Fourth week of class - beginning to understand the character dances

This week was certainly an interesting week that I really made me happy but that is not to say that there weren't some problems. But, nothing too big that I couldn't handle. On Monday afternoon, we started class by reviewing our dance maneuvers that Kalyani(sp) taught us. Most of our feet were aching by the end of class from either doing the exercise correct or wrong.

The problem with doing a dance measured by the pain u experience at first is that if I do it right it will hurt but if I do it wrong and hurt myself in the same location unknowingly on my body, then I can't know if I'm doing it right or not. However, the pain is only on the bottom of my feet and my calves so it's fairly easy to know if you're doing it right.

But, I digress. We practiced the Mudras and dance steps with Kalyani. Then, we starting practicing the triple circles that are what the monkeys would do. It consists of a basic step with hands on our hips that starts in a line and goes into three circles along with the recitation of "Ohm." I'm beginning to like the monkey role because the monkeys seem to have the most fun in the act as they have to act like monkeys and have to act wild as if monkeys.

On Wednesday, we had a new guru along with Kalyani. We learned three new dance moves that were a little difficult to learn at first that incorporated two old Mudras and one new Mudra that reminded me of a Kung Fu move. The feet movements were very similar for all of them and they were incorporated into a combo move that consisted of all the new steps. I had some trouble at first but I felt like I was getting it by the end of the lesson. We practiced it by going around in a circle with the maneuver which was a good exercise but there was a little lack of room.

After Kalyani's lesson, we did an exercise with cups on our heads as crowns that was used to make our posture a lot better when we danced. We walked across the room, in a regular step but with our hands in the two Mudras that were used to represent a bow like that of Rama's and Lakshmana's. After that, we learned exactly how to walk like Rama and Lakshmana. Rama is more extravagant in his bow posture and more heroic feeling to the stance. Lakshmana is more practical and like a bodyguard. While Rama walks, or rather travels through the jungle, Lakshmana circles Rama quickly like a single bodyguard in order to protect him.

After that exercise, we sat in a circle and essentially, we practiced a beat and talked about the summoning of Sita in terms of the dance.

I really liked the classes this week. In terms of Ramayana, I'm getting farther but it's hard to describe a point, but I'm making progress.

'Till next time, I'm still me,
bye