Episode Notes

Thoughts on the episode

My Conversation with Jin Won interweaves between Kathak and Tabla, especially how the two art forms complement each other. I love this episode because it was the first time I was asking questions about Tabla, which is challenging because I have never played or taken lessons in it.

Bio

Jin Won - Kathak Dancer Praised by the NY Times as "an exuberant dancer whose musicality transform[s] her dancing into something primal," dancer and percussionist Jin Won is a one-of-a-kind artist in the field of Indian performing arts who explores the sonic and visual possibilities of rhythm through dance and music. An accomplished Kathak dancer and tabla player of South Korean origin, she spent over 15 years in India training in Indian classical percussion and dance under Pandit Divyang Vakil and Shrimati Shubha Desai, respectively. As artistic director of Pradhanica Dance and (viusic Company, Jin has created, choreographed, and starred in various ensembles that have performed in esteemed venues across North America, as well as taught master classes and workshops in many arts institutes.

Highlights

0:01:51 The interplay of kathak and tabla 0:04:31 Balancing Riyaaz for both 0:06:31 Combining Tabla and kathak practice 0:12:42 Taal Vidya 0:16:15 abhinaya work 0:19:05 Steep Learning Curve of the tabla 0:21:07 Taal and Naad in Tabla 0:22:03 Ta Meditation 0:24:08 What makes tabla unique 0:25:55 Evolution in Tabla 0:27:32 Speed Isn't everything 0:28:20 Appreciating the subtleties in sound 0:37:15 Pradhanica Name origins 0:41:30 Boundaries when determining performances 0:48:42 Differences in dynamics in Kathak/Tabla classes 0:55:10 Students who take kathak and tabla lessons together 1:00:34 Style of dance and tabla 1:02:29 Legacy and Impact