Celebration of 25 YEARS!

1988 - 2013NAMASKAAR FOUNDAT ION

25 YEARS OF MUSIC, DANCE & THEATER

CELEBRATION OF 25 YEARS!

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25YEARS of

CELEBRATING

MUSICDANCETHEATERand

from INDIA and around the WORLD

FEBRUARY 2, 2013 Palace Theater, Stamford, CTPACO PENA and FLAMENCO DANCE COMPANY

NORTH INDIAN CLASSICAL MUSIC Eric Fraser, Bansuri Naren Budakar, Tabla

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Namaskaar Foundation was formed in 1988with a specific goal to promote, preserve andraise greater awareness of Music, Dance andTheatre from India among Indians and ourAmerican friends.

In 1999, as part of our audience developmentinitiative, World on Stage was introduced todevelop new audiences by sharing the culturalheritage of the world through traditional Musicand Dance.

We have been very successful in our efforts toencourage an unusually diverse audience for ourpresentations. We are also proud to say,thousands of children and under privilegedfamilies have had an opportunity to experienceand learn about world culture through ourprogam for the first time.

This success has been achieved with financialsupport from State & local grants, contributionsfrom corporations, foundations and individualslike you. Their combined generosity and our loyalaudience have nurtured and kept NamaskaarFoundation alive for 25 years!

THANK YOU!


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THANK YOU!

AnonymousTeeve & Madhu BarbellaLing Ong BelloKirit & Panna DesaiSunil & Pratibha DeshmukhChristine & Nicolas EdwardsRobert GerouardAnil & Meena GuptaRavi & Rama IyerJ Krishna & Suneeta PrasadDr. Chitti & Ranjana MoorthyPallavi MoorthyManhar & Trupti PatelFrank & Lolita SavageAshwin & Jayshree ShahViresh SharmaRanjan & Chandrika Tandon and other individuals

AltriaCity of Stamford

CovidienGenRe

GenWorthIBM

Krishnamurthy Tandon FoundationLasersystemsPitney Bowes

Rao & Rao Stamford Board of EducationsStamford Center for the Arts

State of ConnecticutUnited Technologies

Xerox Foundationand other corporations

25 YEARS!

and our loyal audience

NAMASKAAR- warmest welcome to all of you!

As we celebrate Namaskaar Foundation's 25 years of cultural andeducational service to our diverse communities in the Unites StatesI would like to thank its founder, Vrunda Patel whose vision andpassion for the arts led us to this happy occasion. My thanks alsogo to its most dedicated Board of Directors for giving me theopportunity to participate in fulfilling a very noble mission, that ofeducating the public, particularly the young people, so they maylearn to understand, accept, and respect the cultural diversity in ourworld through the language of the arts: dance, music, and theater.

Namaskaar has presented and promoted the traditional arts andculture of India and many other countries from Asia, Europe,Africa and America through its WORLD ON STAGE programs.Its outstanding activities have served as vehicles in transporting theminds and imagination of its audience to the remotest places thatgave birth and origin to distinct cultures of people around theglobe. Nothing is more rewarding than to watch children's eyes asthey sit still in the theater, totally captivated by the stimulatingsound vibrations, rhythmic dance movements, rich, colorfulcostumes, and dramatic, vivid expressions of foreign actors andperformers on stage. This is art that triumphs: a transformation ofthe mundane into a spiritual and intellectual discipline andexperience.

It is to all of YOU that Namaskaar owes its success. Yourcollaborative effort as individual supporters, corporatecontributors, local government, teachers, students, and loyalaudience. You made it possible to bring the very best ofinternational artists to perform in our local stage. You have madeour world smaller, our understanding of other cultures deeper, ourtolerance for diversity stronger, and our love for humankind,universal.

Congratulations to Namaskaar and to you!

Lolita Valderrama SavageBoard Member and Gala Chair 2013

Silappadhikaram

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PACO PEÑAPaco Peña embodies both authenticity and innovation in flamenco. As guitarist, composer, dramatist, producer and artisticmentor he has transformed perceptions of this archetypal Spanish art form.

Born in the Andalucian city of Córdoba, Paco Peña began learning guitar from his brother at the age of six and made hisfirst professional appearance at the age of 12. In the late 1960s he left Spain for London, where his recitals of flamencomusic captured the public imagination.

Venues for his solo performances have included the intimate Ronnie Scott’s Jazz Club and the monumental Royal AlbertHall in London, New York ’s Carnegie Hall and the Concertgebouw in Amsterdam . He has shared the stage with fellow-guitarists, singers and instrumental groups, bridging diverse musical genres, including classical, jazz, blues, country and LatinAmerican.

In 1995 The New York Times declared that: “Mr Peña is a virtuoso, capable of dazzling an audience beyond the frets ofmortal man. He combines rapid-fire flourishes with a colourist’s sense of shading; this listener cannot recall hearing anyguitarist with a more assured mastery of his instrument.“ It should come as no surprise that readers of America’s Guitarmagazine judged Paco Peña Best Flamenco Guitarist of the Year for five consecutive years.

In 1981 he founded the Centro Flamenco Paco Peña in Cordoba, later becoming Artistic Director of the CórdobaInternational Guitar Festival. Plans are underway for a new educational initiative in Peña’s hometown, complementing hiswork as the world’s first Professor of Flamenco Guitar, a role established in 1985 at Rotterdam Conservatory in theNetherlands.

Since 1970 Paco Peña has performed regularly with his own hand-picked company of dancers, guitarists and singers in asuccession of groundbreaking shows. The Paco Peña Flamenco Dance Company has taken flamenco into the realm ofmusic-theatre with regular seasons in London (Royal Festival Hall, Sadler’s Wells Theatre and Barbican) and festivalappearances in Edinburgh, Adelaide, Amsterdam, Athens, Israel, Istanbul, Singapore and Hong Kong . 1999 brought the mostambitious production yet: Musa Gitana. Peña based the piece on the life and work of another artist from Córdoba, thepainter Julio Romero de Torres. Its seven-week season at the Peacock Theatre in London’s West End stands as the longest-ever run of a flamenco show and a further London season followed in Spring 200.

