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I am a Mohiniyattam and Bharatanatyam dancer, teacher and life-long student who has been learning both dance forms for the past 30 years. I am a disciple of Smt. Shyamala Surendran (Dharani School of Performing Arts, Kochi) and did my Masters in Fine Arts (MFA -Bharatanatyam) from SASTRA University under the tutelage of Dr. Padma Subramanyam. I am currently based in Singapore where I conduct dance classes, programs and productions under the banner of my school, the Medasvi School of Dance. Facebook: facebook.com/medasviharitha Blog: mohiniyattamdance.blogspot.com YouTube: youtube.com/harithaharidas84

April 12, 2013

Mohiniyattam Adavus - Thaganams (1 to 7)

THAGANAM - I



Chollu: THAI -THAI- THI- THTHI
Starting Posture: Aramandalam posture. Hands in Namaste Position in front of the chest.

THAI - From Aramandalam, move the right leg slightly apart and simultaneously move the left leg next to the right leg and place it there on the toes. Hand should be kept steady in front of the chest.Body should move gracefully in semi-circular movement and bring the Namaste hands in front of the nose. Eyes should follow in semi-circular movement.

THAI - Move the left leg slightly apart and simultaneously move the right leg next to the left leg and place it there on the toes. Hand should be kept steady in front of the chest.Body should move gracefully in semi-circular movement and bring the Namaste hands in front of the nose. Eyes should follow in semi-circular movement.

THI - Same as first THAI except that the body moves from left to right instead of from front to right.

THTHI - Body should be steady continuing the posture of THI, slightly slanted. eyes should be looking straight ahead above the Namaste in front of the face.

The entire Adavu is repeated on the left side.

THAGANAM - II



Chollu: THI-THAA- THI-THTHI
Starting Posture: Aramandalam posture. Both hands - Tripathaka one in front of the chest and other in Dola.

THI - Stretch right leg diagonally in front from Aramandalam position and simultaneously stretch the left leg fully at the back.  Right hand in Tripathaka in  should move in semicircular motion from front of the chest and be placed in front of shoulder stretched with the elbow bend slightly. Eyes & head should follow the movement of the hand.

THAA - Hand, legs and eyes should do the reverse of 1st THI  i.e the body should come back the same way it moved while doing 1st THI and bring right leg to Swasthikam near left leg

THI  - While sitting in the posture with right leg in Swasthikam, and right hand in Tripathaka in front of the chest, only the torso should move up & down .Eyes and head should be looking down on to the left side.

THTHI - Same movement as 2nd THI

Repeat the entire Adavu on the left side.


THAGANAM - III



Chollu: THAI-THAI-THI THTHI THAI
Starting Posture: Aramandalam posture. Both hands in front of the chest - Tripathaka - palms facing down.

THAI - Raise the right leg slightly and keep it down. Body and head should sway slightly to the right side and right palm should turn and should face up. Eyes should move to the right side.

THAI - Raise the left leg slightly and keep it down. Body and head should sway slightly to the left side and left palm should turn face up while the right hand turns to its previous position where the palm faces down. Eyes should move to the left side.

THI - Right leg should move slightly forward with the knee bend. Right hand should again turn with palm facing up and also move it slightly forward along with the right leg . Head and eyes should up straight.

THTHI - While maintaining the same posture as THI  , raise the left leg up slightly and keep it down .

THAI - Right leg will come back up to Aramandalam position and right hand will also come back near the chest and palms will face down.

Repeat the entire Adavu on the left side.

THAGANAM - IV



Chollu: THI-THAA- THI-THTHI THTHAI
Starting Posture: Aramandalam posture. Both hands in front of the chest - Hamsasya

 THI - Bend body slightly  from right to left. Keep right leg behind left leg in Swasthikam. Change right hand from Hamsasya to Ardhachandra and left hand still in front of the chest in Hamsasya.

 THAA - Come back to Aramandalam posture with right leg still in Swasthikam . Change right hand from Ardhachandra to Hamsasya.

 THI - Take  a step back with right leg while keeping both hands in front of the chest in Hamsasya.

 THTHI - Take  a step back with left leg while keeping both hands in front of the chest in Hamsasya

 THTHAI - Bring both legs together in Aramandalam while keeping both hands in front of the chest in Hamsasya

 Repeat the entire Adavu on the left side.

THAGANAM - V



Chollu: THI-THTHI -THTHAI
Starting Posture: Aramandalam posture. Both hands in front of the chest - Hamsasya


THI - Keep right leg in diagonally in front on the heels and change the right hand from Hamsasya to Ardhachandra upright. 

THTHI - Keeping the same posture as THI , raise the left leg and keep it down.

THTHAI - Change the right hand from Ardhachandra to Hamsasya while slightly turning the torso along the right hand. Bring back the right leg to Aramandalam posture.

Repeat the entire Adavu on the left side.

THAGANAM - VI



Chollu: THI-THTHI -THTHAI
Starting Posture: Aramandalam posture. Both hands in front of the chest - Hamsasya

 THI - Bend body slightly to from right to left. Keep right leg behind left leg in Swasthikam. Change right hand from Hamsasya to Ardhachandra and left hand still in front of the chest in Hamsasya.

