Attakalari's modern dance workshops to be held in Thrissur

NT Correspondent

Bengaluru: Not only did 70-year-old saree-clad Santha Honnalgere stun everyone when she attended a contemporary dance movement workshop in Bengaluru, she took herself by surprise as well. “I didn't expect to like it so much,” said Honnalgere.

A regular attendee of Bangalore International Centre (BIC) events, Honnalgere said when she heard about the physical movement workshop being organised there, she wanted to give it a try.

“I have chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), because of which I suffer from breathing problems. My doctor keeps advising me to take up some physical activity to keep myself fit. So, I thought, why not. I am glad that I did. To be honest, I didn't quite like the Bharatanatyam-based improvisation segment, but otherwise, it was fun,” said Honnalgere.

The series of workshops are being organised by Bengaluru-based Attakalari Centre for Movement Arts to give anyone interested a glimpse into how traditional Indian dance forms like Kalarippayattu and Bharatanatyam could be used for expanding modern dance vocabulary.

Apart from Bengaluru, the workshop has also been held in Chennai so far. Next up is Thrissur (July 22 from 3pm to 6pm) and Kochi (July 23, from 2pm to 5pm).

“Attakkalari's instructors will take participants through three-hour long workshop, acquainting them with some of the fundamental concepts of body and principles of movement embedded in these foundational movement systems,” said Jayachandran Palazhy, founder and artistic director of Attakkalari Centre for Movement Arts.

At the one held in BIC on June 24, participants, including Honnalgere, were urged to explore how their bodies adapt to some of the basic contemporary dance movements as well as Attakkalari's unique contemporary movement idioms, which draws extensively on Kalarippayattu, but also from Bharatanatyam and yoga.

"At our centre, for almost three decades, we have been researching into not only Kalarippayattu, but also other Indian physical and performance traditions like Bharatanatyam, folk and yoga,” said Palazhy.

The workshop in Chennai was hosted in collaboration with the British Council on July 15. While the Thrissur workshop is in collaboration with the Kerala Sangeetha Nataka Akademi, Kochi one is in collaboration with Kerala Lalithakala Akademy and will be held at the Chavara Cultural Centre.