Another landmark was Misa Flamenca, a 1991 setting of the Mass that juxtaposed Peña’s company with a classical choir.Its premiere at London’s Royal Festival Hall, given with the Choir of the Academy of St Martin-in-the-Fields , was followedby a staging at the 1992 EXPO in Seville. Misa Flamenca has also been seen in Australia, New Zealand, Poland, German, theNetherlands, Belgium and the USA.

In 1997 he was proud to be named Oficial de la Cruz de la Orden del Merito Civil, an honour bestowed by King JuanCarlos of Spain.


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HISTORY OF FLAMENCO DANCE AND MUSICFlamenco has an extensive historical background reflecting the various culturesthat have arrived in the Iberian peninsula. Beginning with the ancient Greeks andRomans, continuing on with the arrival of the Moorish and Jewish peoples andthe emigrants from India, the music and dance in Southern Spain is a dazzlingcontinuum of cultural interaction over centuries. Today’s Flamenco, quintessentialto the province of Andalucia, relies on improvisational technique and is the resultof myriad cultures interacting, blending together over centuries. The gypsies andother oppressed ethnicities first performed in caves as a dramatic, personalexpression. But their passion and bravura overtook society at large, so the musicand dance rapidly flourished, evolved, and by the 1700s, the compositionalstructure of the dance can be recognized as Flamenco. The hearty voice of thesinger began to take a supporting role once the dance became a stunning displayof rhythm and emotion in the cafés cantantes (musical cafes). There is no onesingle Flamenco dance since the performance depends upon the pervading mood,the set of melodic phrases, and even the cultural context each song brings tomind. There are more than 50 distinct palos (types of Flamenco dance). Theinteraction between dance and music involves a great deal of personal,spontaneous improvisation, yet always within the strict confines of musicaltradition and rhythmic patterns.

FLAMENCO DANCERS So it all begins with the dancer typically standing motionless, absorbing the guitarstrums, the clapping, the singing, until the special moment of inspiration launcheshim/her onto the dance floor. The inspiration is why the dancer can have anemotional intensity resounding in complex footbeats and intense facialexpressions that contrast dramatically against aerial, graceful arms. Male andfemale dancers lock eyes and perform against each other in vividly competitiveduets, displaying a fierce passion and spiritual tension.

FLAMENCO MUSICMusic and Dance live together in Flamenco. The dancer interprets the singerwho is often the voice of lament relating the adversity fixed time and again uponthe persecuted peoples integral to Flamenco’s history. Undeniably the singing isfundamental; in fact, Flamenco was originally comprised purely of Cante (singing)accompanied by Palmas (handclapping) or knuckle-rapping. Only in the 1800sdid the guitar, a descendant of the Arabic Oud, become gradually part ofFlamenco music. Upon closer study of the music, one hears the pervadinginfluence of distant music and song coming from India, Persia, Arabia.

"the godfather of world music"- George Harrison


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HERITAGE OF INDIAN MUSIC

MUSIC gives voice to our emotions thatcannot be expressed in language, but whichcan be felt, recognized and understood byall human beings.

We will always remember Ravi Shankar as an extraordinarily talented musician, sitar legend and an equallygreat composer, who passed away recently at the age of 92. Ravi Shankar was the ambassador for India's musicin the West. He was truly a world musician who collaborated with the likes of Yehudi Menuhin, John Coltrane,Philip Glass, and influenced the Beatles; George Harrison studied the Sitar with Ravi Shankar who performed atmany fancy concert halls and world-famous festivals, including the Woodstock Festival in 1969.

Ravi Shankar won many honors and accolades from the world over, including three Grammy awards, the PadmaBhushan, the Padma Vibhushan and the Bharat Ratna, the three highest civilian honors in India. Ravi Shankar'sstar will never fade; his music was serious, spiritual, deep, classical, sometimes light, sometimes folk, sometimesnew age, but always sublime!

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INTRODUCTION TO INDIAN MUSIC

It is through the medium of the arts that people of different nations and backgrounds are able to communicateand understand each other better.

HISTORY AND HERITAGE The music of India and its history, far too complex to be adequately described here, still deserves an attemptedintroduction so those who are new to it may be helped towards appreciating its beauty. With a very long,unbroken tradition over centuries, Indian music can be traced back nearly 2,000 years to the Vedic era. ModernIndia’s culture came about through the interaction of many races and cultures; the Negrito, the Mongoloids, theDravidian, and the Aryan peoples have all made their marks upon Indian music. North Indian music is popularlyknown as Hindusthani music, and South Indian as Karnatic; although their origins are the same, their approachesand styles differ. When and how these two main schools crystallized suggests a provocative line of study, yetthe earliest treatises of Indian music make no distinctions between Northern and Southern schools.

INFLUENCES Islam and Persian music are two of the strongest and most significant influences. But the Muslim invasion and afew centuries of Muslim rule only changed the perspective of the North Indian musical style; the structure forthe most part continued on as before. Once Indian music was fostered outside the places of worship, theelement of physical pleasure, particularly the courtier’s, became predominant. One must also note the influenceof Indian music upon sculpture and painting. The meaning of the artwork is through graceful integration, andthis is truly analogous to Indian musical melody--smoothly united motions, curving lines containing definite unitsof musical forms. In fact a genre of Indian painting is the depiction of Ragas and Raginis, the male and femalemusical forms.

GROWTH AND STRUCTURE Long continuous growth is the outstanding quality of Indian music. Definite laws of theory, practice andcomprehensive appreciation have evolved over the centuries. The theory and practice of Indian music are thelogical result of a distinctive, consistent developmental process and play an integral part in Indian history andculture. Therefore, ideally, the Western listener should set aside counterpoint, harmony, mixed tone colors andjust relax into the rhythmic and melodic patterns of a great cultural heritage. Each melodic structure of Ragahas something akin to a distinct personality that subjects itself to the prevailing mood. Aspects of Hindu worship,enabling the musician to enter into the mood of a particular Raga and perform it successfully, are apparent intheoretical works about the music. Each Raga is described by a short verse formula, enabling the musician tovisualize its essential personality during meditation prior to the performance. Early Indian writers have associatedthe Ragas with the status of minor divinities.

