Nepal Dance School News

Where did the capital of Nepal get its name?

2010-01-21T19:03:00.003-05:00

The name "Kathmandu" originated from two words, kath - meaning wood - and mando - or mandap, meaning house - as most of the buildings were constructed from wood, and then beautifully ornamented. The capital was still called "Kantipur" up until the seventeenth century. No one can overstate the religious, cultural, and traditional importance of the Valley to the people, and Kathmandu as the heart of the country. This is why many hill groups in the upper elevations still often say, "Nepal jaanne" (I am going to Nepal) when they set off for the capital.

Winter News 2010

2010-01-21T18:47:00.002-05:00

NDS has kicked off a new series of Bollywood dance classes at Audrey Moore ReCenter designed to accommodate busy teens and adults. You can register directly with the Center at 703-321-7081. We are also offering Bollywood at the India International School on Saturday mornings from 11:30 to 12:30. For those who just want a taste of Bollywood, please join us for one of our Workhouse Workshops. Details are available on our calendar and at Lorton Arts.

Starting in February we will be giving after school enrichment classes for students in two levels at Ft. Hunt. Please contact the school directly for further information at 703-619-2600.

NDS will be touring all around the state for YAV in the coming months presenting our Himalayan Trails and Kathak/Bollywood programs. We look forward to meeting and working with all of your children and staff members!

What is tatkar?

2009-11-02T22:16:00.002-05:00

Tatkar is footwork. The patterns and styles vary greatly and emphasis is placed on producing a sound from the feet as well as from the ghungharoos (bells). Most Kathak performances feature tatkar, which highlights a dancer's technical skill, stamina, and artistry. Often, a dancer will sing a series of bols, or syllabic sounds, in a particular taal, or rhythmic cycle, followed by the tatkar.

What is a hasta mudra?

2009-05-14T22:33:00.004-04:00

There are two types of hasta mudras, or hand signs, in Kathak dance. Asanyukt mudras use one hand; sanyukt mudras use both hands. The most commonly recognized asanyukt mudra is pataka, which keeps all of the fingers of the right hand straight, with the thumb touching the first finger.

A pataka can be used to show blessings, to stop someone, or to break something, and meanings vary from 'no' to representing the wind and a river.

Where did Bollywood dance originate?

2009-04-28T16:53:00.003-04:00

The origins of Bollywood lie in Urdu theater and street plays known as nautanki. Many of the basic steps, of which there are over seven hundred, are derived from classical Indian dance. Bollywood is a highly aerobic style of modern dance that has gained popularity primarily due to the explosion of Bollywood films across the globe. Today, many choreographers create a style of dance known as "fusion," which integrates steps from both classical and Bollywood dance.

What is a chakkar?

2009-04-20T15:57:00.002-04:00

A chakkar is a fast spin. It requires good balance control, proper position, stamina, and speed to be correctly executed. Young dancers begin to practice chakkars at an early age, starting with a nine-count circle, then moving down in counts until they have perfected the circle of one. Experienced artists have been known to perform over one hundred continuous chakkars and then come to a complete and total stop. The chakkar is one of the famed elements in Jaipur Gharana Kathak dance.

What is the namaskar we do at the beginning and end of each class, and what does it mean?

2009-03-17T23:47:00.000-04:00

Dancers traditionally do the namaskar which is both a greeting and an invocation to the god, asking for help, and also forgiveness from Mother Earth for pounding on her. All dances are done barefoot, as leather is not worn by Hindus. There are many different forms and styles of namaskar, depending on the artist’s preference and training.

NDS Introduces “Haptako Prashna ra Uttar” – Weekly Question and Answer Segment

2009-03-17T23:45:00.001-04:00

Join us every week for a new fast fact about dance, religion, culture, music, and heritage from the Himalayan region and the Indian subcontinent. We will explore the most commonly asked questions, and bring you unusual facts and interesting topics.

Early Spring Update

2009-03-17T23:42:00.002-04:00

For your convenience India International School and Workhouse classes are listed on our calendar. Fairfax County school-based Bollywood classes may be found in the ParkTakes magazine.

Lastly, we are pleased to announce that NDS is now offering a variety of instruments and accessories for sale. Also available are supplies for Kathak dance, including original music for artists of all ages and levels. Items may be purchased via PayPal or ordered onsite with one of our instructors.

