Kathakali
Kathakali is a dance-drama from Kerala in southwestern India, practised almost entirely by Malayali people. In its developed form it dates from around the sixteenth century, with roots in older temple and folk arts. Performers wear elaborate costumes, headdresses and colour-coded face makeup that signals character types, and tell stories through hand gestures called mudras.
Three drums, the maddalam, chenda and idakka, feature in the music. Performances were traditionally held in open temple grounds, starting at dusk and continuing until dawn. Training centres include Kerala Kalamandalam in Thrissur and Margi in Thiruvananthapuram, and Kathakali schools now exist elsewhere in India, in Western Europe and in the United States.
Sources
Organisations connected with this dance
Listed as references; being listed is not an endorsement by or of the organisation.