“Hands that sang a soulful song”-The Hindu

Sujat Khan

Bishmillah Khan


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Theater in India has a rich tradition of ancient ritualsand seasons of the country. It is believed that LordBrahma created Natyaveda, the fifth Veda on Natya(action), as a mode of recreation for all classes ofsociety by incorporating words from the Rig Veda,music from Sama Veda, action from Yajur Veda andemotion from Adharva Veda. Sage Bharata whoperfected the dramatic art and wrote the NatyaShastra, a great compendium of the science andtechnique of Indian drama, dance and music, dedicatedthe first drama to an audience of Devas (celestials).Through the medium of drama, humankind receivedfurther sacred lore and mythology. According to theNatya Shastra, dancing and dramatic representationare inter-related. Drama eventually moved fromdepicting mythological themes to contemporary socialissues. Indian cinema and serials on the mini-screenare nothing but offshoots of this age-old culture.

TECHNICAL ASPECTSNeither a scale nor a mode, Raga is, however, ascientific, precise, aesthetically subtle, melodic formwith its own peculiar ascending and descendingmovements through a full octave or a series of 5 or 6notes. There are 72 Melas (parent scales) on whichRagas are based. The omission of a jarring ordissonant note, the emphasis on a particular note, theslide from one note to another; the use of microtonesalong with other subtleties, distinguish one Raga fromanother.

Each Raga has its own principal mood such astranquility, devotion, eroticism, loneliness, pathos,heroism, etc., and according to its mood, anassociation with a particular time of day/night orseason. Through improvisation, an essential feature of

Indian music, a great artist can communicate and instillin his listener the mood of the Raga. The secondimportant aspect of Indian music is Tala. These arerhythmic cycles ranging from 3 to 108 beats. Thedivisions and the stress on the first beat are the mostimportant features of these cycles.

Talas having the same number of beats may have astress on a different beat, e.g. a bar of 10 beats maybe divided as: 2-3-2-3, or 3-3-4, or 3-4-3. Within theframework of the fixed beats, the drummer canimprovise to the same extent as the principal artist,and after going their separate ways, return togetherupon the stress on the first beat, altogether amarvelous journey for the seasoned listener.

GLOSSARYAlap: is the first movement of the Raga. It is a slow,serene movement acting as an invocation and itgradually develops the Raga.

Jor: begins with the added element of rhythm which(combining with the weaving of innumerable melodicpatterns) gradually gains in tempo and brings the ragato the final movement.

Jhala: is the final movement and climax. It is playedwith a very fast action of the plectrum which is wornon the right index finger.

Gat: is the fixed composition. A gat can be in any Talaand can be spread over from 2 to 16 of its rhythmiccycles in any tempo, slow, medium or fast.

A gat (or fixed composition), whether vocal orinstrumental, has generally two sections. The first part

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is called “pallavi” - South Indian term - or “asthayi” - North Indian term - which opens the composition and isgenerally confined to the lower and middle octaves. The following part of the composition is called the“anupallavi” (or antara) which usually extends from the middle to upper octaves. In South Indian music furthermelodic sections called “charana” follows the “anupallavi”.

Talas:Dadra rhythmic cycle of 6 beats divided 3-3.Rupak rhythmic cycle of 7 beats divided 3-2-2.Jhaptal rhythmic cycle of 10 beats divided 2-3-2-3.Ektal rhythmic cycle of 12.Adha-Chautal rhythmic cycle of 14 beats divided 2-4-4-4.Teen-Tal rhythmic cycle of 16 beats divided 4-4-4-4.

NORTHERN FORMDhrupad compositions have four parts pr stanzas, viz. Asthayi, Antra, Sanchari, and Abhog. Dhrupad isaccompanied only by the tanpura and pakhawaj. Dhrupad is considered to be the oldest classical vocal form ofHindusthani music.

Hori Dhamar: These compositions are akin to Dhrupad and enjoy identical status. Despite the variations inthe themes of these compositions, all of them are associated with the festival of Holi (playing of colours) andthe compositions are all of 14 beats time cycle.

Khayal: The Dhrupad style of music was replaced by the romantic Khayal (the word Khayal means imagination,idea). The most important features of a Khayal are 'Tans' or the running glides over notes and 'Bol-tans' whichclearly distinguish it from 'Dhrupad'. The slow (Vilambit) and fast (Drut) styles of Khayal are the two recognizedtypes today.

Tappa: This is a distinct style having its origin in the Punjab. Its beauty lies in the quick and intricate display ofvarious permutations and combinations of notes. It is strange that even though the Tappa lyrics are in Punjabi,Tappa is not sung in the Punjab. Banares and Gwalior are the strongholds of Tappa. Bengal has also been greatlyinfluenced by the Tappa style.

Thumri: Thumri originated in the Eastern part of Uttar Pradesh. Its most distinct feature is the erotic subjectmatter picturesquely portraying the various episodes from the lives of Lord Krishna and Radha. The beauty ofThumri lies in the artist's ability to convey musically as many shades of meaning as the words of a song can bear.It is a much freer form than 'Khayal'.

Ustad Alla Rakha1919 - 2000

Zakir Hussain

SOUTHERN FORMVarnam: A composition usually sung or playedat the beginning of a recital. It reveals the generalform of the Raga. The Varnam is made up of twoparts: (1) The Purvanga or first half and (2) TheUttaranga or second half. The two halves arealmost equal in length.

Kriti: A composed song set to a certain Raga andfixed Tala (rhythmic) cycle. It is a highly evolvedmusical form.

Ragam:A melodic improvisation in free rhythmplayed without mridangam (drum)accompaniment.

Tanam: Another style of melodic improvisationin free rhythm.

