Tuesday, November 17, 2009

Raja & Radha Reddy


The world-renowned dancing couple, Raja and Radha Reddy, have given a new dimension to the age-old art of Kuchipudi dance without sacrificing the traditional poetry or dramatic sensibility. With rare excellence and perfection of technique, they stand tall on the highest stage of Kuchipudi today, among the major dance forms of India. They hail from the state of Andhra Pradesh, the birth place of Kuchipudi style of Indian classical dance.

Through their togetherness and perfect unison, Raja and Radha Reddy portray the masculine vigour and lyrical charm of the classical pairs of Hindu mythology--such as Shiva-Parvati, Rama-Sita and Krishna-Radha--thus identifying themselves with the twin concept of Purusha and Prakriti, the male-female principle in Indian philosophy. In precise postures and refined patterns the duo re-enlivens the magnificent sculptures chiseled in the ancient temples of India.

Raja-Radha Reddy have formulated a syllabus for the Kuchipudi repertoire systematizing the basic movements and mudras. They have choreographed each item to make Kuchipudi classical dance form acceptable to modern cosmopolitan audiences.

Raja-Radha Reddy have taken upon themselves to propagate music and dance among the growing younger generation. What started as a passion for Raja and Radha has now changed into a tradition with both maestros working, indefatigably, towards initiating fresh talent into the cultural paradigm and perpetuate this art form.

Monday, November 16, 2009

Kuchipudi


Kuchipudi (తెలుగు : కూచిపూడి) (pronounced as 'Koochipoodi') is a Classical Indian dance form from Andhra Pradesh, a state of South India. Kuchipudi is the name of a small village in the Divi Taluq of Krishna district that borders the Bay of Bengal and with resident Brahmins practising this traditional dance form, it acquired the present name.

With the dance form attaining perfection by the time of Golconda king Abdul Hassan Tanesha, Kuchipudi brahmins are said to have received 600 acres (2.4 km²) of land as an endowment from Tanesha for the great presentation before him.

Siddhendra Yogi is said to be the first scholar to give it the current form of dance drama. Bhamakalapam is one of his celebrated compositions. He also reserved the art to males by teaching it to young brahmin boys of the village. However, in modern times, the art has been dominated by women.

The performance usually begins with some stage rites, after which each of the character comes on to the stage and introduces him/herself with a daru (a small composition of both song and dance) to introduce the identity, set the mood, of the character in the drama. The drama then begins. The dance is accompanied by song which is typically Carnatic music. The singer is accompanied by mridangam (a classical South Indian percussion instrument), violin, flute and the tambura (a drone instrument with strings which are plucked). Ornaments worn by the artists are generally made of a light weight wood called Boorugu.

Thursday, November 12, 2009

Satriya Nritya


Satriya, The Beautiful Classic Dance of Assam. During winter (November- February) the best place to see the Satriya dance is Guwahati. A tourist to Assam during winter would do well to find out if their visits coincide with the annual Satriya Dance festival organised by one of the following institutions : Puspanjall Cultural Academy, Sangeet Satra, Srimanta Sankardev Sangha and Satra Mahasabha. The Satriya Dance festival organised by these institutions would normally have all the facts of this dance including Dhemalis by Goyan Bayans. Apart from this, many institutions show Satriya Dance on the make shift open stages during Bihu festival (April May) The lively and colourful folk dances of Assam

Wednesday, November 11, 2009

Bihu Dance


This form of dance is the most popular folk dance in Assam and is also a part of the life known as Assamese life. The folk dance cuts through all the religious, caste and class barriers of the different kinds of people living in Assam.
Bihu Dance is performed during the festival and the festival is celebrated thrice annually with their respective common name. Rongali , the biggest festival of Assam, is celebrated in the mid of April. Bhogali is celebrated during mid of January and Kangali is done in the mid of October.

When the festival arrives, the young men and girls who are performers gather during day time in the open. These performers dance together but are not paired together and form in lines when they dance. The music played at this dance are drums and pipes and the performers sing of love during the act. The pattern which the performers follow during the dance is the circle or the parallel rows. The dancers sway their hips, take brisk steps and fling and flip their hands when the dance progresses. The traditional dress worn consist of Dhoti, Gamocha, Chadar and Mekhala (Indian clothes).

