Joy. Sorrow. Love. Loathing. Peace. Anger. Wonder. Horror. Kindness. Passion. Fear. Velour... Watch a thousand emotions vie to win. Discover once again, that life is but a stage...For the lover of dance, drama and music, Kerala is heaven.

Kathakali - The Essence of Kerala

Kathakali is very popular dance form of Kerala.  It is actually a dance drama performed mostly by male artists.  Different facial expressions and hand gestures convey the message of the story.  The background singers provide the dialogue.  The face of the Kathakali artist is colorfully painted  to suit the role.  The painted face is often mistaken for a mask. The make-up changes according to the characters enacted.  The actor’s do not speak but enact the dialogues sung by the singers behind.  The themes of Kathakali are drawn from Indian Myth and the characters are Gods, Demons and Humans.

Kathakali is treated to be one of the toughest dances.  It requires complete control of the body- almost every fiber of it, and a sensitivity of emotion so as to render all its nuances through facial expression and land gestures.  Kathakali consist of three fine arts. Abhinayam (acting), Nrityam (dancing) and Geetam (singing).  The actors enact their roles with the help of Mudras or hand gestures. The 'mudras' are 25 in number, while the 'upa mudras' are 700 in number. Expressions of face and eyes hold the key to perfection. 

Music is very essential aspect of Kathakali.  Two musicians sing the ‘Padam’s,  Drums – Chenda and Maddalam- provide the percussion.  The music, though camatic has typical flavor of Kerala and it adheres to the Thala (rhythm) instead of Raga.

Mohiniyattam - Dance of the Celestial Temptress

It is a typical dance form of Kerala that exudes enchantment grace and passion.  Mohiniyattam is a fusion of “Bharathanatyam and Kathakali as it combines the graceful elegance of Bharathanatyam and dynamism and vigor of Kathakali.  The performances are done only by women’s. In Mohniattayam, the Lasya element of dancing is predominant, and the mood created in Sringarma (erotic). It literally means the “Dance of the Temptress”.

It depicts emotions in ways which are universally understood. It falls within the soft, graceful traditions of - lasya  -  the expression of the cosmic feminine creativity. It is known for its graceful and sensuous movements.

Historically, Mohiniyattam had been restricted to the temple premises. In the beginning of the 20th century, the dance was neglected and degenerated to the point of extinction.

Mohiniyattam is performed by women wearing gold-bordered off-white saris and gold jewellery, their hair in a chignon high on one side of the head and encircled with white jasmine flowers.

Bharat Natyam - Expression of Divine Love

There is a legend that Lord Shiva, one of the Hindu trinity was the originator of the dance. ‘Bharatha Muni’ is said to have learned the basics of the dance from Lord Shiva, and codified the principles in his book ‘Natyashastra, written in Sanskrit. The original text is still preserved in the temple libraries of Tanjore, the home of Bharathanatyam. The name 'Bharatha' is made up of the first three syllables of ‘bhava’ – the inner spiritual feelings; ‘raga' -the melody; and 'thala' - the rhythm. Bharathanatyam is normally practiced by women.

The dancer artistically tells stories and events from the epics through mudras (movements of the hand and feet) and facial expressions. The dancer should have a strong and pliable body, good expressive face and eyes and an in-born, natural sense of rhythm. Kalashetra  has emerged as the foremost training center for Bharathanatyam.

Otan Thullal -The art of Stinging Satire

Ottan thullal is a solo dance-drama created  400 years ago by Kalakath Kunjan Nambiar. The basic element of Ottan Thullal is satire, through which Nambiar set about correcting the evils that prevailed in  society. Ottan Thullal is combined with the humorous elements of Koothu and an element of Kathakali.

Ottan Thullal is performed by a single actor who wears colorful costumes. In Ottan Thullal, the symbols and gestures are the same as those of Kathakali. The actor plays many parts, and the acting is accompanied by his own singing. The popularity of Ottan Thullal as a dance form has continued undiminished to this day.

Oppana

A dance form essential to the wedding entertainment and festivities of the Malabar Muslims. Maidens and young female relatives sing and dance around the bride, clapping their hands. The songs of Mappilappattu, are first sung by the leader and are repeated by the chorus. The themes are often teasing comments and innuendoes about the bride's anticipated nuptial bliss. Oppana is often presented as a stage item today.

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