Indian Carnatic music can be traced back over 5,000 years of oral tradition passed down from Guru (teacher) to Sishya (student). The most important feature of this tradition is improvisation. Improvisation is done in two basic forms, Ragas (melodies) and Talas (cyclic rhythm). Indian Carnatic music also includes various unique instruments such as the Nadaswarm,…
West African Drumming in the Djembe Tradition
In African culture, the drum has been a significant form of communication to convey important information, whether that be signals of danger or of celebration. The Djembe, in particular, is a type of goblet drum played by hand that originates from the Bambara peoples in Mali. The name comes from the saying “Anke djé, anke…
Decoding Finer Techniques & Nuances of Bharatnatyam
Bharatnatyam is an ancient dance form of South Indian dating back to the 2nd century BC. It combines three aspects of dance: Nritta, Nritya, and Natya. Nritta is a combination of vigorous, complicated rhythmic footwork. Nritya refers to the danced interpretation of a poem or work of literature expressed as song. Natya is a drama…