カタック人間国宝パンディト・ビルジュー・マハーラージ
インド4大古典舞踊の一つで、インド北部にて「カタカ」と呼ばれるヒンドゥー教の語り部たちが神話を伝道して歩いたことが起源とされています。カタカたちはダンス、歌、音楽を通じて、叙事詩と古代神話の物語を伝えてきました。
足首にグングルという鈴を100〜200個つけて裸足で足を打ち鳴らすのが特徴で、北インドのジプシーが発祥のフラメンコにも影響を与えたとも言われています。その歴史は紀元前5世紀頃まで遡ります。16世紀以降はイスラム王朝のムガル帝国時代に宮廷に庇護され、貴族の娯楽として親しまれて宮廷舞踊として発展しました。このようにカタックダンスは長い歴史の中で、ヒンドゥーの神に捧げる祈りの舞と、イスラム宮廷舞踊としての華やかで高度な技術という複合的な文化と要素が融合された踊りと言えます。
指導協力｜MIYABIカタックダンスアカデミー
足技はフラメンコダンサーの得意分野ですが、言葉が慣れず、戸惑いました。何より裸足でいい音を出すのって、難しい！今まで靴にずいぶん頼っていたんだなぁ、と痛感。また神話の踊りなので、踊ることで心が浄化されるという話が印象的でした。フラメンコは嘆きや悲しみの歌を踊ることが多いので、舞台で踊ると心身ともに消耗します。
踊る目的が違うので、違う踊りに触れるのは緊張しますが、フレッシュな気分になれますね。フラメンコの起源とも言われているので、共通点と違いが知れたのが楽しかったですが、比較的歴史の浅いフラメンコに対して、長い歴史で培われたカタックダンスの奥深さ、懐の深さが羨ましくもありました。
Padma Vibhushan Pt. Birju Maharaj
Kathak is one of the four major forms of Indian classical dance, originally started from Katahars, storytellers in ancient northern India. Wandering Kathakars communicated stories from mythology through dance, songs and music.
Kathak dancers tell various stories through their hand movements and footwork, wearing small bells (Ghungroo) on their ankles. There are certain influence in flamenco which originates in gypsies in north India−two dances share many visual and rhythmic similarities.
Its history goes back to the 5th century BC. During the medieval period, Kathak became a part of court culture, performed under the patronage of India’s Persian kings and Muslim moghuls.
After the 16th century, it was protected by the court during the Mughal Empire of the Islamic dynasty, and was popular as an entertainment for aristocrats and developed as a court dance. Through its long history, Kathak is a dance that combines the culture and elements such as a ritual dance dedicated to the god and a gorgeous and advanced technique as an Islamic court dance.
Footwork and rhythm were somehow similar to flamenco so it was not hard to understand, but the word to express the rhythm such as “Ta Tei Tei Tah” was something unfamiliar and took time to get used to it.
It was surprising that Kathak dancer can make a sharp sound with barefoot! I always make steps with shoes on, so found it quite different.
It was impressive to hear that she feels purified while dancing, since it is a mythical dance. Flamenco often dances songs of mourning and sorrow (of gypsy), I feel exhausted both physically and mentally after the show. Well, I guess the purpose of to dance is different, and I felt fresh to experience a different dance.
Kathak is said to be the origin of flamenco, so it was fun to know both the similarities and differences. Flamenco has a relatively short history, so I was a bit jealous of the depth of kathak dance cultivated over a long history.