Integrating the Principles of Taal Dasa Prana into Kathak Training: A Study on Improving Rhythmic Precision and Execution for Beginner Students

Abstract

Over the past few decades, North Indian Kathak dance has become popular and widespread throughout Sri Lanka. The subject of Kathak dance has also been established in the Sri Lankan university system. Given the emphasis on practical training in the Kathak dance syllabi of Sri Lankan universities, there is a gap between the academic foundation and practical activities. Due to the lack of formal study of the basic rhythmic principles ‘Taal Dasa Prana’, beginner-level students face challenges in layakari and Bandish creation. The primary objective of this research is to study the role of ‘Taal Dasa Prana’ in developing the rhythmic competence of Kathak dance beginner students. In this study, the central research problem is to examine how the inadequacy in the integration of principles of Taal Dasa Prana in Kathak training methods affects students’ rhythmic competence as well as deeper knowledge of Taal. This research used a qualitative research methodology, and the study draws its sample from university students and experts in the field of Kathak in Sri Lanka and India. Primary data were collected through interviews and questionnaires, while secondary data were gathered from library studies. The collected information was analyzed using thematic, content, and comparative analysis methods. This research employed the theoretical framework of ‘Taal Dasa Prana’ as explained in texts on Indian classical musicology. The findings indicate that theoretical knowledge of these ten vital elements directly contributes to the precision of a beginner’s learning of rhythm and its execution. Furthermore, ‘Taal Dasa Prana’ is important in practical training and in the creation of Kathak dance compositions, enabling students to grasp the mathematical structures of Taala more effectively. In conclusion, this study confirms that the systematic integration of ‘Taal Dasa Prana’ into Kathak curricula at the university level in Sri Lanka is essential for the long-term professional proficiency of beginners.