I met this man on a London tube,he hailed from Kerala yet did not know what Mohiniattam is...
It breaks my heart when someone from the same state asks me What is mohiniattam? But I soon realised that its because Mohiniattam hasn't been advertised or marketed like the other dance forms. Thats why despite abundant performances and dance classes being set up in the class keralites do not know much about it.
Mohiniattam is a dance form that best describes the state where it orginiated from "KERALA"
The dance form is extremely graceful and flowing just like the sway of the coconut trees in the gentle breeze.The adavus flow like the beautiful rivers one after the other and do not have jerky movements.
Maharaja Swathi Thirunal was instrumental in leading Mohiniattam into the limelight.
Mohiniattam is an extremely feminine dance, one that speaks aloud of emotions and situations of a woman's mind. The dance format has adavus - basic steps that forms the foundation for the dance. The steps are performed in 3 speed - Vilambhitha - slow, Madhya - medium and Dhruta taalam - Fast. The dance items include - Cholkettu (invocation dance), jatiswaram, padam, thillana and javli.
Maharaja Swathi Thirunal was highly instrumental in giving the required impetus to this art form by choreographing many krithis that are today termed as classics. My teacher Geeta Radhakrishna, an ardent devotee of Mohiniattam has contributed to Mohiniattam by systematizing and writing a book on the adavus thereby documenting the traditional steps and also making it available to everyone who wishes to learn the art form. This perhaps, is a revolutionary move to make Mohiniattam accessible to many more who wish to learn it.
The costume is extremely simple, just like the people and the culture of Kerala :) - Off white saree(guarding the purity of the art form and the artist ) draped like a saree with a big fan that is worn around the waist ,a hair bun tilted to the left and adorned with jasmine flowers completed with simple jewelry.
I hope many and many from our own state and country will be aware of Mohiniattam and would encourage to propogate this art form.
It breaks my heart when someone from the same state asks me What is mohiniattam? But I soon realised that its because Mohiniattam hasn't been advertised or marketed like the other dance forms. Thats why despite abundant performances and dance classes being set up in the class keralites do not know much about it.
Mohiniattam is a dance form that best describes the state where it orginiated from "KERALA"
The dance form is extremely graceful and flowing just like the sway of the coconut trees in the gentle breeze.The adavus flow like the beautiful rivers one after the other and do not have jerky movements.
Maharaja Swathi Thirunal was instrumental in leading Mohiniattam into the limelight.
Mohiniattam is an extremely feminine dance, one that speaks aloud of emotions and situations of a woman's mind. The dance format has adavus - basic steps that forms the foundation for the dance. The steps are performed in 3 speed - Vilambhitha - slow, Madhya - medium and Dhruta taalam - Fast. The dance items include - Cholkettu (invocation dance), jatiswaram, padam, thillana and javli.
Maharaja Swathi Thirunal was highly instrumental in giving the required impetus to this art form by choreographing many krithis that are today termed as classics. My teacher Geeta Radhakrishna, an ardent devotee of Mohiniattam has contributed to Mohiniattam by systematizing and writing a book on the adavus thereby documenting the traditional steps and also making it available to everyone who wishes to learn the art form. This perhaps, is a revolutionary move to make Mohiniattam accessible to many more who wish to learn it.
The costume is extremely simple, just like the people and the culture of Kerala :) - Off white saree(guarding the purity of the art form and the artist ) draped like a saree with a big fan that is worn around the waist ,a hair bun tilted to the left and adorned with jasmine flowers completed with simple jewelry.
I hope many and many from our own state and country will be aware of Mohiniattam and would encourage to propogate this art form.
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| Mohiniattam-Costume and Jewelry |
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