Kariappa Maletira Karumbaiah (Pravesh): Dance

Dance

Left Leg Aage Aage Right Leg Pichee Pichee Aaja Yaara Lets Start Ve

Dancing has always been a passion; some say it as physical and mental workout. But dance is a song sung in sole and which makes you move to a different world where there is no block of wall or a barrier of fear, because everything in this world, starting with accessories and emotions are propos for dancers.

When it comes to dance I can feel the music in my soul that is “valaga”. Valaga is a music which is played in happy occasion in coorgi culture. My first dance started with that. No boundaries, just a free style dance introduced me to heart bouncing form of enjoyment. The different dance forms of kodava tradition made me knowledgeable person in the area of dance. The dance form commonly followed in coorgi’s are Bolak-aat, Ummatt-aat, and Komb-aat.etc

BOLAK-AAT

This is performed by the Kodava men in front of an oil lamp in an open field. the men hold the chavari(Yak fur) in one hand and the Kodava short sword "Odi-Kathi" in the other while performing this dance. Many regional variations of this dance exist. Somethimes performers dance only with the chavari without the use of the short sword. when the short sword or the "Odi-kathi" is also used, it is called kattiyaata. The dudi, an hourglass shaped drum is used to provide the rhythm for the dance.

UMMATT-AAT

This is performed by the Kodava womenfolk. The women wear the traditional Kodava dress complete with jewellery, adorn the forehead with kumkuma and in a swinging rhythm dance in a circle, brass cymbals in hand. One women stands at the center holding a pot full of water to represent Kaveri taayi or Mother Kaveri, which the Kodavas worship as their prime deity.

KOMB-AAT

While the Bolaak-aat and the Ummatt-aat are of a celebratory and festival nature, the Kombat is a dance performed with religious sentiments. It is traditionally performed in temple premises, but in recent years, it is performed in other places also. this is a dance performed by the Kodava men and deer horns are used as a prop. The deer horns are meant to represent those of Krishnamruga, a spotted deer in Kodava Legend.

Starting with Kodava dance form I came across Indian contemporary dance form. What is contemporary dance??It is not an easy question to answer. many contemporary dances themselves are stumped when they are asked exactly what contemporary dance is. Well, I don't have the answers. But Phillippe Noisette, author of "Let's talk about contemporary dance", says one of the ways to recognize contemporary dance is to realie that it's not about uniformity of dancers or of costumes; or formations such as the corps de ballet. While he states that contemporary dance has no boundaries, he also insists that it is not synonymous with chaos. While a minimalist solo is as acceptable as a choral dance for hundreds of dancers and while dancers are allowed to be bare feet or with high heels on. Dancing with a concept of donate eyes in Chunchana-Chickmagalur made know more about contemporary forms of dance. The credit of coming out with a good dance in front of thousands of people also goes to Rathan and Navya who were the part of dance.

Learning is a never ending process. In my journey of dance, choreographing songs like Ishq Hua "Hulcul Hui Zara Shor Hua Dil Chor Hua Teri Aor Hua" and Raabta "Kuch toh hai tujh se raabta" made me learn more. . The concept of giving touch to love in the heart of Auckland people though out the dance was made successful with the full support of Shashank and Apoorva. Bringing out my imagination of love in dance was only made possible with the complete dedication and support of my lovely dancers.