Pallavi: This is a short pre-composed melodictheme with words and set to one cycle of Tala.The pallavi has the following main features -around the words of the Pallavi. Here the soloistimprovises new melodies built around the wordpallavi. Neraval means 'filling up'.

Trikalam: Is the section where the Pallavi isplayed in three tempi keeping the Tala constant.

Swara-Kalpana: is the improvised sectionperformed with the drummer on medium and fastspeeds.

Ragamalika: This is the final part of the Pallaviwhere the soloist improvises freely and comesback to the original theme at the end.

Pandit Jasraj

Asha Bhosle

Nrityagram Dance EnsembleOdissi


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HERITAGE OF INDIAN DANCE

The pleasure, power and art of movement, DANCE is a powerful form ofhuman expression, an emblem of cultural identity, and an expression ofreligious worship.

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Indian dance is a way to communicate Bhava (expression of emotion) using the body as a medium. The art ofdance is perhaps the most refined of all arts, and yet it can be easily understood. Indian dance is a blend ofNritta (the rhythmic movement of the body without any expression of emotion), Nritya (the combination ofrhythm and expression through eyes, hands and facial movements) and Natya (the dramatic element). Dance isperformed with Abhinaya (expression), rasa (emotion to convey the essence) and mudras (hand gestures). AllDances follow the 'nava rasas'(the nine common emotions of happiness, anger, disgust, fear, sorrow, courage,compassion, wonder and serenity). Most Indian dances are inspired by Indian mythology and folklore.

There are eight classical dance forms such as Odissi, Bharatnatyam, Kathak, Kathakali, Kuchipudi, Manipuri,Mohiniattam and Kshatriya Dance, each representing the culture of a particular region of India.

Apart from classical dances, India is also rich in the folk idiom. Chhau dance of Bihar, Garba of Gujarat, Bhangraof Punjab and Banjara Dance of Andhra Pradesh, are a few of the popular folk dances.

ODISSI DANCEOdissi traces its origins to the ritual dances performed in the temples of ancient northern India. Today the nameOdissi refers to the dance style of the state of Orissa in eastern India. Like other classical arts of India, thisancient dance style had suffered a decline as temples and artists lost the patronage of feudal rulers and princelystates, and by the 1930s and 40s, there were very few surviving practitioners of the art.The current form ofOdissi is the product of a 20th century revival. Dedicated scholars and dance enthusiasts carefully researchedmanuscripts and studied the sculpture, painting and poetry of the region. They also met and observed theperformances of the few existing performers, in order to revive and restructure Odissi as a unique classicaldance style, and adapted it to the requirements of formal stage presentation. Over the years Odissi has becomeone of the most popular classical dance styles. Like other Indian classical dance forms, Odissi has two majorfacets: Nritta or non-representational dance, in which ornamental patterns are created using body movementsin space and time; and Abhinaya, or stylized mime in which symbolic hand gestures and facial expressions areused to interpret a story or theme. The divine love tales of Radha and the cowherd God Krishna are favouritethemes for interpretation, and a typical recital of Odissi will contain at least one or two ashtapadis (poem ofeight couplets) from Jayadeva's Gita Govindam, which describes in exquisite Sanskrit poetry the love of Radhaand Krishna.


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The technique of Odissi includes repeated use of thetribhangi, or thrice deflected posture, in which the body isbent in three places, approximating the shape of a helix.This posture and the characteristic shifting of the torsofrom side to side, make Odissi a difficult style to execute.When mastered, it is the epitome of fluid grace and has adistinctively lyrical quality that is extremely appealing.

BHARATA NATYAM DANCEBy the time the Devadasis (maidens of God) had fallen, dueto lack of state patronage and changed social mores, therevival of Bharat Natyam by pioneers such as E KrishnaIyer and Rukmini Devi Arundale brought the dance out ofthe temple precincts and onto the proscenium stagethough it retained its essentially devotional character.

Today Bharata Natyam is one of the most popular andwidely performed dance styles and is practiced by maleand female dancers all over India. Due to its wide range ofmovements and postures and the balanced melange of therhythmic and mime aspects, lends itself well toexperimental and fusion choreography. Degree and PostGraduate courses covering the practice and theory ofBharata Natyam, as well as the languages associated withdevelopment are available at many universities of India.

KATHAK DANCEThis dance form traces its origins to the the nomadic bardsof ancient northern India, known as Kathakars, or storytellers. These bards, performing in village squares andtemple courtyards, mostly specialized in recounting

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mythological and moral tales from the scriptures, and embellished their recitals with hand gestures and facialexpressions. It was quintessential theatre, using instrumental and vocal music along with stylized gestures, toenliven the stories. With the advent of Mughal culture, Kathak became a sophisticated chamber art. Patronizedby art loving rulers, the practitioners of Kathak worked at refining its dramatic and rhythmic aspects, delightingelite audiences with their mastery over rhythm and the stylized mime.

The technique of Kathak today is characterized by fast rhythmic footwork set to complex time cycles. Thefootwork is matched by the accompanying percussion instruments such as tabla and pakhawaj, and the dancerand percussionists often indulge in a virtuoso display of rhythmic wizardry.The dance movements includenumerous pirouettes executed at lightning speed and ending in statuesque poses. The interpretative portion,based on tales of Radha and Krishna and other mythological lore, contains subtle gestures and facial expressions.Lucknow, Banaras and Jaipur are recognized as the three schools, or gharanas, where this art was nurtured andwhere the interpretative and rhythmic aspects were refined to a high standard.

CHHAU DANCEThe Chhau dance is indigenous to the eastern part of India. It originated as a martial art and contains vigorousmovements and leaps. During the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, many of the princely rulers of the Orissaregion took a keen interest in the development of this art. They maintained troupes that performed on specialoccasions and festivals. Some Chhau dances use large stylized masks. The depiction of birds and animals is adistinctive feature. There are also heroic dances with sword, bow or shield, with which dancers demonstratetheir dexterity. In keeping with the martial origins of Chhau, some of the themes include the depiction ofmythological heroes, such as Parashurama, Mahadev, Indrajit and others, from the Mahabharata and Ramayanaepics. Over the course of time, female characters and more diverse themes have been added.

