Sorry for the short break last week. Thanks Nandini for sending out the notes. Since today was a rehash of last week's session, I am simply consolidating both into one.
The main focus of the class now is on 2 things - the Vijayadasami program and getting the basics right.
Let's start with the Vijayadasami piece. It's quite short but challenging since we are doing several steps in sequence without a pause. Here's the sequence that we follow.
Hand Gesture: Pushpaputa (as if you are holding flowers in your hand).
1. Tha-thai-thai-tha 8 sets of them. The order is as follows
- Move to the right
- Back to centre
- Move to the left
- Back to centre
- Move to the left
- Back to centre
- Move to the right
- Back to centre.
2. Tha-ki-ta-tha-ki-ta-thai. 4 sets of them in second speed which is equivalent of one cycle of adi tala. This is done in place with right leg leading always. So it right-toe-heel-right-toe-heel-right-hold.
******* some technical stuff please feel free to skip *******
This is still adi tala so has eight units for each tha-ki-ta-tha-ki-t-thai. The thai lasts for twice as the others. This is a beautiful choreography which is in thisra nadai adi talam. The adi talam that has 8 counts is split as 3-3-2. Each tha-ki-ta forms the 3 and the thai for 2. Now notice that set of 4 such sequence completes 1 cycle of the adi tala. which shows that for each count of the adi tala, we need to do 4 units (so it goes as tha-ki-ta-tha/ki-ta-thai/tha-ki-ta-tha/ki-ta-thai and so on) This is purely to show the tala breakup. Since the underlying choreography is in thisra nadai, the actual break happens after tha-ki-ta and NOT tha-ki-ta-tha
******** End technical stuff ************
3. thai-thai-dhi-dhi-thai 4 times. In place.
Again this is sequence of 4 counts. how? thai (1) thai (1) dhi-dhi-thai (2). Though dhi-dhi-thai seems like it shd be 3, it is done in such a way that it only takes 2 counts and not 3. it is not dhi - dhi - thai, instead it is dhidhithai
This also covers 1 cycle of adi tala but unlike #2 this is only 4 counts (#2 was 8 counts) so it seems slower than #2.
4. tha-ka-dhi-mi. 8 times total (2 in each direction)
Starting with the right-turning right after every 2. so it goes right(2) - back(2) - left(2)- centre(2). again this covers one cycle of adi tala. Each tha-ka-dhi-mi is 4 making a total of 4*8 = 32 counts to be covered in 8 units of adi tala, yep, you guessed right, this goes pretty fast similar to #2. In fact this is the same speed as #2 however, due to the turning in this step, it's a lot harder to get correctly than #2.
5. move backward for 4 counts move forward for 4 counts (one cycle of adi tala). Lead with the right leg always. This step resembles that first 2 counts of thai-ha-thai-hi. So imagine doing thai-ha-thai-ha... always with the right moving first and moving front and back instead of side ways.
6. Sit down in full mandi for a 1 whole count of 8. This moves super slow. So it's almost like sitting down in slow motion.
7. Offer the flowers in front (2 count) touch the ground and take it to your eyes (2 count) stand up with hands in anjali mudra (like doing namaskar) above your head and slowly lowering. (4 count). Due to all the movement involved, this goes by very quickly compared to #6
Now that the flowers have been offered, your hands are held in anjali mudra for the rest of the steps.
8. Tha-ka-dhi-mi 8 count total (2 in each direction) Start facing front and turning right after every 2. So it goes Front-Right-Back-Left
9. You are now facing left. Step ahead and exit stage similar to 5 except only in forward direction (no backward movement).
When done in sequence, it goes by pretty quickly. It's quite a challenge to get them all squared out correctly. And maybe if we do manage to get it right and perfect, we can convince aunty to give us few more steps on stage :) go Hansa!!!
The main focus of the class now is on 2 things - the Vijayadasami program and getting the basics right.
Let's start with the Vijayadasami piece. It's quite short but challenging since we are doing several steps in sequence without a pause. Here's the sequence that we follow.
Hand Gesture: Pushpaputa (as if you are holding flowers in your hand).
1. Tha-thai-thai-tha 8 sets of them. The order is as follows
- Move to the right
- Back to centre
- Move to the left
- Back to centre
- Move to the left
- Back to centre
- Move to the right
- Back to centre.
2. Tha-ki-ta-tha-ki-ta-thai. 4 sets of them in second speed which is equivalent of one cycle of adi tala. This is done in place with right leg leading always. So it right-toe-heel-right-toe-heel-right-hold.
******* some technical stuff please feel free to skip *******
This is still adi tala so has eight units for each tha-ki-ta-tha-ki-t-thai. The thai lasts for twice as the others. This is a beautiful choreography which is in thisra nadai adi talam. The adi talam that has 8 counts is split as 3-3-2. Each tha-ki-ta forms the 3 and the thai for 2. Now notice that set of 4 such sequence completes 1 cycle of the adi tala. which shows that for each count of the adi tala, we need to do 4 units (so it goes as tha-ki-ta-tha/ki-ta-thai/tha-ki-ta-tha/ki-ta-thai and so on) This is purely to show the tala breakup. Since the underlying choreography is in thisra nadai, the actual break happens after tha-ki-ta and NOT tha-ki-ta-tha
******** End technical stuff ************
3. thai-thai-dhi-dhi-thai 4 times. In place.
Again this is sequence of 4 counts. how? thai (1) thai (1) dhi-dhi-thai (2). Though dhi-dhi-thai seems like it shd be 3, it is done in such a way that it only takes 2 counts and not 3. it is not dhi - dhi - thai, instead it is dhidhithai
This also covers 1 cycle of adi tala but unlike #2 this is only 4 counts (#2 was 8 counts) so it seems slower than #2.
4. tha-ka-dhi-mi. 8 times total (2 in each direction)
Starting with the right-turning right after every 2. so it goes right(2) - back(2) - left(2)- centre(2). again this covers one cycle of adi tala. Each tha-ka-dhi-mi is 4 making a total of 4*8 = 32 counts to be covered in 8 units of adi tala, yep, you guessed right, this goes pretty fast similar to #2. In fact this is the same speed as #2 however, due to the turning in this step, it's a lot harder to get correctly than #2.
5. move backward for 4 counts move forward for 4 counts (one cycle of adi tala). Lead with the right leg always. This step resembles that first 2 counts of thai-ha-thai-hi. So imagine doing thai-ha-thai-ha... always with the right moving first and moving front and back instead of side ways.
6. Sit down in full mandi for a 1 whole count of 8. This moves super slow. So it's almost like sitting down in slow motion.
7. Offer the flowers in front (2 count) touch the ground and take it to your eyes (2 count) stand up with hands in anjali mudra (like doing namaskar) above your head and slowly lowering. (4 count). Due to all the movement involved, this goes by very quickly compared to #6
Now that the flowers have been offered, your hands are held in anjali mudra for the rest of the steps.
8. Tha-ka-dhi-mi 8 count total (2 in each direction) Start facing front and turning right after every 2. So it goes Front-Right-Back-Left
9. You are now facing left. Step ahead and exit stage similar to 5 except only in forward direction (no backward movement).
When done in sequence, it goes by pretty quickly. It's quite a challenge to get them all squared out correctly. And maybe if we do manage to get it right and perfect, we can convince aunty to give us few more steps on stage :) go Hansa!!!
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