Stroll down 17th cross Malleshwaram in Bengaluru and a sneak peak into building number 37 will give you a glimpse of sheer poetry in motion. Hands in precise, brisk movements, feet flying in rhythmic motion even as the tinkle of the ghungroos are heard, bodies moving in perfect harmony — it is a Kathak session in progress at the Natya Institute of Kathak and Choreography (NIKC). Madhu Natraj Kiran, director, talks about the institute’s specially crafted 18-month diploma programme in choreography and what is different this time around.
Started in 1964, NIKC was established by Padma Vibhushan Kamala Chattopadhyay under the aegis of Bharatiya Natya Sangh, the Indian Centre of International Theatres Institutions Trust, UNESCO. The intent behind setting up the institute was to impart methodical training in the art of choreography. A little over two decades later, in 1987, NIKC was set up in Bengaluru at the request of then Chief Minister, Ramakrishna Hegde, and was moulded by an array of veteran artists. Its format was designed by Dr. Maya Rao who played an instrumental role in popularising Kathak in Karnataka. Excerpts from the interview...
Why a course in choreography? What kind of a response has the NIKC elicited over the years?
NIKC is a 52-year-old institution birthed by choreographer and Guru Dr Maya Rao and the illustrious leader Kamala Devi Chattopadhyay. Our alumni and graduates are spread across the world and many are renowned choreographers, performers, writers and educators. They have also created path-breaking projects in the fields of therapy, healing, management and the public sector through the medium of dance.
The institute offers a bachelor’s degree in choreography. Why was there a sudden need to introduce a diploma in the field?
The decision is not sudden at all. We were waiting to see our final-year batch through before announcing this new course. However, in keeping with the dictates of a society that feels degrees are imperative, we affiliated ourselves with the Bangalore University for two decades. A comprehensive course like ours needs creative freedom and global access.
The course has been redesigned after 20 years. What is different about it now?
Dr. Maya Rao brought this course to India in the mid-1960s with a vision to create systematic training in dance for today’s dancers. I have worked with her closely to continually update the course in keeping with the changing movement, academic and pedagogic needs of the times. So, the course has evolved and has been fashioned on the lines of international liberal arts programmes with subjects and courses created within credit systems. It is not confined to conventional assessment modules. Through seminars, field work, interactions with experts, research and documentation projects combined with classroom productions which they create, students are given multiple opportunities to showcase their creative spirit.
What sets this course apart from others of its kind?
We stand out as the only course which focuses on choreography. Most others are dance or movement-based arts. Here, we take in students from varying dance vocabularies — such as Manipuri or contemporary dance — and provide them with the quintessential tools of choreography — from concept, movement creation, music, stage, costume design to the final production. The tools for being a choreographer are given to the student through three semesters where they internalise movement vocabularies to have a thinking body, study theory taught by experts from the art world, inculcate the habit of research, and eventually, create their own work.
Kathak, Indian martial arts, Indian contemporary dance, Karanas, dance therapy, the art of choreography, mime, along with theory subjects such as the world history of movement, Indian aesthetics, art history, overview of dance treatises such as the Natya Shastra , Abhinaya Darpana along, with production essentials such as stage design, lighting, costume design, music composition, and more, are taught in an environment of learning and sharing.
In every semester, students are given opportunities to create and stage their choreographies in genres ranging from mythology, history, Sanskrit and contemporary ballets and productions. This is another unique aspect of our course which is not merely instructional, but focus on nurturing dancers’ creative energies instead.
What kind of myths can be debunked about the Kathak scene down south where Bharatanatyam dominates?
Well, Bharatanatyam no longer dominates in Bengaluru! Mayaji was the first to bring Kathak to Karnataka three decades ago while Protima Bedi brought Odissi and Kuchipudi. Now, we have almost eight classical forms here. NIKC created the syllabus and textbooks for Kathak dancers to take the junior, senior and Vidwat exams in Karnataka. Almost every area in Bengaluru now has a Kathak school, courtesy our branches and graduates setting up academies.
Choreography takes place behind-the–scenes. Has there been an increase in people opting for a career in it?
Choreography is very much a live art which is at the forefront. Today, people confuse choreography with film choreography alone or associate it with the fashion ramp. A choreographer need not be a brilliant dancer but must have definitely learnt dance for about a decade to be able to choreograph professionally.
What qualifications are necessary to pursue a course in choreography?
Applicants need to have been trained in any classical or contemporary dance form for at least six years. We have a unique age bar — from 18 to 55 years. We first screen applicants and then have an aptitude test which determines the acumen and interest of the prospective student. Additional knowledge of music, visual arts and philosophy is also a huge plus point.