There are three recognized schools or styles of Chhau. These are the Seraikella, Purulia and Mayurbhanj varieties.Mayurbhanj Chhau dancers do not wear masks. In recent times, Mayurbhanj Chhau has become popular as amedium of choreography, with its wide range of postures and movements that adapt well to modern as well astraditional movements.


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KATHAKALI DANCEKathakali is one of the oldesttheatre forms in the world. Itoriginated in the area ofsouthwestern India now known asthe state of Kerala. Kathakaliconsists of a group presentation, inwhich dancers take various roles inperformances traditionally basedon themes from Hindu mythology,especially the two epics, theRamayana and the Mahabharata.

One of the most interestingaspects of Kathakali is its elaboratemake-up code. Characters arecategorized according to theirnature. This determines the colorsused in the make-up. The faces ofnoble male characters, such asvirtuous kings, the divine heroRama, etc., are predominantlygreen. Certain characters who areroyalty but have an evil streak, suchas the demon king Ravana, areallotted a similar green make-up,slashed with red marks on thecheeks. Extremely angry orexcessively evil characters wearpredominantly red make-up and a

flowing red beard. Forest dwellers such as hunters arerepresented with a predominantly black make-up base.Women and ascetics have lustrous, yellowish faces.

The technique of Kathakali includes a highly developedlanguage of gesture, through which the artist can conveywhole sentences and stories. The body movements andfootwork are very rigorous. To attain the high degree offlexibility and muscle control required for this art, aKathakali dancer undergoes strenuous periods oftraining, and special periods of body massage. Thedancers wear large head-dresses, and the contours ofthe face are extended with moulded lime. Theextraordinary costumes and make-up serve to raise theparticipants above the level of mere mortals, so that theymay transport the audience to a world of wonders.

The orchestra of a Kathakali performance includes twodrums known as the chenda and the maddalam, alongwith cymbals and another percussion instrument, the elataalam. Normally, two singers provide the vocalaccompaniment. The style of singing particular toKathakali is called Sopaanam. The orchestra of aKathakali troupe is unique and provides not only thebackground to the dancing, but also serves as a highlyexpressive special effects team. In the traditional villageambiance, the percussionists also provide publicity forthe event by playing outside the venue for some hoursbefore the start of the show. A traditional Kathakaliperformance begins in the evening and continues


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throughout the night, culminating at the auspicious hour of dawn, when Good finally conquers Evil. Today, however,it has been modified for the proscenium stage, and urban audiences can participate in this ritualistic theatreexperience in the comfort of a plush auditorium, within the span of a couple of hours.

KUCHIPUDI DANCESculptural evidence from all parts of India and the surrounding region points to a rich tradition of dance andmusic that flourished over a thousand years ago. All over ancient India, it would seem, dance and music wereseen not merely as ways to celebrate but also as offerings of worship and thanksgiving to the Divine. Over thecourse of time, the dance forms practiced in the different parts of the country were codified and developeddistinct identities according to the geographic, socio-economic, and political conditions of each region.

The dance form Kuchipudi developed in what is now known as the state of Andhra Pradesh in southern India.Kuchipudi derives its name from the village Kuchelapuram, where it was nurtured by great scholars and artistswho built up the repertoire and refined the dance technique.

The technique of Kuchipudi makes use of fast rhythmic footwork and sculpturesque body movements. Stylizedmime, using hand gestures and subtle facial expression, is combined with more realistic acting, occasionallyincluding dialogues spoken by the dancers. In this blend of performance techniques, Kuchipudi is unique amongthe Indian classical dance styles. Kuchipudi today is performed either as a solo or a group presentation, buthistorically it was performed as a dance drama, with several dancers taking different roles. The themes are mostlyderived form the scriptures and mythology, and the portrayal of certain characters is a central motif of thisdance form. One example is Satyabhama, the colourful second consort of Lord Krishna. Another unique featureof Kuchipudi is the Tarangam, in which the performer dances on the edges of a brass plate, executing complicatedrhythmic patterns with dexterity, while sometimes also balancing a pot of water on the head. Kuchipudi isaccompanied by Carnatic music. A typical orchestra for a Kuchipudi recital includes the mridangam, flute andviolin. A vocalist sings the lyrics, and the nattuvanar conducts the orchestra and recites the rhythmic patterns.

MANIPURI DANCEManipuri is one of the most beautiful dance styles of India. Nurtured in the mountainous region of the northeast,it takes its name from the name of the area, Manipur, which is now a state. Manipur literally means a jewel of a


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land, and the state is set like a gem in the verdant hills. The legend goes that the gods drained a lake in thebeautiful countryside in order to find a place to dance. No wonder then, that dance is an inherent part of therituals of daily life, such as weddings and homage to ancestors. The Lai Haroba, a ritualistic dance depicting theCreation, is considered the precursor of Manipuri as seen today. The Lai Haroba is still an important livingtradition, while Manipuri has expanded and gained popularity as a performing art in group and solo presentations.

Among the important constituents of the Manipuri repertoire are the Sankirtana and the Raas Leela, based onthe devotional theme of Krishna and Radha. The Raas Leela depicts the cosmic dance of Krishna and the cowherdmaidens. The beautiful embroidered skirts of the dancers, long and flared from the waist, and the transluscentveils, along with Krishna's costume with the tall peacock feather crown, add to the radiant appearance of thisdance, as the performers sway and twirl to an ascending tempo. Another vibrant feature of Manipuri is the PungCholam or Drum dance, in which dancers play on the drum known as Pung while dancing with thrilling leapsand turns to a fast rhythm.