Tuesday, November 10, 2009

Dance Culture of Assam

Dance culture of Assam also represent another facet of Assam rich culture. There are two well known dance form in Assam, namely the Bihu Dance and the Sattriya Dance. Bihu dance is mostly performed during the Bihu festival and Sattriya Dance is a classical form of dance often termed together with the most popular classical dance of India like Kathak, Bharatnatyam etc.

Monday, November 9, 2009

Sonal Mansingh


An eminent Indian classical dancer, she is the maestro of Odissi dance form. She is also proficient in performing other dance forms such as Kuchipudi, Bharatnatyam and Chhau. Well, we are talking about the great Indian dancer Sonal Mansingh, who has made Indians proud. In this article, we will present you with the biography of Odissi dancer Sonal Mansingh, one of the most prominent dancers of India.

She was born in the year 1944 in Mumbai. Her dance performances are simply awe inspiring and have brought her lot of fame and fortune. Her works have always been highly praised. Infact, she has been honored with several awards as a mark of appreciation of her works. In the year 1992, she received the Padma Bhushan, which is the highest civilian award of India. To know the complete life history of Sonal Mansingh, read on.

Not only she has committed herself to the dancing field, but also made an incredible contribution in bringing a smile on the faces of millions of people. Sonal Mansingh is the first Indian dancer to have been honored with Padma Vibhushan, the second highest civilian award in the year 2003. Due to her great thoughts and opinions, sometimes, she is also called a philosopher.

GOVINDA


Govinda (Hindi: गोविंदा; Punjabi: ਗੋਵਿੰਦਾ) (born Govind Arun Ahuja, on December 21, 1963)[1] is a Filmfare award-winning Indian actor and politician. He has appeared in over 120 Hindi language films. At the start of his career, his acting and dancing skills gained him widespread attention among film viewers. He later gained worldwide fame as a Bollywood icon through comedy films such as Shola Aur Shabnam, Aankhen, Coolie No.1, Haseena Maan Jaayegi and Partner.
Govinda was nicknamed and referred to as "Chi Chi " (Punjabi: Little Finger) by his family, close associates and occasionally by the media.
He is a member of the Indian National Congress Party He was elected as the 7th Member of Parliament for the Mumbai North Constituency of Maharashtra, India in the 14th Lok Sabha elections after defeating Ram Naik of the Bharatiya Janata Party.

Friday, November 6, 2009

HRITIK ROSHAN


Hrithik Roshan (Hindi: ऋतिक रोशन [ˈrɪtɪk ˈroːʃən]; born January 10, 1974) is an Indian actor who appears in Bollywood films.
After having appeared in films as a child actor in the 1980s, Roshan made his film debut in a leading role in Kaho Naa... Pyaar Hai (2000). The film was a major success, and Roshan's performance earned him Filmfare Awards for Best Actor and Best Male Debut. He has been noted for his performances in films like Koi... Mil Gaya (2003), Krrish (2006), Dhoom 2 (2006) and Jodhaa Akbar (2008) which are also his biggest commercial successes so far, and for which he won numerous Best Actor awards.
In 2008, Roshan received his first international award at the Golden Minbar International Film Festival in Kazan, Russia for his performance in Jodhaa Akbar. Roshan has thus established himself as one of the leading actors of Bollywood.

Thursday, November 5, 2009

Shahid Kapoor


As a young boy, he was an eager student of Shiamak Davar. Since then, Shahid Kapoor has gained much acclaim and admiration for his dancing prowess. Shahid Kapoor has danced his way in to the hearts of audiences. His energy and enthusiasm spilled out of his screen performance in the track Mauja hi Mauja

Tuesday, November 3, 2009

CHITRA VISHWESWARAN


Chitra Vishweswaran is famed as one of the leading Bharatnatyam dancers of India. A competent performer, teacher and choreographer, she heads her own dance institution, 'Chidambaram Academy of Performing Arts (CAPA)', at Chennai.

Chitra's association with dance began early at the tender age of three from her own mother, Smt. Rukmini Padmanabhan, an excellent dancer herself. She took up Western Classical Ballet in London where her father was Railway Adviser at the Indian High Commission. This was followed by training in Manipuri and Kathak in Calcutta (Kolkata). Chitra started training under Smt.T. A. Rajalakshmi which continued for 10 years. Under her guidance, talented Chitra could achieve a level of proficiency and she choreographed her first dance at the age of eleven.

Monday, November 2, 2009

Debamitra Sengupta


Who: Dancer and Choreographer
Genre: Dancer
Short Bio: Debamitra Sengupta is one of the finest exponents of the classical Odissi dance form in country. Based in Kolkata, Debamitra has been performing since the past 18 years.

