INDIAN dance recitals have always been viewed from the narrow perspective of correctness of footwork, grace, agility, expressions and stylistic interpretation, faithful to one ‘classical form’ or the other. That it can also be an exuberant celebration of colour and sound is invariably lost in such clinical analyses.

Colour is most effectively expressed in costume and jewellery, whether it is Bharatnatyam or Odissi, kathakali or kuchipudi. Little known to many, dance costumes are actually a reflection of a glorious era specific to the region where a particular style originated.

"If lehnga-cholis are worn by women in villages of North India, the same costume has been worn by kathak dancers in the region for centuries," says Shobha Narayan, a reputed kathak exponent. "Men wrap a dhoti around their waist, usually leaving their torsos bare unless they prefer wearing kurta-pyjamas."

Historical inaccuracies can also be detected, going by the association of dance costumes with local lifestyles. As Narayan puts it: "Churidar-angarkhas are said to be a Mughal import. But sculptures of the Gupta and even Mauryan period show women dressed in similar costumes hundreds of years earlier."

Silk is ideal for kathak because of its unique footwork, but of late, lighter fabrics have come in to enable flaring up during the pirouettes. Some dancers have started using zari (gold thread)-embroidered hems, instead of the multi-coloured borders of yore.

In Bharatnatyam, too, the costume has undergone some transformation. As against the traditional three-pleat ensemble, dancers are now using the V-shaped fan in a pleated style. Many performers even tuck in a fan on the side as a touch of novelty, observes dance critic Shanta Sarabjeet Singh.

The skirt costumes of smaller Bharatnatyam shows are suitable for dancers over 15 years of age. Younger girls usually stick to kanjeevaram or dharmavaram sarees, Chinese silks or poly-cotton. A beautiful pallu in the front gives a grand look to the ensemble.

For kuchipudi dancers also, the pleated fan in front is a common feature. A long pleat in the centre with a border and a back katcham (piece of cloth) makes for a typical kuchipudi costume. The tight-fitting pyjamas and blouse are both made from a single silk saree with borders on both sides.

"A half-saree with a pleated front called padam is also worn by some dancers", informs Kaushalya Reddy, a noted kuchipudi exponent. "In this case, the pallu goes round the waist and is finally draped over the left shoulder of the dancer."

She explains that in the mid-eighties, her husband Raja Reddy insisted on fin-like extensions for his pyjama edges. On another occasion, he got a tailor to stitch corded pleats in his pyjamas to resemble the costumes depicted on ancient sculptures.

The dancing couple has also experimented with new colours for costumes, moving away from the conventional red, mango, yellow and green to brown, pink and mauve. Raja often discards the pyjamas for an unorthodox dhoti, which enables more flexibility in movements.

Likewise, in odissi, many innovations have crept in. Earlier, the dancer wrapped the saree like a dhoti and the pleated pallu was left hanging just above the knees. The blouse was tailored from the same saree material and a thin georgette dupatta (held by a silver waistband) was tied around the hips in a big bow.

Today, as odissi danseuse Sonal Mansingh points out, the entire costume is made from a single silk saree and the georgette or tissue dupatta has been dispensed with. Front cross-pleats and a back katcham have been introduced while the pallu is allowed to fall below the knees, often touching the ankles.

In sharp contrast, there is the most unostentatious, yet elegant mohiniattam costume comprising a beautiful white kasavu saree with gold-embroidered borders. White jasmine flowers tucked around a French bun at the side of the head, complete the dancer’s look.

Within the same region, Kerala, the kathakali dancers present yet another picture of contrast. Dressed in multi-coloured silks, elaborate headgear, masks and make-up, the larger-than-life characters dramatise episodes from mythology through acrobatic movements in step with vigorous drumbeats.

The aim of a kathakali show is to narrate a story with characters who are supernatural beings. To the trained eye, their make-up is easily recognisable as satvik or god-like, rajasik or heroic and tamasik or demonic. The underlying theme of every recital is the classic triumph of good over evil. (MF)