Dappan koothu
Encyclopedia
Dappan Koothu is a folk dance
and music genre
with an emphasis on percussion performed in Tamil Nadu
, India
. It has become one of several popular genre
s employed in film
music: Tamil cinema
.
Unlike classical Indian dances such as bharatnatyam or kathakali
, koothu is relatively informal in that it has no structured, repeated steps and dancers do not learn through formal dance classes. It shares its emphasis on percussion with older folk dances of Tamil Nadu, such as kummi
and kolattam.
Dappankoothu : It is usually performed with a straight back with lungi
in their hands and with the head held high. Performed when there is a victory, when a great man dies, or to depict the greatness of a person who will never bow.
Goon Dappankoothu or Hunch Dappankoothu : Usually performed with the back hunched, the head held low and the lungi tied to the thighs. Performed when there is a defeat, an old lady dies, or to show submission. Experts include Rajesh Kumar and Vijay.
Bigil Dappankoothu : Usually performed by two dancers in unison by jumping on their sides and whistling with two fingers in their mouth (known as Bigil). Performed to show enjoyment.
Thigil Dappankoothu: Usually performed with head looking nowhere and then dropping the lungi down and the legs going sideways. Performed in the middle of a dance to make a fast getaway or when police/leader arrives.
Sorugu Dapankoothu: Usually performed crouched with the lungi on the mouth and hands going back and forth and jumping inside. Performed as an act of supremacy.
Tiger Dappankoothu Usually performed by the person who everybody accepts as the Vathiyar (Teacher - Excellent in kusthi and Silambam) of the area. The attire for this dance requires a tiger mask and tiger stripes all over the body, usually with yellow and black paint. This depicts that his strength matches that of a tiger. The tongue sticking out like a tiger is a significant expression of the dance. Most famous cinematic representation is by Kamal Hassan in Apoorva Sagodharargal.
Theekuchi Dapankoothu: Usually normal dappankuthu performed with a small matchstick held between the teeth.
without the jingles, is often used for Dappaankuthu. Unlike normal tambourines, this requires a wooden to play. The urumee
drum is also often used. A customised trumpet
is also sometimes employed. The rhythm of the Dappan koothu (the "Tharai Thappattai" sound) is often signified by a mix of beat patterns layered and flowing into one another. Other percussion instruments may be employed in Dappan koothu.
This instrument can be heard being played in houses where death has occurred to reduce or to suppress the sound of crying or to inform others about a death in Tamil villages. The particular beat employed is called "Saavu Adi". It may also be used to express joy. Mostly, this dance form is pretty much accompanied by "Gaana Songs"- A typical song genre that goes along with this dance type. Like in Local Chennai they say, "Like Liquor and Pickle, DappanKuthu and Gaana go together".
(colourful cloth wrapped around the waist) is commonly worn and most preferable, with the bottom raised and folded upwards over the knees in the middle. Ideally, it should be worn over pattapatti (lined trousers). The shirt worn would have only two or three buttons in place, while the chest portion is left wide open and at the lower part of the shirt is knotted (using the two portions of the shirt). It is also common to tie a handkerchief or bandana around one's forehead and/or wrist.
Loud clapping
and whistling
by spectators often accompanies the Dappaankuthu dance. Spectators are also known to set off firecrackers called locally as "Pattaasu" on the ground during the performance.
Facial expressions are employed for effect by the dancers. For example, the tongue, folded over and held in position with the front teeth, is brought out at regular intervals.
In Male Mahadeshwara hill, the music for this dance will be played for money, and the believers can dance for longer time.
Particularly in this hill, there is a saying that god feels happy if his believers dance for him.
The dance is performed during funerals and some dramas.
Jurys' Comments : This National Award for Best Choreography is awarded to Dinesh Kumar "For the Native Charm and Innovative Design in the Art of Choreography that creates an Effervescent Energy in the Spectator".
