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Kalamandalam Vijayakumar
International Kathakali Actor
from South India.
Workshop led by Kalamandalam Vijayakumar
KALAMANDALAM VIJAYAKUMAR
KALAMNADALM VIJAYAKUMAR AND
KALAMNDALAM BARBARAVIJAYAKUMAR
TALKING TO THE CHILDREN
Kalamandalam vijayakumar & Kalamandalam Barbara vijayakumar telling to the children about Kathakali and Indian culture
GOORUVAYOORAPPN
THE LORD OFF GURUVAYOOR TEMPLE
LORD KRISHNA
LORD GANESH
The God of Education
Solo performance by Kalmandalam Vijayakumar
Performing the story of Poothana Moksham
[The Salvation of the demoness Pootha]
TEACHING AIDS:
DVD`s
KATHAKALI
SIGN LANGUAGE DICTIONARY
Interactive style DVD
Kathakali uses a 4,000 year old sign langauge to tell a story called Mudras.
The first ever digital Dictionary of Kathakali Mudras has been created.
The dictionary of Kathakali
Sign Language [Mudras]
includes an introduction to Kathakali, costmes, make up, facial expressions, training, rituals and over 600 words.
HISTORY OF KATHAKALI
SIGN LANGUAGE.
Documentary style DVD.
This DVD traces the use of communication through gesture from primitive people, into temple rituals and eventually into the arts with a focus on Kathakali.
Interesting comparisons are made between the use of gesture in several devotional performing art styles to include; Kootha, Koodiyattam, Krishnanattam, Ottanthulal, Bharathanatyam, Kuchipudi, Mohiniattam and Kathakali.
PUBLICATIONS:
1] Costumes and make up
2] History of the Mudras
3] Asian and Celtic Storytelling
4]Background to Kathakali
To purchase Teaching Aids
please contact us.
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KATHAKALI
IN
EDUCATION
AN INDIAN EXPERIENCE
for schools, colleges and theatres.
Through the ancient art of KATHAKALI - the classical dance drama of Kerala South West India.
Kalamandalam Vijayakumar
taking questions from the children.
Education and Learning
We work with schools, colleges and theatres to make Kathakali accessible.
KATHAKALI
has mastered the art of visual storytelling for over 500 years and provides an opportunity to experience non-western theatre & culture.
Kathakali specialists, Kalamandalam Vijayakumar, Kathakali actor, and Kalamandalam Barbara Vijayakumar, Kathakali make up specialist, have brought Kathakali into the heart of education
since 1987.
KALAMANDALAM VIJAYAKUMAR
Kalamandalam Vijayakumar is the Co-Director of the Kala Chethena Kathakali Company, was born in Kerala, South India, trained at the world famous Kerala Kalamandalam, is an outstanding actor, experienced teacher and the leading Kathakali specialist in the UK.
He has performed all over the world to include Indonisia, Brazil, Canada, Finland, India and the UK bringing Kathakali to people of all ages, backgrounds and abilities.
Through his patience and generosity he has taken Kathakali to thousands of people, living in cities, towns and isolated rural areas of the UK from the Isles of Scilly and inner cities to the remote ares of the
Highlands of Scotland.
KALAMANDALAM BARBARA VIJAYAKUMAR
Kalamandalam Barbara Vijayakumar is a Kathakali [Chutti] make up specialist, Co-Director of the Kala Chethena Kathakali Company, visual artist and the workshop co-ordinator.
Barbara trained at Rochdale College of Art, Winchester School of Art and finally the Kerala Kalamandalam, South India as the first female Kathakali Chutti [make up] artist in the world.
Barbara provides the link between Asian and non-Asian culture and is responsible for the structure of the workshops.
Both artists work as a team to establish a greater understanding of Kathakali, and the ancient culture from which it evolved hundreds of years ago.
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THE FORMAT:
The general format for schools and colleges is:
10.30am - 11.30am
WORKSHOP
1.30pm - 3.00pm
Lecture, demonstration and Solo performance featuring the female character.