A hugely talented dancer, Debamitra trained under renowned teachers of this art such as Padmabibhushan Guru Kelucharan Mahapatra, Padmashree Sanjukta Panigrahi and Sutapa Talukdar.

She has performed in various parts of the globe including cities such as San Francisco, Atlanta, Boston, New York and Washington D.C.

Apart from being an exceptional dancer, Debamitra shares a passion for teaching. The passion for grooming talent led her to form the 'Kolkata Mayur Lalit Dance Academy', a dance academy by means of which she has been developing young talent in the country.

Saturday, October 31, 2009

DANCE OF INDIA


Indian classical dance is a relatively new umbrella term for various codified art forms rooted in Natya, the sacred Hindu musical theatre styles, whose theory can be traced back to the Natya Shastra of Bharata Muni (400 BC).
These are:

Dances performed inside the sanctum of the temple according to the rituals were called Agama Nartanam. Natya Shastra classifies this type of dance form as margi, or the soul-liberating dance, unlike the desi (purely entertaining) forms.
Dances performed in royal courts to the accompaniment of classical music were called Carnatakam. This was an intellectual art form.
Darbari Aattam form of dance appealed more to the commoners and it educated them about their religion, culture and social life. These dances were performed outside the temple precincts in the courtyards. Both Carnatakam and Darbari Aattam in particular were predominantly desi forms.

Tuesday, October 27, 2009

Hema Malini



Hema Malini (Hindi: हेमा मालिनी Tamil: ஹேமமாலினி) (born October 16, 1948) is an Indian actress, director and producer, as well as a Bharatanatyam dancer-choreographer. Making her acting debut in Sapno Ka Saudagar (1968), she went on to appear in numerous successful Bollywood films, most notably those with actor and future-husband Dharmendra.[1] She was initially promoted as "Dream Girl", and in 1977 starred in a film of the same name.[2] During this period, she established herself as one of Hindi cinema's leading actresses, noted for both her comic and dramatic roles, and her accomplished classical dancing.[3]

Malini is one of the most successful female filmstars in the history of Indian cinema.[3][4] Appearing in over 150 films in a career span of 40 years, she has starred in a large number of hit films, and her performances in both commercial and arthouse cinema, were often recognised.[3]

Yamini Krishnamurthy


Born in the year 1940 to a Telugu family at Chidambaram in Tamilnadu, Yamini Krishnamurthy is an eminent Bharatnatyam dancer, who has swayed the entire country with her fabulous dance performance. She is also well known for her Kuchipudi dance style. When she was five years old, she started learning Bharatnatyam dance from the Kalashetra School of Dance in Chennai. She took training under the guidance of Rukmini Devi Arundale. Well, in this article, we will present you with the biography of Bharatnatyam dancer Yamini Krishnamurthy.

After completing her basic learning at Kalashetra, she took further training from renowned exponents such as Thanjavur Kittapa Pillai, Dhandayudhpani Pillai, Kanchipuram Ellapa Pillai, and Mylapore Gouri Amma. She went on stage for the first time in the year 1957 in Chennai. She won the hearts of people with her charisma and heart throbbing performance. Read on to know the complete life history of Yamini Krishnamurthy…

By the year 1960, she had set up her foothold in this industry and earned a name for herself. Her name appeared in the list of leading dancers of India and she has strived hard to maintain that position till date. She has been giving wonderful performances for the past four decades. She also has made an immense contribution in popularizing the Kuchipudi dance. Her dance performances brought international recognition to classical folk dances of India.

Sunday, October 25, 2009

Birju Maharaj Profile



Pandit Birju Maharaj is a legendary Kathak dancer. He belongs an illustrious family of dance masters of the Lucknow gharana. His two uncles Shambu and Lacchu Maharaj, and his father Acchan Maharaj were all well-known Kathak dancers. Apart from Kathak, Pandit Birju Maharaj is also an accomplished vocalist.

Pandit Birju Maharaj alias Brij Mohan Nath Mishra was born on February 4, 1937. He took training in Kathak under the guidance of his father, Achchan Maharaj and uncles Lacchu Maharaj and Shambhu Maharaj. Birju Maharaj gave his first performance at the young age of seven at Lucknow and after that there was no looking back.