MOHINIATTAM DANCEThe dance form of Mohiniattam was nurtured in the region of Kerala in southwestern India. The nameMohiniattam literally means 'Dance of the Enchantress,' and it does have a mesmerizing quality. The white andgold costume, arresting hairstyle and the highly graceful movements in medium tempo, contribute to thisaesthetic effect. Mohiniattam is characterized by swaying movements of the upper body with legs placed in astance similar to the plie position. The eyes play an important role in accenting the direction of the movement.

Mention of Mohiniattam is found in some eighteenth century texts, but the practical aspect of the style wasrevived in the reign of Maharaja Swati Tirunal, a 19th century ruler who was a great patron of the arts. UnderSwati Tirunal, Mohiniattam crystallized as a solo dance tradition with musical compositions set to the Carnaticstyle of music and a distinct repertoire. Later, in the twentieth century, the great poet Vallathol established theKerala Kalamandalam to promote the arts of Mohiniattam and Kathakali. Here, further research was done andMohiniattam was codified and revived. Over the past few decades, the repertoire of Mohiniattam has beendeveloped and expanded by dedicated performers who have ensured that this beautiful dance style retains adistinct identity among the classical dance styles of India. Apart from mythology, Mohiniattam contains a rangeof themes from nature.

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FOLK DANCESIndian folk and tribal dances range from simple, joyous celebrations of the seasons, of the harvest, or the birthof a child to ritualistic dances to propitiate demons and invoke spirits. There are dances involving balancing trickswith pitchers full of water, or jugglery with knives. Quite a few highlight activities like fishing, ploughing andthreshing. In certain cases, the dances are extremely simple with a minimum of steps or movement. Most,however, burst with verve and vitality. The costumes are invariably flamboyant with extensive use of jewelleryby both sexes. Some of these dances are performed by men and women exclusively but most have them dancingtogether. Nearly all involve singing by the dancers. Many folk instruments provide musical accompaniment tothese dances. The drum, of which numerous varieties exist in India, is the most common instrument.

There are literally hundreds of Indian folk and tribal dances as each ethnolinguistic group – and there are severalin every region of India – has its own stock of dances. The dances by masked lamas, in Ladakh, Sikkim andDarjeeling are slow in tempo and simulate combat between good and evil spirits. From the picturesque valleyof Kashmir hails Rauf, a seasonal dance in which dancers link their arms and glide forward and backward. TheKud dance of Jammu exhibits swaying, sinuous movements. Similar lateral glides and flowing movementscharacterize the folk dances of the western Himalayan regions. Noteworthy is the Mahasu of the Gaddis ofHimachal Pradesh.

A wide range of leaps and jumps, and dancing while balancing other dancers on one’s shoulders are part of thevigorous Bhangra of Punjab. Mock actions of harvesting an abundant crop are common to Bhangra, and theDhamal of Haryana, which is notable for the sounds of pounding feet and beating daffs. Other folk dances fromHaryana are Phag, Guga, Loor and Khoria. The last, performed by women at weddings, is marked by happy cajolingand joyful teasing. It resembles the Ghoomar dance of Rajastan in its steps. Gair, Terahtali, Chari, Walar, Jhamar,Ghoomra, Gavri – the list of Rajastani folk dances is endless. Various folk instruments and articles like potstopped with lighted lamps, sticks, shards of glass and swords are used in these dances.

The chief feature of folk dances from neighbouring Gujarat is the use of sticks. Each performer of Garba, Garbi,Garbo and Dandiya Raas holds two sticks which are struck alternately to the right and left while the groupprogresses diagonally, clockwise or anti-clockwise with dancers looping around one another in complicatedformations at a fast tempo. The Lavni dance emphasizes erotic, acrobatic movements and gestures, and belongs


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to Maharashtra. Central India has several pockets peopled by tribes like Bhils and Gonds. Their majorrepresentative dances can be seen on the occasion of the Bhagoria Dance Festival. Dances from Bihar can bedivided into tribal (Munda, Santhal, Oraon, Kharia, Ho) and non-tribal (Bhojpuri, Mahji, Maithili). These generallycenter around agricultural or hunting occupations, are unsophisticated and express feline grace. Oriya folkperform Danda-nata (a repertory of ritual dances), Chaitighoda (using a dummy horse), Dalkhai, Medha (maskdance), Paika Nritya (battle dance) and Karma dances, some on special occasions and others throughout theyear. Exotic head-dresses of feathers and animal relics, ornaments of beads and cowrie shells are worn by tribaldancers of north-east India. About 60 tribes inhabit this region and nearly all lay claim to a dozen different dances.There are the exciting dances of the Nagas and the Bihu dances of Assam which celebrate spring and harvesting.On the same occasion, the Kabuis of Manipur perform a thanksgiving dance with gay, rapid movements. InMeghalaya, the Garos dance Wangala, the Jaintias Laho and the Khasis Shed Nongkrem. Bamboo which grows inabundance in the north-east is used to advantage by Mizos in the Chiraw and Nagas in the Kuki dance, thelocally woven colorful dresses, eye-catching headgear, gleaming spears and ornaments distinguish the dancers ofone tribe from another.The South is home to more than one folk dance. Karnataka is famous for its dummyhorse dance, and the Pattida Kunita, performed by men carrying gaily-ribboned poles topped by silver/brassumbrellas. A unique dance from Tamil Nadu is Koklikatai in which dancers move about on stilts tied with bells.Folk, tribal or classical, each Indian dance form is the product of centuries of development. And the dancer’sskill, the fruit of rigorous abhasya (practice).

Edited by Sonal Vora


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Indian tradition of theatre is rich and evolved with the ancient rituals and seasons of the country. It is believed that LordBrahma created Natyaveda, the fifth Veda on Natya (action) as a mode of recreation for all class of the society byincorporating words from Rig Veda, music from Sama Veda, action from Yajur Veda and emotion from Adharva Veda. SageBharata who perfected the dramatic art and wrote Natya Shastra, a great comprehensive work on the science andtechnique of Indian drama, dance and music enacted the first drama to the audience of 'Devas'. Through the medium ofdrama, common man was presented with the Ithihasas, Puranas, and Mythology.

