Indian Kathakali dancers are the talented artists who have made Kathakali, a popular art form all across the globe. Kathakali is probably the oldest theatre forms in the world. It originated in the state of Kerala and the Kathakali dancers perform a group presentation, in which they act upon various roles which are traditionally based on themes from sacred Hindu mythology, especially the two epics, the Ramayana and the Mahabharata.
The Indian Kathakali dancers are experts in expressing the highly developed language of gesture, through which the artist usually convey whole sentences and stories. The body movements and footwork of these dancers are very rigorous. However, the elaborate make up aids the dancers to a great extent in expressing their story. Apart from facial make up, each Kathakali dancer wears a detailed costume, with a headdress, and several layers of skirts, as well as heavy jewellery, anklets, bracelets and rings.
The music that accompanies the Kathakali dancers during their performance has some similarity to the larger body of South Indian classical music or Carnatic Sangeet, however the instrumentation is distinctly different. The Kathakali dancers perform, accompanied with the orchestra, including two drums known as the chenda and the maddalam, along with cymbals and another percussion instrument. Normally, two singers endow with the vocal accompaniment and the style of singing particular to Kathakali is called Sopaanam. The Kathakali dancers literally involves into the process of "Story-Play". The themes of the Kathakali are usually religious in nature. The Kathakali dancers perform this dance according to a text, which is generally Sanskritised Malayalam. They rely highly on hand gesture or mudra to convey the story.
Kathakali dancers in India are usually only men. Men dressed in women`s costume portray female characters. However, in recent years, women have also started to become Kathakali dancers. Traditionally Kathakali dancers begin the performance in the evening on a raised platform in the temple premises. Two helpers horizontally hold a curtain across the stage behind which the Kathakali dancers appear.
One of the great living Kathakali dancers in Kerala is Guru Ramankutty who teaches and performs all over the world with his troupe. Another well known Guru and practitioner of this style in Bombay is Guru Gopalakrishnan. Guru Kunchu Kurup was the first Kathakali artist to get the Indian national award for this dance form. This Kathakali dancer was honoured with the Padma Shri and Padma Bhushan awards (the highest award for an artist in India). Kalamandalam Kesavan Namboodiri, another great Kathakali dancer learned Kathakali from 1972 to 1983 in Kerala Kalamandalam and was awarded by the Central Govt. Kalamandalam Rajeev, the notable Kathakali dancer learned Kathakali in Kalamandalam and passed Diploma and PG in this dance form. The artist has practiced Kathakali under the expert guidance of Kathakali experts like Mayyanad Kesavan Namboothiri, Kalamandalam Balasubrahmanian, Kalamandalam Vasu Pisharody, Kalamandalam Gopalakrishnan and Kalamandalam Ramdas.
The Kathakali dancers have created the impact of Kathakali to an unimaginable height of expertise and accuracy. They are not only performing in India, but also in other countries during various festivals. This dance form has become an icon of typical Indian classical dance, owing to the contribution of eminent Kathakali dancers.
