The North Indian Classical Ensemble, taught by associate professor and chair of the department of musicology and ethnomusicology Doctor Sarah Morelli, performed on Friday, Nov. 12 at the Newman Center for the Performing Arts. Students performed Kathak, one of the eight forms of Indian dance, which involves percussive footwork, storytelling, spoken composition and yogic practice. It is what Dr. Morelli calls, “a full-body musicality.”
The performance, which combines dancing, singing, acting, storytelling and Hindu mythology, consisted of four parts: pranam, an opening meditation in which the dancers acknowledge the Earth upon which they dance, that, a tuning of the mind, body and spirit and gat bhao, in which the dancers portrayed the story of Krishna as he battles the serpent-demon Kaliya. Dancers were accompanied by Dr. Morelli and other musicians who played music that followed the rhythm of the dancer’s movements.
North Indian Classical music, also called Hindustani dance, has been performed in North India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Nepal and Afghanistan since ancient times.
“This is a really engaging physical practice that’s also very culturally situated,” said Dr. Morelli. “You’re learning about a different way of thinking about time, rhythm and melody.”
Dr. Morelli is highly experienced in Kathak, having trained with legendary artists Ustad Ali Akbar Khan and Pandit Chitresh Das, whose teachings she continues to draw on. She has written a book on Pandit Das, A Guru’s Journey, and co-founded the Leela Dance Collective, which brings together kathak practitioners to create a vision for kathak’s future.
“I’m really proud of this particular group. There has been a great energy and enthusiasm and they’ve learned a lot this quarter, so much so that we will probably split the group next quarter into a beginning class and slightly more advanced class for those who want to keep going,” said Dr. Morelli.
If you are interested in learning about Indian culture and the fascinating complexities of Kathak, the North Indian Classical Ensemble is a multifaceted, unique class that is offered every quarter and open to all students.
