The Kuchipudi Brass Plate

           The classical dance form of Kuchipudi uses fast rhythmic footwork and special body movements. Rendered using hand gestures and elusive facial expression, it is combined with more realistic acting by the dancers. Another unique dance piece of Kuchipudi is the Tarangam, in which the performer after narration of the story through abhinaya, dances on the edges of a brass plate, executing complicated rhythmic patterns with agility, while sometimes also balancing a pot of water on the head.

The artist dances on the thambaalam, placing the feet upon the raised edges. The brass thambaalam is sharp on edges. The plate is available in various sizes such as 13”,14.5” etc., To check the suitable size the length of the feet shall fit into the inner circle of the base of the plate. You can also have an eye on how much it deflects when the entire body weight is on the plate.

Artist pays namaskaram with the plate, then keep the feet at the inner circle and slowly slides towards the raised edges both the feet together for a proper balance while sliding. Next the sharp edge of the plate is being hold between great toe and 2^nd toe. All these are done within the stipulated time before starting the piece of dance.

Different movement with the plate: the general move is dragging the plate with both the feet together forward, back ward and circular, with one feet at a time beating to the rhythm with the other side stationary, forward, backward or circular, Extrovert steps such as jumping from edge to inner circle & back to the rhythm and or with swapping/crossing the feet. All these kinds of movements are done to perform one or more Jathis.

The speed of the movement is controlled by the artist based on his or her physical exert and the friction of the surfaces- the stage & the plate. The rough stages like cemented gives a better control of the movement due to its high friction compared to the polished and smooth surfaces such as a marble or wooden stage where the artist has to be extra cautious to the speed control and less exertion to be done.

Kuchipudi Dancer Merry performing on Brass Plate

 

Though the performance is contributed by the various factors apart from the practice, the foremost factor is the artist mental rhythm at the juncture of the performance.

The Kuchipudi brass plate/ Thambaalam can be bought from the following shops & more:

Rathna Stores,T Ngar,Chennai

Sri Vijaya Stores,Mylapore,Chennai

Nadavaramba Krishna Metal Stores, Thrissur, Kerala

Sowparnika Dance Costumes, Trivandrum, Kerala

www.eshubam.com

www.vadaamalar.com

www.Shanthidanceparadise.com

www.amazon.in/brass+plates

The Dasyam Eka Aneka dance festival celebrated the character Sathyabhama through eminent dancers of various Indian classical dance forms hosted by Mohiniattam dancer, Kalaimamani Gopika Varma, in association with Narada Gana Sabha on Nov 12 2016. Began with a Patra Pravesha Dharu in the Yakshagana style & Kuchipudi by Dr.Venkat, Odissi exponent Ranjana Gauhar presented the wedding sequence,  Gopika showcased Sathyabhama Garva Bhangam in the Mohiniyattam style and Kuchipudi artist Veena Murthy presented Chithra (drawing images) using foot work. Scholar V.A.K. Ranga Rao  spoke about Sathyabhama in dance. All linked together the various narratives and styles by sutradhar Neena Reddy.

http://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/chennai/It%E2%80%99s-all-%E2%80%98sort%E2%80%99ed-out/article16439117.ece


Age no bar to learn dance
Classical dance, for long synonymous with a lifelong pursuit beginning from childhood, is also increasingly becoming something those slightly older are delving into.
Sindhu Suresh, a lawyer by profession, has been learning Mohiniyattam after a gap of 30 years. “I was very little when I learnt it, now I again am,” she said. “Today women are more independent and less bound by restrictions. They now go and learn whatever they want or have desired at any age. This is a very progressive trend,” she said. Sindhu also praised her friend who took up Kalaripayattu at the age of 49.
“It is not about age anymore, it’s about passion,” said Parvathy. R, who began learning Bharatanatyam at the age of 25. “I have longed to learn this dance form, but due to various commitments I couldn’t. When I see young girls performing so well I am motivated to work harder. It is indeed a blissful exhaustion,” she said.
Merry who also took up Mohiniyattam after a long gap pointed out that many women have begun to go back to their roots and learn classical dances. “It is not about losing weight or anything, women have now begun to do what they like irrespective of their age,” said Merry.

( COURTESY  The Hindu reporting by S. Poorvaja and Aditi R.)