Birju Maharaj is a multi-faceted personality. Besides his mastery over Kathak, he is also a superb musician, percussionist, composer, teacher, director, choreographer and a poet. Birju Maharaj has composed many dance dramas like 'Gobardhan Leela', 'Makhan Chori', 'Malti-Madhav', 'Kumar Sambhav', and 'Phag Bahar'. Birju Maharaj has also dabbled in films. He composed two classical dance sequence for Satyajit Ray's film 'Shatranj Ke Khiladi' and choreographed a song for Sanjay Leela Bhansal's film 'Devdas'.

Birju Maharaj is a recipient of several honors and awards. These include: Sangeet Natak Academy Award, Padma Vibhushan, Kalidas Samman, Soviet Land Nehru Award, SNA Award, Sangam Kala Award etc. He was also conferred with two honorary doctorate degrees and the Nehru Fellowship.

Birju Maharaj taught at Sangeet Bharati, Bharatiya Kala Kendra and headed the teaching faculty Kathak Kendra in Delhi till his retirement in 1998.

Friday, October 23, 2009

Padma Subramanyam


A rare combination of a flawless dancer, choreographer, music composer, singer, research scholar, teacher and author, Dr. Padma Subramanyam is one of the most respected and reputed Bharatanatyam dancers of India. She was born on 4th February, 1943 in Chennai. Her father was K. Subramanyam who was a famous director and also a freedom fighter. Her mother was Meenakshi was a lyricist in Sanskrit and Tamil, dancer, choreographer and a flawless instrumentalist who mastered the Violin, Veena and Harmonium. Given here is a short biography of Padma Subramaniam that covers her life history.

She is currently the director of "Nrutyodaya", which is a dance school that was founded by her father in the year 1942. She started to learn dance at Nrutyodaya under the guidance of a teacher named Kausalya. She was also trained later on by Guru Vazhuvoor Ramaiah Pillai. Her first public performance known as "Arangetram" was in the year 1956. After that, she gave innumerable performances in concerts all over the world. She also continued her education side by side.

Padma Subramanyam never let her studies suffer because of her performances and busy schedule. She has got a Bachelor's degree in Music, Master's in Ethno Musicology and Ph.D in dance from Annamalai University. She has been a research scholar and has written a thesis on "Karanas in Indian dance and sculpture". She laid emphasis on the fact that the 108 Karanas or units of dance are not just poses but movements. She has also designed the sculptures of the Karanas of Lord Shiva with his consort Parvati that are kept in the Nataraja Temple at Satara, located in Maharashtra. She has composed music for most of compositions and has also released a couple of albums.

Padma Subramanyam was the first dancer to introduce "Pushpanjali" as a dance piece. She has written many articles that have been compiled as "Legacy of a Legend". She has also composed a Bengali Varanam, the first of its kind whose lyrics have been penned by Salil Chaudhry. Padma Subramanyam enchants spectators with perfect movements and hand gestures and emotes beautifully with her face. This versatile dancer has received many awards and honors that are listed below.

Thursday, October 22, 2009

Mallika Sarabhai


She is a well known Kuchipudi and Bharatanatyam dancer of India. She is the daughter of renowned artists. Her mother is a great dancer and father is a famous scientist. Well, we are talking about the celebrated dancer Mallika Sarabhai. In this article, we will present you with the biography of Mallika Sarabhai.

The holder of MBA and doctorate degree from IIM Ahmedabad, she is a multitalented personality. She is truly an all rounder. She has proved her worth in all the streams, then be it editing, anchoring, film making, dancing, acting etc. Mallika started learning dance at a very young age. To know the complete life history of Mallika Sarabhai, read on…

She began her career, when she was only fifteen years old. She took up the acting assignment to play the role of Draupadi in Peter Brook's film "The Mahabharata". Apart from being a professional dancer, she is also a social activist. During the 2002 riots of Gujarat, she raised her voice and spoke against the role played by the Narendra Modi government. She is an epitome of boldness and courage.

She, along with her mother, administers the functioning of the Darpana Academy of Performing Arts, which is located at Ahmedabad. Her works have been well acclaimed. She has received many accolades throughout her career. In the year 1977, she was honored with the "French Palme D'or", which is the highest civilian award of the Government of France. Later in Paris, she received the 'Best Soloist Artist' for best dance performance.