Dance
Dance is an art form that generally refers to movement of the body, usually rhythmic and to music, used as a form of expression, social interaction or presented in a spiritual or performance setting....
and music genre
Music genre
A music genre is a categorical and typological construct that identifies musical sounds as belonging to a particular category and type of music that can be distinguished from other types of music...
with an emphasis on percussion performed in Tamil Nadu
Tamil Nadu
Tamil Nadu is one of the 28 states of India. Its capital and largest city is Chennai. Tamil Nadu lies in the southernmost part of the Indian Peninsula and is bordered by the union territory of Pondicherry, and the states of Kerala, Karnataka, and Andhra Pradesh...
, India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
. It has become one of several popular genre
Genre
Genre , Greek: genos, γένος) is the term for any category of literature or other forms of art or culture, e.g. music, and in general, any type of discourse, whether written or spoken, audial or visual, based on some set of stylistic criteria. Genres are formed by conventions that change over time...
s employed in film
Film
A film, also called a movie or motion picture, is a series of still or moving images. It is produced by recording photographic images with cameras, or by creating images using animation techniques or visual effects...
music: Tamil cinema
Kollywood
Kollywood is a word referring two different movie industries in India and Nepal, derived from the word Hollywood and their local movie centers.* Tamil cinema, the Tamil language film industry based on Kodambakkam, Chennai, Tamil Nadu,...
.
Unlike classical Indian dances such as bharatnatyam or kathakali
Kathakali
Kathakali is a highly stylized classical Indian dance-drama noted for the attractive make-up of characters, elaborate costumes, detailed gestures and well-defined body movements presented in tune with the anchor playback music and complementary percussion...
, koothu is relatively informal in that it has no structured, repeated steps and dancers do not learn through formal dance classes. It shares its emphasis on percussion with older folk dances of Tamil Nadu, such as kummi
Kummi
Kummi is a folk dance, popular in Tamil Nadu and Kerala in India, danced mostly by Tamil women in circle. Dancing may be different. In some places, it is very simple, with rhythmic clapping. In other places dancers imitate various harvesting activities. Kummi often accompany by songs, called...
and kolattam.
Types of Koothu
Hari Dappankoothu : This type of dance was introduced by Harikrishnan Rangothaman from ChennaiDappankoothu : It is usually performed with a straight back with lungi
Lungi
The Lungi , also known as a sarong , is a traditional garment worn around the waist in India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Burma, Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, the Horn of Africa and the southern Arabian Peninsula...
in their hands and with the head held high. Performed when there is a victory, when a great man dies, or to depict the greatness of a person who will never bow.
Goon Dappankoothu or Hunch Dappankoothu : Usually performed with the back hunched, the head held low and the lungi tied to the thighs. Performed when there is a defeat, an old lady dies, or to show submission. Experts include Rajesh Kumar and Vijay.
Bigil Dappankoothu : Usually performed by two dancers in unison by jumping on their sides and whistling with two fingers in their mouth (known as Bigil). Performed to show enjoyment.
Thigil Dappankoothu: Usually performed with head looking nowhere and then dropping the lungi down and the legs going sideways. Performed in the middle of a dance to make a fast getaway or when police/leader arrives.
Sorugu Dapankoothu: Usually performed crouched with the lungi on the mouth and hands going back and forth and jumping inside. Performed as an act of supremacy.
Tiger Dappankoothu Usually performed by the person who everybody accepts as the Vathiyar (Teacher - Excellent in kusthi and Silambam) of the area. The attire for this dance requires a tiger mask and tiger stripes all over the body, usually with yellow and black paint. This depicts that his strength matches that of a tiger. The tongue sticking out like a tiger is a significant expression of the dance. Most famous cinematic representation is by Kamal Hassan in Apoorva Sagodharargal.
Theekuchi Dapankoothu: Usually normal dappankuthu performed with a small matchstick held between the teeth.
