Rabindranath Tagore used to celebrate the arrival of the six seasons with dance choreographed on his songs and this practice continues till date in Shantiniketan. |
Alarmel Valli learnt Odissi when she was 16 from one of Kelucharan Mahapatra's disciples Ranjan Jena. Later, Mahapatra himself taught Valli and she performed Odissi for 10 years. |
Ammanur Madhava Chakyar had his debut as a Kudiyattam actor at the age of 11 at the Bhagavathy temple of Tirumandham Kunnu as 'Sutradhara' in Balacharitam. |
It is the aptitude for
dance that has given the names Nataraja in the South and Natesvara in the
North to Shiva.
(Kanak Rele, 'Dance' chapter in “Mohiniattam: The Lyrical Dance”). |