New Location: Lorton Workhouse

2009-03-11T13:19:00.002-04:00

Perhaps our most exciting news is the start of Nepal Dance School at the Workhouse in Lorton, Virginia. All classes and workshops will be conducted in wood-floored and mirrored professional dance studios. Classical Indian Kathak classes will taught on Sundays to live music. Ghungharoos (bells) will be available for purchase through NDS. Bollywood classes will be held on Tuesday afternoons and throughout Sunday as well. Tabla instruction will be starting early April for beginners and advanced students. Instruments may be rented or purchased from NDS for this class.

In addition, NDS is offering a number of Bollywood one day Workshops on Sundays throughout Spring and Summer. Dates and times can be found in the Workhouse catalog or online.

The Workhouse is offering a special bonus for people who register early! Please go here for exact times, fees, location, and registration details (either use the search function or click more->dance and browse for our classes). Printed catalogs are available upon request from the Workhouse, or from NDS at one of our current teaching locations.

Spring Classes

2009-03-11T13:08:00.000-04:00

Classes will be continuing this spring for Kathak and Bollywood. Please check our links for Fairfax County ParkTakes and the India International School for updates about times, locations, and pricing for Spring classes. For those who wish to plan ahead for Summer, kindly schedule your preferred time now, as slots fill fast, and we would like to accommodate everyone in the best way.

Winter Tour in North Carolina

2009-03-11T12:08:00.003-04:00

We were invited to come to North Carolina on tour for global education projects, which included performances for middle school and college level students in the Appalachian Mountains. The Bollywood dance workshops that followed these programs were a great success. It was wonderful welcoming students of local dance styles, such as clogging, to learn modern and Nepali folk dance. The area and residents were extraordinarily friendly and welcoming, and we look forward to being invited back again later this year for more programs and workshops.

New Videos, Classes, and Performance!

2008-11-14T16:09:00.003-05:00

We hope you will check out some of our newly-posted video clips on YouTube. They feature small excerpts from our many programs. Your comments and suggestions are always welcome! Don't forget to subscribe so that you can keep up with our newest videos.

Fall classes for Fairfax County will be ending shortly. We will be resuming an expanded schedule after January 3rd, 2009. Be sure to register early to avoid being waitlisted. India School Kathak classes continue into next year, with breaks for Thanksgiving and the Christmas holidays. Private classes are ongoing, and times and days will remain the same for all students unless otherwise noted.

Tasherit Dahal will be participating with other local dancers in “Katha” on November 22 at the Gunston Theatre on South Lang Street. This I.D.E.A. program starts at 3:30 P.M. and is a wonderful event for families. Tickets can be purchased online. We hope to see you there!

Fall Tour

2008-11-14T16:07:00.001-05:00

Nepal Dance School has had a very busy Fall Season, starting with our early October double feature presentation at the National Theatre in Washington D.C. The evening gave us an opportunity to showcase an overview of several rarely-seen dances from Nepal. We particularly enjoyed the dynamic audience Q & A after each of the programs. Here is what Dr. Murphy, President and Executive Director of the National Theatre had to say:

“To All the Dahals - It is I who should be thanking you for such a delightful evening of elegance and expertise. With words as well as choreography you took us magically into the rich culture of Nepal reflected in delicate gestures, lovely dance, tinkling bells and flashing costumes! And you were a joy to work with: decisive, cooperative, warm, and friendly.”

We greatly appreciate all the staff at National Theatre for making our experience there unforgettable!

NDS recently returned from a terrific tour around Virginia, performing and presenting our unique programs at a variety of venues. We wish to thank Young Audiences of Virginia for making it possible for us to reach such a wide spectrum audience: our tour went into elementary and middle schools, local and state afterschool programs, as well as entertaining the wonderful people at VDOT during their Multi-Cultural Festival.

We greatly appreciate the delightful welcome we were given everywhere, and the great support from educators and school personnel. Most of all, we were thrilled to see the enthusiasm and high-power participation by our audiences (students and staffers alike!!), who learned about the cultural heritage of the Himalayan land of Nepal, and danced Bollywood, Kathak, Buddhist and Nepalese Folk Dance with us. You were awesome!!

September News

2008-09-19T23:40:00.003-04:00

Check out the latest info about Nepal Dance School's upcoming performance on October 6 at the National Theatre in the Washington Post. We are very excited to be presenting a variety of traditional and modern dances for Monday Night audiences!

Please note that registration for the Fall Semester at Durga Temple is this Sunday, September 21st. Classes start at 12:15 for Level I Adults, and for Children (All Levels). Advanced students, with several semesters of dance experience, may register for the Level II Bollywood at 1:15.

Nepal Dance School will also be appearing at International Diversity Day for Virginia's Department of Transportation on September 24th, presenting a Himalayan Program through Young Audiences of Virginia.

October schedules for school programs will be posted at the beginning of next month.

