DANCE/MUSIC TRADITIONAL ARTISTIC PROCESSES ® CLASSICAL 1. CREATING (Cr) Artsource CONTEMPORARY 2. PERFORMING, PRESENTING, PRODUCING (Pr) The Music Center’s Study Guide to the Performing Arts EXPERIMENTAL 3. RESPONDING (Re) MULTI-MEDIA 4. CONNECTING (Cn) ENDURING FREEDOM & THE POWER THE HUMAN TRANSFORMATION VALUES OPPRESSION OF NATURE FAMILY Title of Work: About the Artwork: Lai Haraoba (folk dance) Lai Haraoba, which means ‘festival of the gods and Vasanta Rasa Lila (classical dance) Dhon Dholak Cholam (drum dance) goddesses,’ is the oldest folk-dance in Manipur, dating Creators: back to pre-history. Revealing the story of Company: Ranganiketan (House of Colorful Art) creation, it is performed during the summer season. It Manipuri Cultural Arts Troupe traces aspects of the culture of Manipur and is usually Founder and Director: Dr. T. D. Singh (1937-2006) accompanied by an ancient single-stringed instrument Background Information: called Pena. The dancers exhibit graceful movements Manipur, called the “Jewel of India,” is a secluded state and expressive hand gestures conveying deep meaning. situated at India’s northeasternmost frontier. Located in Rasa Lila is a classical dance created by the Hindu god an oval-shaped valley, it is tucked within nine ranges of Krishna. It was communicated to King Jai Singh Himalayan mountains. The ancient culture here has been through a vision and was recreated to exact specifications, preserved intact for thousands of years, meticulously including both style and costumes. This dance, passed on from one generation to the next via master performed in the spring, is celebrated along with Holi, artists and teachers. Foreigners are still forbidden to travel the ‘festival of colors,’ in which the dancers spray each freely within Manipur, so it is especially significant that other with colored powder or water. It begins in the Ranganiketan is sharing their culture with outsiders, early evening and continues for eighteen hours. building friendship and understanding. Many of the artists in this group have practiced their art since early Creative Process of the Artist or Culture: childhood and have achieved perfection in their specific The people of Manipur believe that everything field. Some have been raised to the stature of guru is divinely inspired. As a symbol of their humility, (teacher), instructing others in the ancient science of the performers always touch the floor and then Manipuri culture. Dr. T. D. Singh, director, felt from the their forehead before they begin. From an early age, time he was a child that he wanted to serve this world. young children commit to an He set out to become a doctor so he could help people. honored and respected He holds a Doctorate in Chemistry from the University relationship with a specific master of California at Irvine, yet he made a choice to connect teacher. people through the language of culture rather than CHINA TIBET science. He felt the powerful pull of his own culture MANIPUR when, as a sixth grade student, he secretly attended an BANGLADESH Photo: T.D. Singh Foundation INDIA eighteen hour performance of music and dance causing BURMA him to miss his final math exam. Dr. Singh says “I am doing the chemistry of culture.” Bay of Bengal “Manipur is a small dot on this planet, but everyone there is Dr. T. D. Singh INDIAN OCEAN born an artist.” Story of the Vasanta Rasa Lila (Manipuri) Dance: • Describe the characteristics of the men’s drum dance, Around 1750, there was a king in Manipur named Jai Dhon Dholak Cholam. How does their movement Singh, popularly known as Rajarshi Bhagyachandra compare (similarities and differences) to those of the Maharaja. It so happened that his maternal uncle women in Vasanta Rasa Lila? was plotting to kill him so that he could steal his Multidisciplinary Options: kingdom. Jai fled to Tekhao (Assam), another • Write a story about a dream you have had. Could you kingdom, where he took shelter. The King of write a story or poem about it? Or draw a picture of it? Tekhao wanted proof that Jai Singh was the Audio-Visual Materials: rightful king, so he set this task: Jai must subdue • ® video excerpts and photos: and ride upon the back of a wild elephant. If he Artsource Lai Haraoba, could do this, it would prove that he was the rightful Vasanta Rasa Lila and Dhon Dholak Cholam, courtesy king and should not be killed. Jai was distraught, of Ranganiketan Manipuri Cultural Arts Troupe. for the task seemed impossible. The night before • Artsource® audio recording: Morning Has Broken, the challenge, Lord Krishna came to him in a courtesy of Paul Tracey; Lyrics: Eleanor Farjeon, (c) vision, telling him not to worry for Krishna would David Higham Associates; [email protected]; tame the elephant and Jai would be triumphant. Music: Bunessan (Scottish, traditional). However, in return for this help, Jai had