JENNIFER LOPEZ



Jennifer Lynn Lopez (born July 24, 1969), often nicknamed J.Lo, is an American actress, singer, record producer, dancer, fashion designer and television producer. She is the richest person of Latin American descent in Hollywood according to Forbes, and the most influentialHispanic entertainer in the U.S. according to People en Español's list of "100 Most Influential Hispanics".
Lopez began her career as a dancer on the television comedy program In Living Color. Lopez subsequently ventured into acting, appearing in numerous successful films including The Cell (2000), The Wedding Planner (2001), Maid in Manhattan (2002), Shall We Dance? (2004) andMonster-in-Law (2005). She has won ALMA Awards for outstanding actress for her work in Selena (1997), Out of Sight (1998) and Angel Eyes(2001). She parlayed her media fame into a fashion line and various perfumes with her celebrity endorsement.
In 1999, Lopez released her debut studio album, On the 6. She followed it up with two number one albums on the Billboard 200, J.Lo (2001) and J to tha L-O!: The Remixes (2002). Her third studio album, This Is Me... Then (2002) peaked at number two on the Billboard 200 as well as her fourth studio album, Rebirth (2005). In 2007, Lopez released two albums including her first full Spanish-language album, Como Ama una Mujer and her fifth English studio album Brave. She won the 2003 American Music Award for Favorite Pop/Rock Female Artist and the 2007American Music Award for Favorite Latin Artist. She has sold over 48 million albums worldwide

Monday, October 12, 2009

BREAK DANCE



It is lively, energetic, acrobatic, dynamic performance dance. Since its debut to public, breakdance becoming more and more popular. Break dance was extraordinary and still is in its own way, today from any continent, any country you will find a hardcore aficionado.
Breakdancing provide a youth people productive alternative to aggressive urban street bands. Today, breakdancing culture is an extraordinary discipline somewhere in-between those of dancers and athletes. Since acceptance and involvement centers on dance skills, breakdancing culture is generally free of the common race, gender and age boundaries of a subculture and has been established worldwide.

Thursday, October 8, 2009

SHAKIRA


Shakira Isabel Mebarak Ripoll (born February 2, 1977), known professionally as Shakira (pronounced /ʃəˈkɪərə/, Spanish: [tʃaˈkiɾa] or [ʃaˈkiɾa],‭ Portuguese: [ʃaˈkiɾə]; Arabic: شكيرة‎ ), is a Colombian singer-songwriter, musician, record producer, dancer and philanthropist who emerged as a musical prodigy in the music scene of Latin America in the early 1990s. Born and raised in Barranquilla, Colombia, Shakira revealed many of her talents in school as a live performer, demonstrating her vocal ability with rock and roll, Latin and Middle Eastern influences with her own original twist on belly dancing. Shakira is a native Spanish speaker and also speaks fluent English, Portuguese and Italian.
After commercial flops with local producers on her first two albums, and little-known outside Colombia, Shakira decided to produce her own brand of music. In 1995 she released Pies Descalzos, which brought her great fame in Latin America and Spain, and her 1998 album ¿Dónde Están los Ladrones? was a critical success. Since then she has gained many fans in non-Spanish-speaking countries, especially in the United States. In 2001, and aided by heavy promotion of the music video, "Whenever, Wherever", she broke through into the English-speaking world with the release of Laundry Service, which sold over thirteen million copies worldwide. Four years later, Shakira released two album projects called Fijación Oral Vol. 1 and Oral Fixation Vol. 2. Both reinforced her success, particularly with the most successful song in the twenty-first century to date, "Hips Don't Lie". Currently, Shakira is working on final touches of her upcoming album She Wolf, that will be released in October of 2009
She has won two Grammy Awards, seven Latin Grammy Awards, and has been Golden Globe-nominated. She is also the highest-selling Colombian artist of all time,and the second most successful female Latin singer having sold over 50 million albums worldwide, according to BMI. Additionally, she is the only artist from South America to reach the number-one spot on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100, Canadian Hot 100, the Australian ARIA chart, and the UK Singles Chart.
Shakira is to be awarded with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

Wednesday, October 7, 2009

MEENAKSHI SESHADRI


Meenakshi Seshadri,(Tamil -மீனாக்ஷி சேஷாத்திரி) (born November 16, 1963) is an Indian film actress.

Early life She was born as Shashikala Seshadri at Sindri, near Dhanbad in Jharkhand (then Bihar) and was a student of Mount Carmel School. Her father was an employee of FCI at Sindri Fertiliser plant in [Sindri, Jharkhand|Sindri] [Jharkhand] India.

