. Shot during the class where Prabhat (senior) kids are learning to perform on this beautiful poem by Swami haridas. Brindavan me kunj Bhavanme Naachatha giridhar LalKithi Sukkumar ha Dhara dhara dhara dhara murali adharaBara bara bara… Continue reading Krishna..

“Pankhuri”The group of chirpy little girls.Its been a couple of years for them here and one can see how they love to be a part of aakriti.They have started learning to perceive music in their own beautiful ways…They get their colorful selves together and dance on the playful rhythm of bilaval sargam in arpan 2017.

“PARI” The littlest group of aakriti Beautiful little feet learning kathak for last few months. Dance has a new definition here…it’s not about just steps , it about learning love, compassion, team work, discipline, creativity, understanding,grace, respect, hard work, patience ….”Learning starts young”

Music and rhythm created by feet. This is called pada sanchalan. The pattern is..Thei, Ta (1,1)Ta ka, Ta ka (2,2)Ta ki ta, ta ki ta (3,3)Tig da dig dig, tig da dig dig (4,4)Ta ka ta ki ta, ta ka ta ki ta (5,5)Ends with a tihai (a cycle of 3)…{Ta ka ta ki ta,… Continue reading Pada Sanchalan…

The senior kids group called Prabhat are performing on a composition again by Pt Ravi Shankar known as PRARAMBH. As always the dance has taken shape over the weekend classes in the last two months. In Guruji’s words ” the song whispers it’s meaning which is then expressed in the dance”. The song may convey… Continue reading Prarambh..

Pankhuri kids preparing their performance for the baithak. This is being performed on a tarana composed by pandit Ravi Shankar. Tarana, a vocal form in Hindustani music said to have been developed by Amir Khusrau, probably best represents the vocalist’s urge to move away from song-text and into the realm of instrumental music. The syllables… Continue reading Tarana..

The informal Baithak conducted by the children of Aakriti foundation at Sushmita Guruji’s residence was yet another milestone.The milestones here are not getting through exams but growing as an artist and as individuals. Learning to work hard, fighting out their fears, gaining confidence and enjoying not just the dance but the applauds as well was… Continue reading Milestone 19 November 2016..

The Milestone series of baithak and workshops at Aakriti Foundation. At Studio Aakriti, South City II, Gurgaon.Ramakant Gaikwad, a rising vocalist of the Patiala Gharana, mesmerised all by his soulful and mature khayaal in Yaman, and delicate renderings of thumri and bhajan. The students of Aakriti Foundation were blessed to have him lead a thoroughly… Continue reading Milestone 2016

Geetam Vadyam Nrityam cha trayamSangeet uchyate..

It needs concentration and coordination to get the new steps right and then ” Riyaz” to internalise the steps so they seem to come effortlessly.

Kathak is a beautiful way for the kids to liberate their energy.

The kids are practising to become better everyday; not better than anyone else, but better than what they are today.