Moods and Seasons
| Series name | Kathak & Odissi |
| Description | The following images are flyers for Pushpalata Dance Company’s production of ‘Moods and Seasons’ at the Paul Robeson Theatre in Hounslow, London, 1996. Under the artistic direction of Priya Pawar and Dr Raka Mukhpadhyay, the choreography explored the essence of Odissi, which uses sculptural postures and flowing movements to express a range of emotions, the intricate footwork of Kathak, and folk dances. The music for the program was commissioned from India. |
| Date of Creation / Publication | 1993 |
| Creator | Pushpalata Dance Company |
| Associated Person/ Organisation | Pawar, Priya |
| Location | |
| Collection and Reference Number | Pushpalata Dance Company (GB 2661 PD) |
| Catalogue Number | PD/KO/1 |
| Copyright | |
| Access to originals | The originals belong to Priya Pawar. |
| Series notes | Priya Pawar first specialised in the Indian classical dance Kathak which originated in Northern India. Although it began as a form of storytelling in the temples of Northern India, it later flourished in the courts of the Mughal kings and is known for its intricate footwork and spectacular pirouettes (chakkar) and footwork (tatkar). There are two distinct schools of Kathak, the Lucknow Gharana and the Jaipur Gharana, and Priya Pawar specialises in the former. The Lucknow school flourished in the courts of the Mughal kings while the Jaipur style retained its Hindu influence in storytelling. Odissi, on the other hand, is one of the oldest classical dance forms in India and began in the temples as a form of devotional dance. Despite its ancient origins, Odissi went into decline in the 17th century and later faced censorship from British authorities. Odissi was revived through the efforts of a group of concerned teachers and practitioners and was reconstructed based on the study of sculptural reliefs found at the Konarak temple in Orissa. Pawar has choreographed and directed numerous Kathak and Odissi performances with the dance company Triveni, her own company, Pushpalata,and as a solo artist. The digitised items consist of flyers and photographs. |
| Collection notes | The digitised materials from the Pushpalata Dance Company consist of documentation such as flyers and photographs of Priya Pawar’s performances such as ‘Chitrangada’, ‘Chandalika, The Outcaste’, Kathak-Odissi performances and various others. In addition, photographs and leaflets relating to her previous dance company, Triveni, her community, outreach and education work and biographical information are also included. |
