We have been carefully following the weather forecasts online and on the news channels, and have decided it is best to cancel Sat classes tomorrow due to the snow and icy road conditions predicted from 4-11am. We had planned an end-of-session, holiday celebration with Christmas cookies and such, but will greet you with these in the New Year instead. Keep safe and warm. (fyi… temps are supposed to reach 50’s on Sunday!). Merry Christmas! Wishing you a Joyous and kathak-filled New Year— one with peace and harmony prevailing! We’ll be in touch with the calendar for the coming seession and other information, and please note that Chhandika classes start up again on January 4th.
Namaskar. Below is an invitation from one of our affiliate schools, Chhandam Nritya Bharati, India. If you have friends or family in the Mumbai area who might be interested, please let them know about this special event!
——————-
Dear Friends,
In memory of our Guruji, Pandit Chitresh Das, we are presenting Rhythm Rewritten, as a tribute to the great master. This tribute is by Begum Parween Sultana, Jason Samuels Smith and Seema Mehta.
Regretfully, we are canceling classes in Brighton for this Sunday, February 8.
With the first plows now clearing away significant snow accumulated on the roads here, seems best to let everyone avoid possible bad driving/commuting conditions —and have time to prepare for the coming of yet lots more snow through tomorrow. What a week it has been!
Note to Dancers: Please think of this snow day as a perfect opportunity to practice-practice-practice at home! Keep warm and well.
By Aditi Amlani, Chitresh Das Youth Company Member, Graduate student at Boston Univerity.
The sound of the tabla (drums) resonates throughout the room and guides the dancers as they take 27 chakkars, or heel turns, for the third time in a row. The Chhandika Youth Ensemble dancers have been doing footwork, turns, recitation and singing for the past two hours, all while wearing ghungroo, or weighted bells. There is a unique and strong energy in the room, pushing the dancers past their perceived physical and mental limits. This powerful energy comes from their Dadaji, who is at the front of the room playing the tabla and encouraging the dancers, “don’t stop, children… even if you make a mistake, keep going”. World-renowned Kathak maestro, Pandit Chitresh Das, along with senior disciple, Charlotte Moraga, spent four days in Boston injecting energy and knowledge of this complex Indian classical art form. This was a part of the Artist-in-Residence program sponsored by Chhandika Institute of Kathak. Classes were held in Somerville, Cambridge, Burlington and Brighton for Chhandika students from October 16 – 19. Students came from New York and even as far as Florida to experience this enriching and inspiring weekend.
At 70 years old, Pt. Das is only getting stronger and faster by the year. His morning routine consists of running seven miles on the treadmill, followed by a couple hours of dance practice. He is constantly pushing the limits of the dance while staying steadfast to its roots. Though one of the foremost Kathak artists busy with his own performance schedule, he believes deeply in the Guru-Shishya Parampara (guru-disciple tradition).
Pt. Das was able to teach students of all levels seamlessly in one class, while still challenging every single person. He would have one group learn the simpler footwork version of a piece, while having senior dancers lead the other group in a choreography version. All the while during classes, he reminds students that the lessons in the dance room can really be applied to all aspects of life. Upaj, or improvisation, is an integral skill to be a solo artist and perform with musicians. However, it is also necessary for every context, to be ready for any obstacle that comes our way.
He ends each class by telling students and guests to ask him questions, as he is eager and willing to discuss the necessity of art in today’s world, his experiences and struggles to bring Kathak to the West, and the history and philosophy associated with the dance.
On Sunday afternoon, the Boston community was lucky enough to get a glimpse of the breadth and depth of Pandit Das’ work in an open class. The Chhandam Youth Ensemble demonstrated his innovation of Kathak Yoga. The dancers did the fast footwork of a composition, sang the melody, and played manjira (finger symbals) to keep the underlying rhythm, essentially becoming their own musicians. We then witnessed Charlotte Moraga, along with senior dancers, Anjali Nath and Shefali Jain, rehearse a scene of the powerful production, Shiva, which will be performed by the Chitresh Das Dance Company in Berkeley, California in March. Just this open class and rehearsal received a standing ovation from those present.
This weekend inspired dancers to continue studying Kathak deeply and practicing intensely. It prompted observers of his classes to ask larger questions – where does Indian culture stand today and what is our role in upholding these great traditions? It made each and every individual present feel the positive environment, which served as a reminder of the power of the dance as a “meditation in motion”, in the words of Pt. Das.
The week in residency was captured wonderfully by Manju Sheth, which featured Pandit Das in her Chai with Manju celebrity series. The link is below:
Immerse yourself in the study of Kathak, with intense footwork, bol/ paran, Hindustani music and songs, abhinaya and history. Includes a special music workshop with George Ruckert and abhinaya workshop with Gretchen Hayden.
——————————————————————–
Hindustani Classical Music Workshops with George Ruckert
November 15th – 16th, 2014
Introduction to Hindustani classical music, sargam, taal and theory. Free and open to the public; reservations required. Click below for details on timing and location.
———————————————————————-
A Disappearing Number
October 16th – November 16th, 2014
A production of drama, theatre, dance and music
Central Square Theatre, Cambridge MA Pre-Show Symposium w/ Gretchen Hayden, Nov 1st 7pm
Click here for tickets! (Chhandika Discount: SPEAKER) ———————————————————————-
Nrityotsav – Festival of Indian Dance
November 8th, 2014
A day-long festival of Indian classical dance
Casey Theatre, Regis College Fine Arts Center
Click here for tickets! Chhandika Discount: Username – Nrityotsav204
Password – ditixNu14
———————————————————————-
The Mahabarata by Jean-Claude Carriere
October 25th – 26th, 2014
Story of the great Indian epic Mahabharata
Emerson/ Paramount Center Mainstage
Click here for tickets!
TV Premiere Times In Your City: Boston, MA
January 20, 2014 8:00pm WGBH World
January 21, 2014 2:00pm WGBH World
San Francisco, CA
January 21, 2014 11:00am* KQED World
*Bay Area primetime broadcast in March, details coming soon!
Los Angeles, CA
January 20, 2014 9:00pm PBS SoCal World
January 21, 2014 11:00am PBS SoCal World
New York City, NY
January 20, 2014 8:00pm WLIW World
January 21, 2014 2:00pm WLIW World
Chicago, IL
January 20, 2014 7:00pm WTTW Create
New Orleans, LA
January 20, 2014 7:00pm WYES World
January 21, 2014 1:00pm WYES World
This holiday season, it has become even easier to support Chhandika. You can support this classical Indian art just by doing your regular holiday shopping! Amazon has just launched its AmazonSmile program, which donates 0.5% of the price of customer purchases to the non-profit organization of that customer’s choice. Participating is a breeze:
Chhandika is excited to announce the opening of a new branch in Chelmsford, MA, with classes for beginner children, teens and adults.
Thursday, September 12th: New branch opens in Chelmsford. Classes for beginners at Chelmsford Center for the Arts (1 North Road)
4:30 to 5:30 pm Beginner Children
5:30 to 6:30 pm Beginner Teens/Adults
Click here for online payment.
Saturday, September 14th, 2:00 to 3:00 pm: Free Kathak Performance & Open House at the Chelmsford Center for the Arts (1 North Road)
Come watch performances by senior Chhandika dancers (including Anjali Nath, member of the Chitresh Das Dance Company) and chat with branch director Shelley Chhabra.
Chhandika's Blog 