Ryan and the Kathakali Dancers

While biking through Kerala, I had the chance to solve Uday Bhosale's mission and become a Kathakali dancer. See more at http://www.ryanestrada.com/expeditions

Category:

Travel & Events

Tags:

• expeditions
• expedition
• travel
• adventure
• India
• Kerala
• Periyar
• Kathikali
• Mudra
• Costume
• Dance
• dancing
• makeup
• traditional

[fez30756750]

typical westerner mock what they dont understand!!!

[ryanestradadotcom]

What am I mocking. exactly? I was studying what I didn't understand, which is how you come to understand things.

[captainagk]

Ryan

You know better than that. Hope you got some satisfaction out of mocking kathakali. It takes students a life time to learn their character, they earn a living from it. They devote their life to the art form and for the teachers. But I guess some of them are willing to degrade themselves for dollars. Please dont do this to the next country you go to.

[ryanestradadotcom]

I've gotten this reaction a few time, and I really don't understand it! In what way was I mocking or degrading the art form? I am an artist. I am passionate about it. I have devoted my life to perfecting my craft. And I would encourage everyone to try it. No matter how good, or bad they were at it. That's the point of art, to experience, to pass on, to share. Anyway, if you disagree, feel free to insult me all you want, but the performers I worked with were passionate artists, not sellouts.

[semtiavalon]

how come it ended so soon? was in suspense to see you dance! or is that gonna be a later video? and great job on everything you do love your vids :)

[ryanestradadotcom]

I was dancin'! I didn't get to dance too long because the makeup and lesson took so long, I think I used up all those guys' time, and they had to hurry up and get ready for their own show!

[siskue2007]

the reason why we get offended is coz MOST of the characters are Hindu gods and also Hindu legend characters.....so if you do like this its like offending our gods.... Kathakalli history >> it was started as a dance form for pleasing Lord Krishna (krishnanaattam) from there its progressed to this form...so its like offending our gods

For example if there is a dance form for Jesus Christ and his disciple..... how will you feel if we fool around with that dance???

[siskue2007]

how much did you pay??

well i am a bit offended by what you did here

But i know as you dont understand the cultural correlation of kathakali

i will blame the institution who allowed such a thing

[desichick]

wow.....much respect for attempting to learn this artform. Your expressions were very nice :-)

How long did it take you to get ready?

[dethica]

c'mon im indian. i didnt see what was so offensive about this. maybe the instructors did their facial expressions a bit jokingly...but whatever. not bad for a beginner ryan!

[kennethhamilton]

Awesome. My family is from Kerala and would be pleased to see your efforts to learn more about different cultures. Well done.

[kennethhamilton]

@fez30756750 My family is from Kerala and they are very proud Indians and openly share their culture with my American boyfriend. Sadly, you are not understanding the efforts of Ryan. Give him credit for trying to understand the world. What have you learned about other cultures lately? In what ways have your actions been judged and deemed shallow or mocking? Think about yourself and your own actions before you go judging someone else.

[steelhead522]

Very nice. Surfing around, looking for a short kathakali snippet to show to a class to demonstrate stylized uses of rasa theory, stock character and expression types, this is the best I found. The students enjoyed it, and I've enjoyed your other vids.

[Moharani21]

did a great job--next time ask the guy to give you more intro tho hahahahaa