Education and Community

 

March - June 2022

As we come out of lockdown we are finally able to plan our educational work to accompany our Kathakali Heritage Project featuring an exhibition of Kathakali, Mohiniattam and Bharatanatyam  costumes, the traditional dress of Kerala, photographs and films to celebrate Kerala culture and the remarkable life behind the Kathakali costumes.  

 

Kindly funded by

The National Lottery Heritage Fund

The Museum of Croydon

The Kala Chethena Kathakali Co 

 

Workshops and Performances 

To accompany the exhibitions there will be a series of workshops and performances:

 

The workshops are led by highly experienced and internationally renowned artists:

Kathakali - Kalamandalam Vijayakumar and Kalamandalam Barbara Vijayakumar.

Bharatanatyam - Anusha Subramanyam

 

Rolf Killius - Oral History Specialist

October 2021

The project begins with Rolf will be running workshops in how to collect Oral Histories safely and legally then edit the recordings to capture the memories of the people of Kerala who settled or work in Croydon.  Oral Histories can be lost in a single generation so it is important that these memories are documented as record in time of our social history.

For more information on the Oral History training please contact rolfkillius@yahoo.com

 

Archbishop Lanfranc Academy, Croydon.

March 7th to 11th 2022. 

The academy will be hosting a series of specially designed workshops for their students enabling them to understand, appreciate and enjoy Kathakali and Kerala culture. The students will explore identity, emotions, communication and an ancient 4,000 year old sign language called Mudras used ot tell a story. A comparative study of Kathakali and Bharatanatyam will bring centuries old rituals and performing skills to young peoplr of Croydon. 

The group will have the knowledge to welcome visitors into the academy to see performances of Kathakali and Bharatanatyam accompanied by an exhibition of Kathakali, Mohiniattam and Bharatanatyam costumes, tradtional dress of Kerala, photographs and films. 

 

The Kerala Community - Croydon.

The Kerala community of Croydon will provide the powerful druming of Chenda Melam, the centuries old dance of Kia Kotti Kali and the delicious Kerala food. Their ancestors created and nurtured these remarkable arts so it seems appropriate that the Kerala community bring this project to a close during a celebration of Onam. 

Dates to be confirmed. .

 

Subrang Arts - Croydon

March 19th and 20th 2022

Subrang Arts will be hosting two workshops.

March 19th - exploring the similarities between Kathakali and Gujurati folk dance.

March 20th - exploring Kathakali charactes, how they move and who they represent then make a colourful mask to take home.

led by Kalamandalam Vijayakumar and Kalamanadalam Barbara Vijayakumar

 

The Norbury Library - Croydon.

April 2nd - April 21st

Will be hosting Kathakali and Bharatanatyam workshops  to accompany an exhibition of Kathakali costumes, photographs and films.

Emphasis will be on storytelling from south India and how stories have been told for centuries through gestures, body language and emotion. 

Dates of the activities to be confirmed. 

 

The Museum of Croydon

April 30th - May 21st 2022

Will be hosting Kathakali and Bharanatyam workshops enabling all ages to discover these ancient performing arts of south India. Experts in Kathakali and Bharatanatyam will lead the workshops where facial expressions, gestures, body language and movement bring stories and characters alive.

The workshops will accompany an exhibition of Kathakali, Mohiniattam and Bharatanatyam costumes, traditional dress of Kerala, photographs, films and an evening of celebration featuring performances of solo Kathakali and Bharatanatyam, a guided tour of the exhibition and  performances of Chenda Melam - drumming and Kia Koti Kali [folk dance]. Delicious Kerala food will complete the evening. 

Dates of the activities to be confirmed

 

Beeja Dance Company - Croydon

Date to be confirmed

Will be hosting two workshops to explore the heritage and techniques of Bharatanatyam and Kathakali.
led by Kalamandalam Vijayakumar and Kalamanadalam Barbara Vijayakumar

 

Play for Progress - Croydon

Date to be confirmed.

Will host two workshops exploring identity and the ancient healing qualities of Kathakali to focus the mind and body.

Explore how stories travel through migration and can be told through emotion, gestures, body language and the power of visual theate. 

 

 

For more information please contact us.

 

Kathakali has mastered the art of visual storytelling for over 500 years and provides an excellent opportunity to experience non-western theatre and culture.

 

For thirty four years we have been developing a greater understanding of Kathakali and south Indian heritage through drama workshops, solo performances and mask-making workshops throughout the UK and world-wide.

We aim to make our activities as enjoyable and accessible as possible to enable people of all ages and abilities to discover the fascinating art of Kathakali.

Introduce your children and students to Hinduism, multi-cultural education, non-western theatre, communication through gestures, understanding emotion and expressing characters.

 

Kathakali 4,000 year old sign language called Mudras.

If you want to learn this sign language and understand Kathakali on a deeper level please visit our web page dedicated to the Mudras. https://www.kathakalimudras.com