New group brings classical Indian dance to campus

Kalaa may be one of the newest dance troupes on campus, but don't let that fool you: the art form they practice clocks in as the very oldest, with at least 2,000 years of history behind it. Kalaa is Princeton's first classical Indian dance troupe and the only operating classical dance group on the East Coast, according to president Deepa Das '06.

Until recently, there were few outlets on campus for students already trained in classical Indian dance to keep up their unique skills without a network of support, and most Princeton students knew little about the tradition. Kalaa aims to change all that.

"The members are really happy to be able to keep up the art form and share it," Das said, one of the group's founders as well as its leader.

In April, the troupe gave its first show before a full theater. That show included both solo and group performances, as well as some originally choreographed material. "It was something wonderful to see all the interest and support we got," said Ananya Chakravarti '05, one of the troupe's members. "We pulled off a good show, and we're proud of it."

The idea for Kalaa originated last year through chance encounters between students trying to maintain their skills. These conversations culminated in the idea of banding together to bring classical Indian dance to the Princeton community. They began holding practices four to five times a week. Kalaa's members then numbered six. They have since swelled to 11, and Das hopes to expand the membership further in upcoming years.

Classical Indian dance requires rigorous training. Often students, including many of the members of Kalaa, train for seven to 10 years to build up a repertoire of dances. When ready, the dancer performs before an audience. After this debut, known as her "arangetram," she is considered accomplished enough to teach.

Most members of the troupe reached this level of study before coming to Princeton. On campus, they use recordings of previous accompaniments. Unlike some other Indian dance groups that utilize contemporary Indian songs, such as Naacho, Kalaa adheres to traditional instrumentation and arrangement.

Classical dance is rooted in India's ancient religious traditions. Its aesthetic guidelines were written down two millennia ago by the sage Bharata Muni. Three styles are represented in Kalaa: Kathak, Kuchipudi and Bharata Natyam.

Kuchipudi and Bharata Natyam, two similar forms, both originated in Southern India. These styles incorporate a series of hand gestures and foot movements. The dancer wears a sari and four rows of bells on her ankles. She is traditionally accompanied by a violinist, a flutist, a singer, percussion and a teacher who uses bells to beat out the rhythms of the dance.

Kathak developed in North India and shows elements of Persian influence. This style relies less on the upper body than Kuchipudi and Bharata Natyam and more on quick footwork. Performances are fast-paced and energetic, and the dancer wears a tunic over a suit. Kathak dancers also wear bells on their ankles, but in this case the number of bells signifies a dancer's level of expertise.

All three styles have ties to Hinduism, with Kathak also showing Muslim influences. The dances use gestures to express religious stories or themes. Initially male worshippers performed them in temples as acts of devotion. Later dance was incorporated into secular life, and women also began to take part. Over time dancing acquired disreputable associations. Only in the early part of this century have upper-class Indians embraced it as a respectable art form.

At the same time, the troupe is enthusiastic about innovation within the classical spirit. Their last show included material choreographed by some of the members. These pieces moved away from the expressive and dramatic components of traditional combinations into the realm of pure dance.

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This year the troupe aims to choreograph new pieces and incorporate some dance dramas. They would also like to extend beyond dance to include practitioners of other forms of classical Indian music, such as singers and musicians. "It would be nice for it to be a window for people to see a region underrepresented in academia," Chakravarti said. Someday, Kalaa would also like to organize a classical Indian dance festival that would extend beyond Princeton and bring together both dancers and musicians from all over the East Coast.

But for now, "our main goal is to introduce this form of dance to Princeton," Das said.

Kalaa will next appear beside many other campus groups in the Multi-Cultural dance festival in October. The members hope to hold another show of their own this spring.