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| Wednesday, 18 January 2004 |
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Dance drama and Bharatha Natyam by Subashini Pathmanathan From ancient times dance and drama were practised together. Earlier there was no proper distinction or division between the two. The Tamil classical dance is always considered as a divine art. There are some who believe that dance evolved out of drama, whilst some others believe that drama had its origin in dance.
Whatever it may be, the relationship between the two is very close and almost inseparable. Earlier dance and drama were called under the common name koothu. An ancient Tamil classic Koothanool refers, 'koothil peranthathu natya kope natyam peranthathu nadaka wahaiye' (dance had its origin from drama, and drama had its origin from dance). In olden days male dancers were called Koothar, and female dancers were called Koothiyar. Even the cosmic dancer Lord Nataraja is called Koothapiran, Ampalak Koothan, Thirukoothan, Kootharasan and Thillai Koothan. In the 2nd century AD the Tamil classic Silapathikaram deals with variety of Koothus. During the Pallava times, drama held a pre-eminent position. Even the Pallava king Mahendera Varman is credited with having written a dance drama 'Matha Villasam'. During this period, dance and drama flourished in temples and the environs. After the Pallava period, during the Chola period, dance and drama were patronised by the Chola kings, who also supported the arts, artists, and encouraged various other arts. Inscriptions This is evidenced by various stone inscriptions, copper plates inscriptions and literary works. The Chola kings endowed villages to the dancers. To this day, there is a village called Kootha Nallur which was endowed on dancers. In the 17th century, Pallu, Kuravanchi, Bhagavatha Mela began to appear in the drama scene and soon these were combined with dance and assumed the shape of dance drama. In the course of the 17th century there was a gradual separation of dance and drama. In the 18th century and 19th century dance faced a set back whilst the drama gained the recognition and popularity. In early 20th century, cinema with its new techniques acquired a pre eminent position at the expense of drama which was pushed back to the verge of extinction. Themes This was the period when drama stars of the theatre blossomed into cinema stars and drama halls were transformed into cinema studios. After a brief period of oblivion dance then known as Sathir, blossomed into Bharatha Natyam. After 1940, different individual Bharatha Natya dance teachers and Bharatha Natya institutions choreographed dance drama for epics. The first dance drama was 'Kutrala Kuravachi' presented by Srimathi Rukmani Devi of Kalashetra. This was followed by several others. After 1962 dance dramas were presented on several themes even on fiction works. In the last decade of the 20th century, tele dance drama emerged and featured in TV channels. This was a new innovation and acquired a unique position with the aid of lighting and sound techniques. This partakes more of cinema than stage dance drama. Though dance drama has much in common with dance there are essential differences between the two. Bharatha Natyam, for instance has a repertoire of its own. Bharatha Natyam with its exquisite combination of adavus, abinaya, bavas rasas, eye movements, neck movements, and hand muthras (gestures) is essentially an individual dance. Bharath Natyam is totally based on classical carnatic music base whilst in dance drama the repertoire is set then and there based on the story of the dance drama portrays. For dance drama the music is not necessarily confined to the traditional carnatic music. In dance dramas a variety of musical instruments are used to enhance the effect and beauty of the scene. But in Bharatha Natyam the use of musical instruments are limited and strongly adhered to the tradition. For Bharatha Natyma the stage is set once and for all whilst in dance drama the stage has to be rearranged according to the scene portrayed. Generally in dance drama the costumes, the make up and hair dressing are adopted to each character's needs and necessity, whilst Bharatha Natyam uses only certain designed costumes and one distinctive make up. Dance drama is considered as Bharatha Natyam by laymen because dance drama are presented through the idiom and grammar of Bharatha Natyam. **** Back **** |
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