Source – Ms. Hetal’s own post about Kalari And Chhau .

Kalaripayattu and Chhau are part of the Indian Classical Repertoire due to the limited presence of widespread tournaments or combat exams or most often its own popularity itself of the entire form.

As their popularity grows and as the tournaments take place, this may change, possibly altering their classification as Indian Classical Repertoire and it might be soon removed from Indian Classical Repertoire!

In India, I think, some tournaments have commenced, I have known about it and it is not much popular, rather dancers/students enjoy it as demonstrative movements, atleast for now. #YES

Regardless, these remain rooted by exclusively technique and by technique name too as taught under my leadership & by me as well-exclusively, at Grace And Grooves Corp By Hetal Nagaraj via Kalasri Institute Of Indian Classical Dances By Hetal Nagaraj.

It does not matter which way you learn be it demonstrative or for tournaments like a martial arts. Techniques remain as is and yes, it has assigned music to it.

Thus, is part of Indian Classical Repertoire until it is

Since i am mixed martial arts/combat trained from early ages of my life because of my background and schooling environments, I often include those in my combination (combo) classes which are taught annually (followed by recitals or productions-depends). Boys and infact, girls have found a strong liking towards these demonstrative movements because its something new than just the plain old dance.

I offer these mixed martial arts – Kalaripayattu and Chhau every alternate seasons to balance my physical abilities. These require high intensity from day 1 of the class and that’s biggest challenge for these. It is much more intense and tough start than the ones in Karate and such others as it has several reverse body movements as in kicks and body turns.

During the tournament approach, there is deeper learning of combat, principles, rules of tournaments, strategies to shorten fight, winning points for face to face attack and such factors are usually taught and this is beyond demonstrations.

Though some are included in demonstrations as well just without “combat/fight/without touching just to showcase”. #YES

But yes, everything remains as is and that includes techniques, by names as well and the drills before or after the class.

In my first batch of demonstrations of mixed martial arts infused with performing arts(2014-2016), people confused it with silambam and some non-indians called it tai chi types. It made me smile.

Some mistake it to Kshatriya art forms of war strategies and weapons (which is what i am trained in as well) and those were created by Rajputs & Marathas as they followed a structured discipline formats of war art (these lasted for centuries until moghuls brought the new ones).

These organically differ from proper mixed martial combat demonstrations that exists today and are part of defense programs in most countries.

And that’s my training too because of my school programs, mine included creative/artistic yoga for balance and discipline, breathing techniques (not the other yoga that people do), and most of these demonstrations were taught in my school because and exclusively for Independence And Republic Day Demonstrations and Celebrations at City Centers/Halls.

If selected, we usually go to Rajpath and such other bigger festivities!

Gandhinagar, Capital of Gujarat has these programs on larger scale where-in external students (out of school) are also invited just for these programs. My all schools had these directly. Something like Rajpath, Delhi (Kartavya Path) has it through these initiatives. Strongly recommend, google parade at rajpath. Don’t forget to see my pics on my blog and on Hetal Nagaraj Dance-International’s album.

#hetaljoshim#YES#kalaripayattu#chau

2022 Promo of Mixed Martial Arts, Kalaripayattu – https://youtu.be/xmQ6788_SAs