July 1st, 2010 by soul4dance

Guru Munna Shukla is a happy spirit given to saying, “I am sinking in my art, and loving it!” Retired some years are ago from Kathak Kendra, where he were dedicated much of his productive life to polishing performer s of the new generation, he have been busy to running the classes in East Delhi as well as at Bharatiya Kala Kendra. His approach to Kathak is loyally bound to the school that were he was born to his grandfather was the legendary Kathak maestro Achhan Maharaj, and guru is Pandit Birju Maharaj, the current doyen of the Lucknow gharana . Munnaji’s approach to choreography has always eluded stereotyping.

Dance

How has your approach to dance changed with age?

Now a day’s spiritual and devotional themes are attract me. Bhagwan, Ishwar and Paramatma these are not synonyms, but that it totally different in my opinion. I am also thinking a lot of about the nature. From my childhood, as I didn’t get a chance to study I engrossed myself in the theory, literature and philosophy of Dance, and this have influenced my dance and teaching.

How has this translated into your choreographic work?

Now a years I am a less attracted towards the ‘dhoom dharaka’ of fast, amazing footwork, etc. Certainly, I still do present it, but I was enjoying choreographing on the theme of nature. Even when I am working on some rhythmic element, such as a Tura, I like to introduce a nature that are related logic into it say, storm clouds gathering, etc.

How do you see the relationship between music and choreography?

It is an inextricable and slight relationship with us. Sometimes I feel that music should not even be very noisy. I like the dance to show up in my relief against the music. If the music is simple, the dance can be complicated.

Also, sometimes I difference the rhythms. For example if the music is playing a rhythm of four, the dance might be set to a pattern of three. I find these are more interesting than setting the dance exactly according to the music.