She won the Miss India contest in 1981 at age 18. She made her debut in Painter Babu (1982) opposite Rajiv Goswami, the son of Manoj Kumar. She shot to fame with the megahit film Hero (1983) directed by Subhash Ghai.

Her notable performances were in films Meri Jung (1985), Vijay (1988), Shahenshah (1988), Ghayal (1990),Damini (1993) and Duet (1994).

She also has a career as a Bharatnatyam, Kathak, and Odissi teacher/dancer. She has learned all four main dance styles of India and performed her Bharatnatyam Arrangetram at the age of four. One of her students performed her Odissi Manch Pravesh in 2005. Meenakshi continues to pursue dancing and has performed in several festivals in India. Overall, Meenakshi was one of the most talented and skilled dancers ever to be in any Bollywood films.

Friday, September 25, 2009

SAROJ KHAN


VADODARA: Wannabe dancers from the city vying to master Bollywood style will no longer have to rush to Mumbai. They can get trained by the famous
choreographer Saroj Khan at Saroj Khan Dance Academy, which was inaugurated here on Sunday. The academy, set up in association with Pinkal Film Academy, will teach different types of dance styles to the students with Bollywood's being its main focus.

Khan was present at the inauguration where 200 students were auditioned, of whom 120 will be selected to be trained at the academy. "I wanted to be present during the auditions and select the candidates. I see raw contestants turn up during the shows and I don't want that to happen when it comes to students of my academy. Our students will be trained to emerge as the best out of the crowd," Khan said.

She said the reason for starting an academy in the city was to connect with its rich cultural heritage. "I am really excited because Vadodara has a rich cultural history and youngsters in Gujarat are really enthusiastic about dance," said the ace choreographer.

Khan would be coming at frequent intervals to the city to monitor the performance of students. "I would be coming either twice a month or weekly just to see the progress of each student. In my absence my assistants will look after the classes. We will teach all styles of dancing but our focus will be Bollywood style," she added.

The academy has three months to one year courses for learners and on completion they would get a certificate. "After training, the person can look forward to start a dance school, participate in dance reality shows or make a career in dancing. We will also give them opportunities to showcase their talent in stage performances later on," said initiator of Rinkal Film Academy, Rinkal Parbadia.

Farah Khan - Choreographer


Farah Khan is the hottest choreographer working in Bollywood today. Many of the 'moments' that we associate as iconographic to today's Bollywood cinema, namely specific dance moves and dance numbers were conceived from her imagination.
Some of Farah Khan's recent films she has acted as dance director for are; Kaho Naa Pyaar Hai, Dil Se.., Kuch Kuch Hota Hai, DDLJ, K3G, DTPH, Mohabbatein, Dil Chahta Hai, Asoka, Shakti (the Power), the Tamil films; Alai payuthey, Kandukondain Kandukondain, and even Mira Nair's Monsoon Wedding (and Mira Nair's next film 'Vanity Fair'). Pause and think how the dance numbers of those films have affected you, then you could possibly realize how much Farah Khan has impacted your life.

FARHA KHAN


Selected Farah Khan Dance Highlights

"Chaiya Chaiya" from Mani Ratman's "Dil Se.."

For non-Indians in the West this song picturization set on top of a moving train is the most famous and recognizable Bollywood dance sequence. Farah Khan choreographed this most famous scene. Farah won her 2nd Filmfare, Best ChoreographyÊaward for this film.


"Chaiya Chaiya" from Mani Ratman's "Dil Se.."

Shahruhk Khan and Malika Aurora perform one of the most famous and recognizable dance moves in recent Bollywood history; the fist hitting the side of the hip move. Anyone who watches Bollywood (namely most of India and the Indian Diaspora) knows this dance move and where it came from.


"Bole Chudiyan" from Karan Johar's "Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham"

Farah Khan was dance director for this true summit of 'multi-star' dance numbers. When Karan Johar fainted from exhaustion right before the epic conclusion to the song pictured here, it was Farah who took control of the set and completed the shoot.


"Suraj Hua Maddham" from Karan Johar's "Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham"

The signature Shahruhk Khan stance, three quarter turned towards the camera, slightly leaning backwards, back arched . It's a simple gesture that was created for him by Farah Khan and made magic by SRK.


