Importance of Personal Practice – The Most Neglected Area Among Today’s Kathak Dancers

Progress in Kathak is based on disciplined practice, which can sometimes feel monotonous. However, Kathak is not a monotonous dance form; it offers a variety of elements such as Vandana, Taraana, Thumri, Kavitt, and Taal-based Bandish. To master these, or even one of these, a student needs to practice repeatedly. This repetition, day after day and month after month, can feel monotonous to students and their families, leading many to abandon the learning process.

Are you on the 70% list?

The progress of any student depends on several factors, including:

• The number of classes attended per week

• The number of hours practiced at home

• The number of years a student has been learning Kathak

• The student's current level

• The student's ability to learn and progress

Challenges for Teachers

Kathak teachers face the challenge of nurturing students with varying levels of ability and commitment. They are often expected to bring out the best in their students within a few years. However, judging a student's progress based on the number of years they have been learning is not accurate. Comparing students to external performers without knowing their backgrounds is also misleading. Each student is unique in their learning ability, level, and hours of personal practice. Comparing oneself to others is less effective than focusing on personal progress.

Misunderstandings and Solutions

Misunderstandings and unwanted opinions can disrupt the learning and teaching process. To prevent this, it is important to understand and accept that mastering Kathak takes time, especially when practice is limited to one hour per week (i.e. an average of 1 hr in 168 hrs! 60 mins in 10,080 mins!!). Classroom time is just a fraction of the learning process. Remember, 30% of learning happens in class, while 70% comes from personal practice. We cannot rely solely on classroom practice; there must be time for learning new things as well.

What Can Be Done?

In today's fast-paced world, we often seek quick results. Students juggle multiple classes, including academic tuitions, sports, and other art forms like painting and music. Parents invest in these classes and naturally expect progress within a few months or years. However, the real transformation happens with 70% personal effort. A teacher cannot focus on one student in a group of ten. This is where private lessons come in, allowing for a focused, one-on-one learning experience.

An Analogy

Imagine you have one jug of water to share among ten different plants daily during summer. The growth will be slower compared to giving one full jug of water to a single plant.

What do you think? Please share your thoughts at samarpankathakdanceacademy@gmail.com