Dance has played an important role in the birth of theatre. According to Natya Shastra, dancing and dramaticrepresentation has an intimate relationship. Drama gradually moved from deficting mythological themes to social issuesof today. Cinema and serials on the mini screen are nothing but offshoots of this age-old culture.

theater

36Ballet Folklorico de Mexico


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world on stage

1 9 9 9 - 2 0 1 3

BARYNYA

Imagine a world without Music, Dances and Theatre.Such a world might be invisible and intangible.

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A WORLD OF DANCE

AFRICA - CHINA - ECUADOR - JAPAN - INDIA - IRELAND - KOREA - PHILIPPINES - POLAND - RUSSIA - SPAIN - CUBA - PERU


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BULGARIA - MONGOLIA - BURUNDI - MEXICO - COLOMBIA - INDONESIA - PERU - UKRAINE - PAKISTAN - HUNGARY - UGANDA

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BULGARIA - MONGOLIA - BURUNDI - MEXICO - COLOMBIA - INDONESIA - PERU - UKRAINE - PAKISTAN - HUNGARY - UGANDA

A WORLD OF DANCE


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AFRICA - CHINA - ECUADOR - JAPAN - INDIA - IRELAND - KOREA - PHILIPPINES - POLAND - RUSSIA - SPAIN - CUBA - PERU

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Since 1988

Pandit Jasraj

Bishmillah Khan

Shultan Khan

Vishwamohan Bhatt Shivkumar Sharma

Zakir Hussain

Ustad Alla RakhaL. Subrimaniam

Asha Bhonsle

Manna Dey

Maharajapuram Santhanam

Rongchun Zhao


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and many more

Lilete Dubey

Naseerruddin Shah

Paresh RawalAnupam Kher Anup Jalota

Birju MaharajGhulam Ali

Sonu Nigam Jagjit Singh Pankaj Udhas

Miya MasaokaJin Hi Kim

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thrills and challenges of runningan art organizationVrunda Patel, Founder & Executive Director

With a vision and a passionate love for the art and culture of India, the Namaskaar Foundation waslaunched on February 2, 1988. It is hard to believe that we are now celebrating 25 YEARS!

From its very inception I was adamant that Namaskaar would always adhere to high standards,presenting the finest Indian artists and focusing on educating Indians and Non-Indians about IndianMusic and Dance. I have to confess that I did not have knowledge of Indian classical music and dance.But I had the ability to appreciate and identify the highest qualities in an artist. Twenty-five years laterI still may not be an expert but I’ve learned more about the performing arts of India in America thanI did, growing up in India.

I had no idea what I was getting into when I started the Namaskaar Foundation. My goal was to set-up an organization, implement high standards and then step down in five years. The first concert Iorganized was that of none other than Grammy award winner, Zakir Husain & Shivkumar Sharma.BOOM! Nine hundred people showed up! On that day, a man kept walking behind me with a $1,000check in his hand to donate to the Namaskaar Foundation. But I refused to accept it because our tax-exempt application was still being processed. However, this gentleman refused to take no for an answer

One year later I received a $500 check with a letter from Robert Gerouard, saying that he had helped

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a gentleman with his house project and who insisted on paying for the labor. Robert asked him to writea check to the Namaskaar Foundation, instead. As of today, I have yet to meet this kind donor so thatI could tell him in person, how much his thoughtful gesture meant to me. The following year anotherdonation popped up in the mail without any note, followed by a second and then a third such check. Igot to know this person’s identity, from his signature. Now I sort of feel validated in the confidencethat these three total strangers had in me and in my mission.

Delivering the highest standards was easy. But getting an audience into the theatre was not. Namaskaarwas growing and presenting some of the biggest names around, but the concerts were barely breakingeven. Grants and corporate contributions were not enough. In order to make up for losses on classicalmusic and dance programs, I had to include popular, crowd pleasing artists in our presentations. Aftersome fruitful years, we got involved with an artist requested by our community, a name that I had nevereven heard of. When the Wall Street Journal referred to this individual as a “commodity” we thoughtit was ok to have him perform at a fundraising event. It was a big mistake, however, and I still regret it.I had a big financial disaster on my hands and I felt solely responsible for it. Walking away was noteven an option

Then, in 1999, God sent Howard Jennings to me from the Stamford Public School system and withhim came Pitney Bowes. Together we presented our first concert by one of the finest Dance companiesfrom India at the Rich Forum, the Nrityagram Dance Ensemble. The concert was free to all and thehouse was almost full. The next day, I received a phone call from a non-Indian. She said, “My friendswent to see the concert last night but I missed it. Could you please add me to your mailing list?” Soonafter that another stranger called and left a message on my voice mail, again a non-Indian. “I was at the

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Border’s bookstore today and I overheard two women discussing your performance last night at theRich Forum and I thought I should let you know. I was there in your dance concert too.” These wordsstill linger with me today. You see, encouraging words from strangers, kept me going.

We established the “World on Stage” name as part of our audience development program. Our productwas good and I was confident that I could hook a non-traditional audience for our performances, IF Icould just get them into the theater. Since we first opened our doors, we had always relied heavily ondirect mail marketing. But now I needed to reach a much bigger and more diverse audience.

The First International Festival was planned for September 1999. For the past ten years, I was able toget away with marketing designed by my own hand using Indian Folk arts without spending money.But now I was very frustrated and unable to create designs without technical knowledge that I wantedfor that first festival. I had to hire a professional graphic designer who billed us $3,000 for the beautifulwork she did. Unfortunately, we did not have enough money to continue to pay for professional graphicdesign.

I decided to go back to school to earn a graphic design diploma. Two years later I was back in businessand we did not have to spend money for graphic design ever again! With our partnership with theStamford Public Schools and Pitney Bowes we were able to reach the parents of 14,000 students anda few thousand Pitney Bowes employees without spending money on postage. A few years later westarted mailing 30,000 to 60,000 postcards to a very diverse array of households in Fairfield andWestchester counties. Today, we are still mailing postcards to 30,000 to 60,000 households, and 60,000patrons regularly receive our email about our programs. We have been reaching the poorest and therichest, oldest and youngest in the community. We announced, in our postcards, that complimentarytickets were available, to first time audience members, and people who couldn’t afford to purchasetickets.