to promise • Lesson 2 illustrations by Devon Tracey. that on his return to Manipur he would build a Additional References: temple where he would present the Rasa Lila dance • Doshi, Saryu, ed., Dances of Manipur, The Classical in the specific form dictated by Krishna. (The Tradition. Marg Publications, Bombay: 1989. dance was already performed in the world of the Sample Experiences: gods.) The elephant was obedient, as ordained, and LEVEL I Jai was reinstated as king - but he neglected his • The dances of India incorporate gestures. Think of promise. Krishna returned to remind him, gestures which show an idea or image. Create gestures instructing him to go into the hills of Keina and for such words as tree, mountain, stream, rain, boat, carve the deities from a special jackfruit tree. When friend, fish, etc. this was done, the Govinda Temple was built and • Learn a song which has gestures as an integral part. the carved deity was installed. Then the Rasa Lila, Perform the song and gestures together. which communicates pure love and unselfishness, • Select a simple story or poem and make up gestures was recreated on earth. Also, several other deities * and movement which are performed as the story is told. were carved from the same tree and were installed in parts of Manipur where they are found to this LEVEL II day. * • The dance and music of Manipur are spiritually Discussion Questions: inspired. Select a song, such as Morning Has Broken, After the video has been viewed: which praises the creation of daybreak. Listen to it and • What did you notice about the way the musicians communicate the first verse through sign language. and dancers worked together? Was one group more • In partners, create a one-minute conversation using important than the other? Why or why not? only musical sounds and gestures. Repeat, but select a • At the end of Lai Haraoba the women win the tug theme, scene, idea or mood for the improvisation. of war; what does this tell you about the culture? LEVEL III • Haraoba means ‘joyful festivity.’ What movements • The dance, Lai Haraoba ends with a miming of the were done which conveyed this feeling? game - ‘tug of war.’ Think of other children's games • Describe the costumes worn in Vasanta Rasa Lila. which can be explored for their movement ideas. • What feelings and ideas did you have when * • Learn and discuss the Lai Haraoba dance and song. watching the Vasanta Rasa Lila dance? 2 * Indicates sample lessons DANCE GESTURES TELL A STORY THE HUMAN FAMILY LEVEL I Sample Lesson INTRODUCTION: Dance and music are deeply rooted in Hindu life. In The Wonderful World of Dance, Arnold Haskell states that “Traditional belief says the god Siva set the world in motion with a dance.” Dancing in traditional Hindu societies is an act of worship, not entertainment. Even today, if someone wants to learn the classical dances, he or she must be accepted as a student by a guru (teacher). This requires a complete commitment on the part of both the student and the teacher. There are four great schools of Hindu dancing, (Bharata Natyam, Kathakali, Kathak and Manipuri); each of these evolved from the material written in an ancient book called Natya Sastra (the science of dancing). It is believed that this book, which was written about the time Christ was born, includes the secrets of dance. Tradition states that these secrets were entrusted to Bharata and came directly from the gods. The book The god Siva, includes positions and movements for each part of the body, dividing it into setting the world in three parts: limbs, which include the head, chest, hips, legs, arms, feet and motion with a dance hands; intermediate parts, which include the neck, shoulders, palms, back, stomach, thighs, ankles, knees, elbows and wrists; and the lesser limbs, which include the eyes, eyebrows, eyelashes, cheeks, nose, lips, teeth, tongue, chin, mouth and jaw. In addition, the Natya Sastra describes more that 4,000 picture gestures of the hands, which are called ‘mudras.’ These gestures symbolize ideas such as a swimming fish, a flying bird, a lotus flower in bloom, a tree or a breeze and may also describe a mood such as anger, fear, sadness, love or heroism. This lesson is based on twelve examples of combined hand gestures from the Manipuri dance technique and represents their version of the ones described in the Natya Sastra. OBJECTIVES: (Student Outcomes) Students will be able to: • Learn twelve traditional hand gestures from the Manipuri dance technique. (Responding & Connecting) • Incorporate the twelve hand gestures in the telling of a short story. (Creating & Performing) • Describe, discuss, analyze and connect information and experiences based on this lesson. Refer to Assessment at the end of this lesson. (Responding & Connecting) 3 MATERIALS: Artsource® video of the Ranganiketan Manipuri Cultural Arts Troupe.