You could break out of the perfect lines for a moment and come back to them, but if you make a crooked line your influence on the viewer is not as profound or orderly as if that line is pleasing.  Unless the crooked lines are so full of a natural flow that you create order differently.  But if you do it through beauty of line, that is one path.  People might not even understand why they enjoyed the shapes or the dance piece but they will experience it.

To me the elements of the spiritual in dance are 1) consciousness of the performer; 2)intention of the performer; 3) lyrical content; 4)music; 5)technique/precision/confidence; 6)reverence.   Elaborating on these elements:

The more the dancer is awake to the subtle currents within the body and also the basis of those currents in eternal silent witness awareness, the more of a transmission can occur.  And then, there could be the language used by those subtle forces – the training of the body, the conscious intention of the dancer in the moment.   I think the temple dances use of gesture is profound for two reasons: one is that the mudras themselves create subtle energies that relate to archetypes.  And not just energetically, but through the narratives and their emotions, our imaginations are stirred and our hearts opened.  We experience emotion outside of the daily life causes of those emotions, so we see them from further away.  The second reason is maybe the ornateness of the gestures but this is true of pure movement as well. Indian dance, like Inidan classical music, divides the space so to speak into so many intricate pieces.  When you look at a Persian rug, your mind has so many small delicate places to investigate.  I think Eastern traditions in general have gone into details so beautifully that our senses our enchanted and the broad canvas of creativity is divied up so infititesimally that the mind loses itself.  This is the value of ornamentation and soemthing the Kathaks incorporated more and more during the Moghul reign.  During that artistic renaissance the tabla playing, the dancers, the recitation of bols, supposedly became much more virtuoso.  But that complexity is everywhere in Indian art and also within that complexity is the intention to gain Samadhi, reverence, understanding.  That underlying intention makes it sacred.  And so must the underlying understanding of the influence of various sounds and the relationship of notes to one another.  So can we create spirituality in dance without all these elements or in different combinations?  Perhaps one or more of these elements can be present to the maximum degree and that will compensate for some lack in another.  To me there is a meeting point between the ancient laws, the science of sound and geometry, and the spontaneous cognition or transmission of the deeper energies within us, through our ability to move innocently from those impulses.   The work of people like Renee Jeffus and the tantric embodiment practices, all strive to first connect with our whole self and then move from there.  How that takes place and the degree to which one can do it is a glorious mystery.  I just want everything I know (and don’t know) to get used in the service of bliss.  To say it another way, Devi, dance me.  And  any gifts I have, just use them fully.  Actualization is just being willing to share everything we are, without holding back.  Stepping into that is probably only going to get more frightening and more fulfilling, ultimately.

ART IN MOTION – April Artwalk is dance month and bollywood dancing will be part of the fun.  Wendy and Sankari and the Wednesday night Level II  students will dance Mauja Hi Mauja from Jab We Met.  Wendy will also perform Aja Nachle!  That’s Friday April 2nd 8 pm at the Soundheim.  Admission is $3 if they do it like last year.

April 23rd we are invited to dance in the Iowa Dance Fest in Iowa City.  It’s on Facebook.  One number.

Bollywoodiowa will be doing a full show in the fall as a benefit for KRUU!  September something.

Bridge View in Ottumwa – Kathak and Bollywood with Wendy Stegall

7-8 pm Free and Open to the Public!

Photo by Werner Elmker

I am more in love with dance than ever, but when I practice a dance, or when I am moving just for fun by myself, I dance better and am happier when I’m dressed up.  I know that I need the “character” of the dancer for my confidence.  In the costume, I feel more myself.  When I dance a piece I know I come out in a way that is more fiery and confident than my daily self.  At least it used to be true. Maybe I’ve grown into my dresses more fully.

Beauty is crucial to me.  A friend of mine who is a jazz and modern dancer was lamenting the weight of bollywood jewelry.  For me that weight is pure bliss.  The look and feel of that heavy mass of shining jewels (real or fake) is interwoven with the bliss of movement.  The illusions created by fabric, the enhancement of the feminine figure by a fitted shirt, tight sleeves, see thru sleeves maybe, a skirt that flares with turns, is vital to my inner experience.

My inner experience, whether its fully realized or only a longing is for the celestial.  Costumes are the material pathway to the celestial.  They remind us of the energetic world beyond matter.  Colors are energy and beautiful lines are Mother Divine to me. I want to radiate the essence of moving vibrant femininity.

I was always girly.  My outfits had to match and were conscious and colorful.  when I was twelve I used to get to sleep by designing outfits for everyone in my class, boys AND girls.

I live in my vision of costumes.  Every day my day is filled with images of costumes.  Getting dressed, I wish I had 5 mannequins to dress up. One outfit is not enough!  My love of bollywood has brought me further into the world of the fancy.  Many times, the dresses are much fancier than most Kathak costumes.   And they are usually more revealing.  The thing is to find what is most appealing and flattering on one’s own figure.

Seductress is an aspect of the Divine feminine.  Afterall, in classical Indian dances, a central theme is flirtation, whether its Parvati luring Shiva from his samadhi or Radha looking for Krishna or, in bollywood, a young woman enjoying her power over a crowd of men, (Aja Nachle) it is that coyness and sensual reveling in the human form that is as intoxicating as the music, the movements and the lyrics.  It is symbolic of the senses giving pleasure so that the mind is charmed and follows the senses deeper and deeper in.  All the Way IN.