Today, we have also established relations with the Yerwood Center, Inspirica or St. Luke’s Lifeworks,


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Domus, Boys and Girls Clubs of America, Boys and Girls Scouts, Intake, and other organizations andwe regularly provide comp tickets to school students and their parents for all of our presentations. Wehave always encouraged dance and music schools to bring their students to our programs for free or fora small fee.

Our audience and programming is now more diverse and growing in numbers. Corporate contributionsand grants, however, have slowly shrunk and are in fact, disappearing. That leaves us almost completelydependent on ticket sales. We have had to raise ticket prices but continue to provide comp tickets forthe underprivileged. Given the lack of corporate support and grants, this has become a serious concern.

2012 marked one of the most challenging years in Namaskaar's history. There was not one overridingreason for this. Rather, it was a combination of things such as a lack of administration, Mother Nature,a disaster with post office delivery, missing deadlines, and cancellation of a concert. It has becomeapparent to me that this organization will not be able to continue without professional staff. We hadbooked A WORLD OF DANCE SERIES almost two years ago as part of our 25th anniversarycelebration, and the anticipation of seeing stellar performers onstage in Stamford, kept my spirits up.Canceling was not even an option.

Then my friend and Board member, Lolita Savage, jumped in and pulled in all of you today for acelebration of diversity. A human dynamo, Lolita’s leadership skill is unbelievable. Even I could notkeep up with her emails and phone calls every five minutes demanding –can you please take care ofthis NOW! She worked on this 25th anniversary celebration around the clock and made everyone workwith her. She was very confident that her friends would stand behind her commitment. And here weare today, celebrating 25 YEARS with you! Thank you very much for showing up!

I of course need to mention our newest advocate, Fernando Alvarez, who exudes the boundless energythat Namaskaar Foundation has been lacking for many years now. He has just joined our team but hequickly learned the value of our organization and gives me hope that Namaskaar will continue long

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after me. Furthermore, Christine Edward, a good friend and long time board member has always beenthere for me, and Ling Bello has been my right hand for the past few years. Inni Dhingra had been aloyal audience member for many years. She joined Namaskaar in our glory days and will soon be learningthe ups and downs of an art organization now from the back stage. Her negotiating and organizationskill was much needed. Barbara Viner, one of our volunteers, is always ready to help publicize our events.She makes sure to bring groups of senior citizens to our concerts. And I of course want to mention ourlegal adviser, Joe Khanna from Mastercard.

Over the years, Namaskaar Foundation has received nearly half a million dollars in grants, corporateand individual contributions to fund our high quality performances. But, as of today, NamaskaarFoundation has remained a 100% volunteer organization, with a small team of volunteers and Boardmembers from different ethnic backgrounds. If a next generation of leadership takes charge of thisorganization it will need significant support from endowment funds.

I hope that what I have shared with you today will give you at least some insight into the thrills as wellas the, challenges of running an organization such as Namaskaar, without a staff. I have a vision that ayoung generation of leaders will soon take Namaskaar on to the next level.

Thank you for a truly remarkable 25 years! I will never forget any of you and all of your generous supportand encouragement.

Rr

PITNEY BOWES congratulates the Namaskaar Foundation / World on Stage on its 25th anniversary!We are proud to support Namaskaar’s legacy of educating diverse audiences through the celebration ofart, talent and cultures. We are very pleased to be one of Namaskaar’s earliest sponsors, and like othermembers of the community, we have been enriched by the many outstanding and diverse performancesthat Namaskaar has brought to the Fairfield County stage over the past 25 years. We commend you onengaging so many members of our community with vibrant and powerful experiences in music, danceand theater from around the globe. We also commend Vrunda Patel on her passion, commitment anddedication, and extend our gratitude to all of Namaskaar’s volunteers and supporters. Thank you foryour creative expansion of community through innovation, artistic expression, and beauty.

The Hinduja Foundation

Indra NooyiChairman & CEO, Pepsi

Loida Nicolas LewisChairman & CEO, TLC Beatrice, LLC

Pitney Bowes

Savage Holdings

Xerox Foundation

Purdue Pharma

Foundation for Filipino Artists

Mastercard

Day Pitney LLP

Fernando Alvarez Galley

Chevron

Saw Mill Package Store Inc.

Printech

MA-YI Theater Company

Sheraton Hotel

Diageo - Pan Asian Club and

The Latin Connection

Paul & Sangeeta AhujaMyrna Anover & Richard SchusterBessie BadillaAida BartolomeBeverly BehanLing Ong BelloGraciela CabreraK. O. CaoDoreen Chambers & Philippe MonrougieRobert & Laurie CooperRavi & Inni DhingraNick & Christine EdwardsDominique GallegoDilip HanumaraEva HeitGlenn HemmeroeDuane & Leana HillRemi & Shauna HindujaMartin & Mary JacobsonJuanita JamesHoward & Mary Jennings Joe & Ruchi KhannaRandy & Susan KinderKrish & Bala KrishnamurthyThomas E. Kruger & Maureen BailieSujata & Vijay KumarDr. Bridget Patterson-MarshallOsby McMillanPankaj & Baiju MehtaButch Rene & Pam MeilyAlex & Mariene MendozaClaude & Diane MontgomeryJorge OrtollKunjan Patel & Punam PatelPayton PattersonBrett RaffaelFrank & Lolita SavageF. Antoine SavageFrank Alexander SavageShirley Truman-SmithKabir ValenciaPatric J. Waide, Jr.Cliff & Valeria G. WellsJoseph & Sarah Yakuboff

25th Anniversary concert by Paco Pena ismade possible by contributions from

THANK YOU!

T H A N K Y O U !

Namaskaar Foundation Inc. WORLD ON STAGE

www.worldonstage.org [email protected]

Celebration of 25 YEARS!

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