 THTHI - Keeping the same posture as THI , raise the left leg and keep it down.
THTHAI - Change the right hand Ardhachandra to Hamsasya while slightly turning the torso from right to leg along with the right hand. Bring back the right leg to Aramandalam posture.

 Repeat the entire Adavu on the left side.

THAGANAM - VII


Chollu: THAI-THAA-THA-THTHAI-THAI-THAI-THOM
Starting Posture: Samam. Both hands on the left hip.

 THAI - Place right leg in front. Turn head and eyes to the right side -diagonally looking straight. 


 THAA-THA-THTHAI- Stay in the same position as 1st THAI

 THAI- Place left leg alongside the right leg. Move head and eyes in semi-circular motion by slightly raising the head  from right side to straight down . Rotate right shoulder slightly during the movement to make it more graceful.

 THAI THOM - Stay in the same position as 2nd THAI

 This Adavu is done in 3 speeds though the Chollu is said in one speed constantly i.e. the 1st speed and head  moves only in the 1st speed. It's only the speed of the leg that changes.

These are the 1st set and the more easier  Thaganams. The next set of Thaganams shall be explained in the next post. 






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April 1, 2013

ADAVUS IN MOHINIYATTAM - I


We shall now go on to the basic steps of Mohiniyattam.  Adavus or steps like I mentioned before are the alphabets of classical dance. Amma says "a Mohiniyattam dancer should move her body as gracefully as the  plants in a paddy field moves in the breeze".  The dancer must always have a smile on her face and her expressions must come from within, the only will the "Rasikas' or the spectators will feel involved in the dance.

The Mohiniyattam Adavus have been codified by Smt.Kalyanikutty Amma . Earlier there was no real pattern to the Adavus . It was taken randomly from different sources like Thivuthirakali and  from old manuscripts. Amma was instrumental in setting  pattern to the Adavus and naming each one. Later when the dance form evolved various Mohiniyattam artistes have contributed and innovated the Adavus set by Amma.

The Adavus in Mohiniyattam are divided into 4:-

  1. THAGANAMS - 14 
  2. JAGANAMS - 6
  3. DHAGANAMS - 4
  4. SAMISHRAMS or the VAKRAMS  (varies)

The Cholus or the syllables for each are:

  • THAGANAMS -  The Adavus begin with the sound or syllable "Th"
  1. Thai Thai Thi Ththi
  2. Thi Ththa Thi Ththi
  3. Thai Thai Thi ThThi Thai
  4. Thi Ththa Thi ThThi Thai
  5. Thi ThThi Thai
  6. Thi ThThi Thai
  7. Thai Tha Tha Thai Thai Thom
  8. Thom Dhitha Tha Thaiyum Thi Thaiyum Theyum ThaThtha
  9. Tha Thaiyum Thi Thaiyum Dhimi Thaiyum  Theyum ThaThtha
  10. Tha Thaiyum Thi Thaiyum Dhimi Thaiyum  Theyum ThaThtha
  11. Tha Thai Theyum ThaThtha Dhi Thi Thai
  12. Tha Thai Thi Thai Theyum Theyum
  13. Tha Thai Thi Thai Thom Thai 
  14. Thaiyaththa Dhrikuthaka Tha Thi Kinathom

  • JAGANAMS - The Adavus begin with the sound or syllable "Ja"
  1. Jagam ThaNam ThariNagam ThaNa Thari
  2. Jagam ThaNam Thari Kum Thari Tha - Nagam ThaNam Thari Kum Thari Tha
  3. Jagam ThaNam Thari Kum Thari Tha - Nagam ThaNam Thari Kum Thari Tha                                                               
  4. Jagam ThaNam Thari Kum Thari Tha - Nagam ThaNam Thari Kum Thari Tha
  5. Jagam Thakitha Gathi Nagam Thakitha Gathi Jagam Thakitha Gathi Nagam Thakitha Gathi  
  6. JagaJagaJamThithA JagaJagaJamThithA 

  • DHAGANAMS  - The Adavus begin with the sound or syllable "Dh"
  1. Dhikidhinnam Thadhinnam
  2. DhaNutha DhajaNutha DhajaNutha  Thadhimitha
  3. DhANumThaNumthari ThiththathaNumthari
  4. DhANumThaNum thari ThiththathaNum thari

  • SAMISHRAM/VAKRAM - These are a combination of the above learnt Adavus and hence a little more complicated.
  1. Thamtharitha Dhinam Dheem Tharitha Dhinam
  2. Thamtharitha Dhinam Dheem Tharitha Dhinam
  3. Thankita Thaththi Tharikitadhimithaka ThlonkuThlanku ThathimkiNa
  4. Thankita Thaththi Tharikitadhimithaka ThlonkuThlanku ThathimkiN
  5. Thaththitha kaNa Thakathithakanaka Thikuthathari Tharikitadhina Thlanku Dhinathom
  6. Thaththi ThakaNaka Thakumthari Kitathaka
The above Adavus have been codified and choreographed by Amma. There are more Adavus called the Thirumanams or the finishing Adavus which shall be explained later.

A few more Adavus have been added to Samishram by my Guru, Smt.Shyamala Surendran.
The Cholu for all of them are " Thamtharitha Dhinam Dheem Tharitha Dhinam".

The method for each Adavu are explained in next posts.



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