"Koi Kahe.. Kehta Rahe" from Farhan Akhtar's "Dil Chahta Hai"

Farah Khan was dance director on this groundbreaking innovative tour de force of a item number. The dance number's use of MTV style fast cut editing set new trends (not to mention Akshaye, Aamir, and Saif's vinyl jeans). Farah won another Filmfare, Best ChoreographyÊaward for her work on DCH.


The title song from Karan Johar's "Kuch Kuch Hota Hai"

Farah, Karan, SRK, and Kajol have worked together since the days of "DDLJ". Many of the most enduring moments of KKHH are the song picturizations which were all directed by Farah Khan.




"Raghupati Raghau" from Karan Johar's "Kuch Kuch Hota Hai"

In KKHH a simple repeated 'children's' dance step sequence becomes one of the most famous, recognizable and beloved in Bollywood history. Farah Khan's ability to create simple and memorable dance movements is creative genius.


"Ek Pal Ka Jeena" from Rakesh Roshan's "Kaho Naa Pyaar Hai"

What can be said about "Ek Pal.."? That it is the most astounding and exciting dance sequence ever filmed in a raining disco? Farah Khan directed this song and the concepts and dance moves for it were all hers. Pure Genius.


Title song from Rakesh Roshan's "Kaho Naa Pyaar Hai"

Farah Khan directed the action for all the songs of KNPH. She and Hrithik worked very closely together and allowed him to develop his own unique style of dance. Farah then gave Hrithik the moves that helped make him a mega-star.

Friday, September 11, 2009

MICHAEL JACKSON "MJ"






Michael Joseph Jackson (August 29, 1958 – June 25, 2009), known as the "King of Pop", was an American musician and one of the most commercially successful entertainers of all time. His unique contributions to music and dance, along with a highly publicized personal life, made him a prominent figure in popular culture for four decades.

He started a solo career in 1971, having made his debut in 1964 as a member of The Jackson 5. His 1982 album Thriller remains the best-selling album of all time, with four others—Off the Wall (1979), Bad (1987), Dangerous (1991), and HIStory (1995)—among the best selling. He popularized several intricate dance moves, such as the robot and the moonwalk. He is widely credited with having transformed the music video from a promotional tool into an art form, with videos for his songs "Billie Jean", "Beat It" and "Thriller" making him the first African American artist to amass a strong crossover following on MTV.

Twice inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, his other achievements feature multiple Guinness World Records—including the "Most Successful Entertainer of All Time" — 13 Grammy Awards, 17 number one singles (including the four as a member of the Jackson 5), and estimated sales between 350 million and 750 million records worldwide.[3] He was also a notable philanthropist and humanitarian who donated and raised millions of dollars through support of 39 charities and his own Heal the World Foundation.

Thursday, September 10, 2009

BHARATANATAYAM




Bharatanatyam (Kannada:) is a classic dance form originated in Karnataka-Mysore and newly formed state of Tamil Nadu after Indian independence], a state in Southern India and is also the National Dance of India. This dance form denotes various 19th and 20th century reconstructions of Cathir, the art of temple dancers. Cathir in turn, is derived from ancient dance forms. Bharatanatyam is usually accompanied by the classical Carnatic music

DANCE- INTRO




Dance (from French danser, perhaps from Frankish) is a sport and art form that generally refers to movement of the body, usually rhythmic and to music,[1] used as a form of expression, social interaction or presented in a spiritual or performance setting.
Dance may also to regarded as a form of nonverbal communication between humans, and is also performed by other animals (bee dance, patterns of behaviour such as a mating dance). Gymnastics, figure skating and synchronized swimming are sports dance disciplines, while martial arts kata are often compared to dances. Motion in inanimate objects may also be described as dances (the leaves danced in the wind), and certain musical forms or genres.
Definitions of what constitutes dance are dependent on social, cultural, aesthetic, artistic and moral constraints and range from functional movement (such as folk dance) to virtuoso techniques such as ballet. Dance can be participatory, social or performed for an audience. It can also be ceremonial, competitive or erotic. Dance movements may be without significance in themselves, such as in ballet or European folk dance, or have a gestural vocabulary/symbolic system as in many Asian dances. Dance can embody or express ideas, emotions or tell a story.
Dancing has evolved many styles. Breakdancing and Krumping are related to the hip hop culture. African dance is interpretive. Ballet, Ballroom, Waltz, and Tango are classical styles of dance while Square and the Electric Slide are forms of step dances.
Every dance, no matter what style, has something in common. It not only involves flexibility and body movement, but also physics.