THE WORKSHOP
The workshops are suitable for all levels of ability from primary to university level of instruction to include all members of the community.
The practical workshops aim to provide a deeper understanding of the stylised performing techniques of a Kathakali actor to include:
1] BODY EXERCISES
movement, control, focus.
2] HAND GESTURES - Asian sign language.
3] FACIAL EXPRESSION -Understanding emotion.
4] CHARACTERS -
body language and gesture.
5] CULTURE - The ancient culture of Kathakali.
6] CHARACTERS - Expressed through body language.
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INTERACTIVE TALK
Kalamandalam Barbara Vijayakumar engages the pupils/students throughout the sessions by asking questions and inviting comments.
The talk includes:
1] The ancient cultural background to Kathakali.
2] How an actor prepares for the performance.
3] The characters, their costumes and make-up.
4] The social background to Kathakali.
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THE DEMONSTRATION
By Kalamandalam Vijayakumar
The demonstration will include:
1] How an actor tells a story through gesture
2] How different cultures tell a story.
3] Facial expression and sign language.
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THE SOLO PERFORMANCE
by Kalamandalam Vijayakumar
THE PERFORMANCE WILL INCLUDE:
An ancient story from the Mahabharatha performed in full costume and make up.
THE PERFORMANCE WILL:
* Bring professional Kathakali into education.
* Encourage people to focus and concentrate.
* Increase the awareness of non-western storytelling
* Experience how a Kathakali actor engages the imagination of the audience to tell the story.
The story reveals how a corrupt King orders a wicked lady to kill the baby Lord Krishna. Although her encounter with the divine child results in death, it ultimately brings salvation and peace.
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NUMBERS
WORKSHOPS
Approximately 35 plus staff
PERFORMANCES
Limited only by the size of the performance space usually between 250 - 400.
We also work with small groups in rural and isolated areas.
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AGES & ABILITIES:
Primary, junior, secondary, college, University, teachers, people with learning difficulties, people with disabilities and professional practitioners.
We work with people with learning difficulties and multiple disabilities who respond well to the colours, facial expressions, us eof emotion, powerful music and stylised gestures.
We also find that people who are profoundly deaf who respond to the 4,000 year old sign language, facial expressions, gesture
We are totally committed to Kathakali in Education to expose Kathakali to children from as young as five
years old.
We tour our own lights, sound system and
slide projector.
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INFORMATION FOR TEACHERS
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KATHAKALI - DRAMA
10 KEY POINTS:
1. KATHA means story and KALI means play -
Kathakali is a DRAMA that uses movement and
emotion to tell a story.
2. A Kathakali artist is called anACTOR and a
performance is called a PLAY . Kathakali is
traditionally by men.
3. Kathakali is an act of DEVOTION based on the
HINDU religion
4. Kathakali is specific to the state of KERALA, South
West India
5. Kathakali is performed by a GROUP of actors,
musicians singers and make up artists who work
as a team to present stories from the ancient Hindu
epics.
6. The actor portrays characters from the ancient epic
stories – Mahabharatha and the Ramayana, to
illustrate that GOOD PREVAILS OVER EVIL.
7. In Kerala, a Kathakali performance is traditionally
performed in temples from DUSK to DAWN and
attended by the whole village after months
of preparation.
8. Thecostumes and make up used in Kathakali is
stunning. The costumes take months of work by
skilled crafts people to make. The three-
dimensional make up [made from rice paste and
paper] is unique to Kathakali and takes hours to
apply by a specifically trained person called a
CHUTTI ARTIST.
9. The actor uses a SEED from a flower to die the eyes
red to make the characters look as if they are from
the world of the GODS.
10. The actor shows respect to the stage before
starting the performance as the stage is considered
to be sacred.
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TO BOOK KATHAKALI
Please contact:
KATHAKALI
1 Holland Road
Woolston
Southampton
Hampshire
SO19 9FW
UK
Tel: 00 44 [0] 23 80 420114
Fax: 00 44 [0] 23 80 444468.
e-mail: info@kathakali.net
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