Integrating Experiential Learning Through Kathak in any Subject Area
Kathak dance is more than dance! It is an amalgamation of history, philosophy, movement, organic math, and so much more. Kathak is a rich and dynamic north Indian classical dance form with so many elements that can spark interest, engagement, and learning among students with a range of learning styles and abilities. Kathak is for anyone, regardless of age or gender identity. No matter what your subject area or class, this workshop will open possibilities for how you can creatively enhance your curriculum for any age group with elements of Kathak. Experience how storytelling, rhythm, math, music, language, cross-cultural exploration can all be brought out with some simple, fun, and clever tools and techniques in your classroom. Instructor Anjali Nath will tailor the lesson plan for each school site and is also able to work with teachers to develop their own creative activities.
Schools are encouraged to pair this Professional Development program with the performance Kathaka: Dancing Rhythms and Stories of India in order to introduce context, and deepen the impact of the workshop.
One session (90 minutes): In a one session workshop, teachers experience the various elements of Kathak. Participants get to feel for themselves the physical and intellectual joy and challenge that comes with dancing, footwork rhythms, counting and clapping in mathematical rhythm, cycles, reciting, singing, and expressing through facial and body movements as building blocks for storytelling. Participants will also learn about the history, philosophy, and fun mathematical patterns embedded in the art form.
Two sessions (one 90 min, one 60 min): Build on the first 90 minutes where participants will have the opportunity to take the elements and learn how to put them together to create unique and meaningful experiences for their students based on their respective fields/areas of learning, and learning goals. Participants will create their own rhythm, patterns and stories and learn about, and experience how beneficial this can be for their students and support to create these and integrate them into their curriculum.
Three sessions (one 90 min, two 60 min): The three-session version is all of the above, plus in the final hour, participants will have the opportunity to work individually with the artist for direct curriculum building support.
Available online or in person
Audience Limit: 15
Goal: Learn to adapt elements of Kathak to develop simple, unique, fun, and enriching activities with students.
Educator Learning Targets:
- Understand the elements of kathak that come together to create stories
- Experience and understand basic concepts of rhythm, music, expression, gestures
- Understand how the dance is historical, philosophical, and highly mathematical
Student Learning Targets:
- Create stories and communicate using elements of rhythm, music, expression, gesture, math
- Encourage student creativity and engagement, and connection with themselves and each other through creative activity.
- Provide an outlet for students to understand, express, experience the range of human emotion; express feelings through the dance.
- Create stories/vignettes that highlight something meaningful to the students
- Engage students with different learning styles and strengths; differing social-emotional needs
Fun Facts:
- Kathak comes from the word “kathā,” meaning story, and a “kathaka” is a storyteller.
- Kathak is traditionally a solo art, where one dancer portrays all animate and inanimate elements and characters in a story (a turn denotes a change in character); “Ardhanariswara” is a beautiful concept that acknowledges a masculine and feminine side within everyone.
- Kathakas don’t use words when telling a story - they use their expressions and movements
- Kathak is the only art form that integrates both Hindu and Muslim elements
- Stories are inherent in all classical dances of India. Many stories are based in Hindu mythology.
- Kathak dancers wear “ghunghrū,” or ankle bells, as an extension of themselves and they become a percussive instrument
Videos:
UPAJ documentary on Amazon Prime: Pandit Chitresh Das and Jason Samuels Smith
Pandit Chitresh Das TEDx Talk
Anjali Nath & fellow dancers - TEDx Natick
Live performance clip at the Royal Opera House in Mumbai, Dec 2019
1 Session (90 minutes): $1,100
Additional Sessions (60 minutes): $825
Travel: $65 per day
Planning fee based on scope of program
Pricing may vary for weekends/out-of-school time
Processing Fee of $45 added to all contracts
Provisions:
- This art form is danced barefoot; participants will be asked to remove socks and shoes for safety reasons and to experience the art in its intended form.
- Workshop space should have a clean, smooth, surface that participants will feel comfortable dancing on barefoot.