MY FIRST INDIAN DANCE COSTUME

I was in Ahmedebad at the Kadamb center for Dance and Music, studying Kathak in 2000.  I had not yet owned an official “Moghul-style” costume, but had always put together whatever I had in order to make a costume for performing. I had not performed very much yet.  I always preferred the vest over a tight dress and flared skirt that is the Kathak style used for technique dancing.  It is from the Moghul court dancer look and it was inspried partly by the Sufi circle skirts they use in Dervish turns. 

I went to a fabric shop and spent at least an hour selecting the exact shade of periwinkle for the leggings and the dress.  Some other Americans had arrived at the school and they were more experienced than me at shopping for costume material so I went with them.  When I had my fabric I was trying to decide what to do for the long scarf (dupatta) when I noticed some fabric that would match what Megan was having made.  We asked the sales person to show it to us and not only did Megan love the piece I’d seen, but next to it was a lovely lavender-periwinkle patterned scarf woven with silver lurex.  When they unfolded it for me, I had that sensation of perfection and I bought it and went to the tailor to have the costume made.  It was so fulfilling to have the exact thing made to fit perfectly and to come closer to the moment I’d seen in my mind for years: performing in that costume.  Spinning, slapping my feet and moving my hands and eyes with as much precision and love as I could find in me.    That costume is gone now. I wore it many many times and actually, no other has fit me quite so well.   But remembering it makes me commit to wearing things that reflect my exact taste.  I feel my own link to Devi through the expression of my taste, my look, and my joy in the fabric of life.   Purusha is silken silence. Devi is the material world and all its sparkle.

The Elements

We are therefore seeking dancers with training in any major dance style and are also willing to train as part of the company practices.  Our mission is the transmission of the sacred feminine as well as the pure joy and fun of dance to all who witness our creations or join us in sharing them.  We will engage in both choreography and improvisation.  In a full life with little time or funding, we will gracefully find a way to bring this into our lives on a regular basis and let it unfold as it will, with the intention to share this artform in as big a way as is supported by Mother Divine herself.  Details and requriements follow:

• Kathak: basic footwork and movements/turns – training available in six-week sessions, with some scholarships available based on necessity.
• Bharata Natyam: basic mudras, poses, footwork and turns – training incorporated into practice time to some extent.
• Prior dance experience preferred in any of the major dance disciplines OR a strong commitment to learning classical Indian dance.

• Time to meet at least once a week.
• Willingness, strength and flexibility to work on complex choreographies under the direction of Sankari and Wendy.  Group project choreographies will also give dancers a chance to create together and gain experience in choreography or bring their past skills to the group.
• Passion for dance of course and passion especially for Indian and Bollywood dancing.

• Age requirements will make themselves clearer as we go. We will also have a back-up group of dancers who are less experienced but who can be great in the choruses, and/or in particular dances.
• Live in or around Fairfield, IA or be here for a substantial amount of time each year.

The name of the troupe is being decided but will be associated with Bollywoodiowa!  Some possibilities are: Sacred Seduction Dance; Dil Se Dancers (from the heart) Dil Se “Rays”, Blue Pearl Dancers.   If you have some ideas, bring em on!  Contact Wendy at wendy@bollywoodiowa.com.      Have a Wonderful Day!

yet another Madhuri Dixit!  Has the upbeat liveliness of bollywood but the mime is almost as refined as pure Kathak.  That’s due to Madhuri’s perfection.  The costumes are so grand.  I seem to favor both the highly classical on one end of the spectrum and the strongly hip-hop flavored on the other.  And right now, Radhika’s picking both kinds!   thanks R!

PS – longing for the glamor of bollywood and I want my classes to make people feel that glamor and that they’re at an event!  – w

Enjoy this dance by the Queen of Bollywood dance – you can see her Kathak training in this.

Namaste!

Wendy

Soak about  a cup and a half of chanas in a crock pot (it’s so easy that way) overnight and cook on low the next day, all day. When they’re done (about 8 hours) spice them as follows: fry in ghee  some fresh ginger (or cook it in with the dahl) – add:

1 T cumin seeds, red chilis (1-2), 1/2 t mustard seeds, 1 t kolonji.  When the mustard seeds pop add some curry leaves and let sizzle for a few seconds before adding to the dahl pot.  Add 1 t salt or more and some lime juice or lemon if you like.  Add some coriander powder and some garam masala, fresh or bought.  You can vary this spicing. Suppose you used mustard seeds in something else. Then leave them out.  Use more spices than you might think if you’re not having luck with making really good dahl.  You can get curry leaves at Everybody’s (my Fairfield darlings).   Also, chop some cilantro to put in before serving.

Uuntil next time, love wendy

Saif Ali Khan is the main guy.  We gotta dance this on Monday nights.  C’mon, you guys can add some videos too!

Mary Downing's Indian Birthday Party

This gig was fun because I found out ahead of time which movies were some of Mary’s favorite and I happened to have learned a dance from Dost, which was one of them, so I could perform Madaladla (“Mama’s Boy”) especially for the birthday girl (50th birthday). After  performing “Aja Nachle” I immediately put on bhangra music and got many of  the guests to join me.  Her home is gorgeous with a backyard full of exotic flowers.  Jeet from the OM store showed up when I was done and painted Mehindi on all who wished.  I also danced for Niki Herbst’s sister’s wedding shower earlier in the summer.

Fusion Choreography to a song on Buddha Chillout Lounge

Tom Morgan’s benefit concert in August 2009.   We had all kinds of dance in this show.  This is my “ecstatic dance” variety.

Jonas Magram’s Annucal  Children’s Benefit Concert at the Soundheim.  Level II bw students performed Jai Ho, choreographed by Wendy and Sankari and Manilah Shah.  December 2009.

here’s the video: Jai Ho! (From Slumdog Millionnaire)