We look forward to seeing everyone in our County classes, starting this Monday!!

Bollywood & Kathak Classes for Fall

2008-09-04T23:41:00.004-04:00

NDS is pleased to add a new location for Bollywood and Kathak dance! We will be at Audrey Moore Rec Center in Springfield every Tuesday and Wednesday afternoon. In addition, we are also offering our regular classes at Fairfax County schools through the Park & Rec Department: Monday nights at Fairfax County Government Center, Wednesdays at Longfellow Middle School, Thursdays at Navy Elementary, and Fridays at Stone Middle School. Check your ParkTakes magazine, available at all local libraries for schedules, fees, and times! These classes are limited to 15 people per class, so sign up early!

Private classes are filling fast for the Fall season. Times allotted to regular students will be given first preference, but we need confirmation to hold your space. Instruction is offered privately in the following dance styles: Kathak, Bollywood, Nepali Folk, and Tabla.

Check our calendar for classes at India International School and Durga Temple.

NDS also has a packed Fall schedule with performances for Young Audiences of Virginia (details coming soon), all around the state, and through CAPs right here in Fairfax County.

We hope you will join us on October 6 at the National Theatre when NDS performs a program highlighting the various dance styles of Nepal and India.

Nepal Dance School now offers fine quality tablas and madals, as well as providing service and repair.

New Content!

2008-06-16T19:25:00.001-04:00

We've posted some new photos of Manjushree, Lakhe, Kathak, and Nepali Folk dance in our web albums, be sure to check them out!

In addition, we have moved our video content to YouTube. Thanks for bearing with us during the downtime. Feel free to check out our videos here on our channel and subscribe!

June Announcements

2008-06-16T18:38:00.001-04:00

Thank you to all our student participants who performed two Bollywood hits for the Holi Mela at Durga Temple in March. You were the stars of the evening! A round of applause also goes to our students at the India International School, who gave a beautiful Kathak performance at the June Program in South Riding.

NDS County classes will begin on June 23. Check our Summer listings in the new issues of ParkTakes, available online, or at any public library.

Private classes continue throughout the summer. Please register early for Fall private classes so we can try to accommodate your schedule with any available openings, as our time slots fill fast.

We hope you will plan to join NDS in our two major performances for Fall: September 24, 2008 at the Virginia Department of Transportation’s Diversity Day Festival in Franklin, Virginia, and October 6, 2008 at the National Theatre in Washington, D.C. Details to follow!

NDS is off to France!

2008-03-10T14:00:00.001-04:00

Nepal Dance School is currently filming in Paris and Nice and all classes are currently suspended, but we'll be back in a couple weeks. Keep practicing!

Private Classes

2008-01-06T22:22:00.001-05:00

The new semester is starting for private classes in dance and tabla, both for single students or semi-private groups. Please inquire for available times and dates. All classes run for 8 week sessions.

County Classes Start!

2008-01-06T22:15:00.001-05:00

Welcome students to the New Year of 2008. We wish all of you every good thing - health, wealth, and happiness. Join us at one of our many venues to learn Bollywood...County classes begin on Monday, January 7 with a new location at the Fairfax County Government Center.

Welcome to the Grand Relaunching of our Website!

2007-12-13T21:24:00.000-05:00

Namaste and Swagatam ("Welcome") to the newly relaunched Nepal Dance School website! We are proud to bring you not only a completely new look, but also a platform to view information about our organization, its activities, available programs and performances, as well as insight into the wonderful and unique country and people of Nepal.

You may now view and subscribe to our monthly calendar, see clips of classes in action or actual productions, learn more about the dance styles and our music instruction, and even book programs for your school or civic group. NDS has its own channel on Stage 6.com, dozens of photographs, along with many other types of media. You can also subscribe to our news, photo galleries, calendar, and video channel. The relaunched website will also provide you with brief information about our directors, staff, and support team.

We have had a very successful 2007 with record-breaking class attendance, performances in Egypt, a beautiful stage production of Gul-e-Bakawali, featuring our director and choreographer, Bhim Dahal, in the lead role as Prince Taj, and our acceptance into the Fairfax County CAPS program.

In January of 2008, we will be joining an impressive and diverse group of artisans in Young Audiences of Virginia, to bring the traditions and heritage of music and dance of the Himalayan regions to children all across the state. We hope you will join us in person or on the web, at www.nepaldanceschool.com!

We wish all of our students, fellow artists, musicians, and wonderful people who collaborate with us to bring you the highest standard in education and entertainment, a very happy, healthy, and successful holiday season!

Bhim & Cordula Dahal