Musical instruments
A percussion instrument called the Tharai thappattai drum, resembling a tambourineTambourine
The tambourine or marine is a musical instrument of the percussion family consisting of a frame, often of wood or plastic, with pairs of small metal jingles, called "zils". Classically the term tambourine denotes an instrument with a drumhead, though some variants may not have a head at all....
without the jingles, is often used for Dappaankuthu. Unlike normal tambourines, this requires a wooden to play. The urumee
Urumee
The urumee is a double-headed hourglass-shaped drum from the state of Tamil Nadu, South India. Two skin heads are attached to a single hallow, often intricately carved wooden shell. The preferred wood is jackwood, although other wood may be used...
drum is also often used. A customised trumpet
Trumpet
The trumpet is the musical instrument with the highest register in the brass family. Trumpets are among the oldest musical instruments, dating back to at least 1500 BCE. They are played by blowing air through closed lips, producing a "buzzing" sound which starts a standing wave vibration in the air...
is also sometimes employed. The rhythm of the Dappan koothu (the "Tharai Thappattai" sound) is often signified by a mix of beat patterns layered and flowing into one another. Other percussion instruments may be employed in Dappan koothu.
This instrument can be heard being played in houses where death has occurred to reduce or to suppress the sound of crying or to inform others about a death in Tamil villages. The particular beat employed is called "Saavu Adi". It may also be used to express joy. Mostly, this dance form is pretty much accompanied by "Gaana Songs"- A typical song genre that goes along with this dance type. Like in Local Chennai they say, "Like Liquor and Pickle, DappanKuthu and Gaana go together".
Outfit and embellishments
Even though any attire can be worn when one dances the Dappaankuthu, a lungiLungi
The Lungi , also known as a sarong , is a traditional garment worn around the waist in India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Burma, Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, the Horn of Africa and the southern Arabian Peninsula...
(colourful cloth wrapped around the waist) is commonly worn and most preferable, with the bottom raised and folded upwards over the knees in the middle. Ideally, it should be worn over pattapatti (lined trousers). The shirt worn would have only two or three buttons in place, while the chest portion is left wide open and at the lower part of the shirt is knotted (using the two portions of the shirt). It is also common to tie a handkerchief or bandana around one's forehead and/or wrist.
Loud clapping
Clapping
A clap is the sound made by striking together two flat surfaces, as in the body parts of humans or animals. Humans clap with the palms of their hands, often in a constant drone to express appreciation or approval , but also in rhythm to match sounds in music and dance...
and whistling
Whistling
Human whistling is the production of sound by means of carefully controlling a stream of air flowing through a small hole. Whistling can be achieved by creating a small opening with one's lips and then blowing or sucking air through the hole...
by spectators often accompanies the Dappaankuthu dance. Spectators are also known to set off firecrackers called locally as "Pattaasu" on the ground during the performance.
Facial expressions are employed for effect by the dancers. For example, the tongue, folded over and held in position with the front teeth, is brought out at regular intervals.
In Male Mahadeshwara hill, the music for this dance will be played for money, and the believers can dance for longer time.
Particularly in this hill, there is a saying that god feels happy if his believers dance for him.
The dance is performed during funerals and some dramas.
In popular culture
- The genre has been used in several films of Tamil cinemaTamil cinemaTamil cinema is the film industry based in Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India, dedicated to the production of films in the Tamil language. It is based in Chennai's Kodambakkam district, where several South Indian film production companies are headquartered...
, and was noticeably used in songs "BoyzBoyz (song)"Boyz" is a song recorded by artist M.I.A. for her second album Kala . The song was released as the album's lead single by XL Recordings and Interscope Records on 11 June 2007 in 12-inch single, CD single, digital download and USB flash drive formats...
" and "Bird FluBird Flu (song)"Bird Flu" is an urumee melam song recorded by the Sri Lankan Tamil songwriter M.I.A.. It was released in 2006 and appears on her second studio album Kala, released in 2007....
" by M.I.A.M.I.A. (artist)Mathangi "Maya" Arulpragasam , better known by her stage name M.I.A. , is an English singer-songwriter, rapper, record producer, painter and director of Sri Lankan Tamil descent. Her compositions combine elements of hip hop, electronica, dance, alternative and world music. M.I.A...
on her 2007 album2007 in musicThis is a list of notable events in music that took place in the year 2007.-January:*January 1 - George Shearing is knighted for services to music in the Queen's New Year Honours List. Evelyn Glennie becomes a Dame...
KalaKala (album)Kala is the second studio album by British musician M.I.A., released in August 2007. The album features musical styles ranging from dance music to alternative hip hop and makes extensive use of South Asian music such as that of the urumee, a drum used in gaana music native to Tamil Nadu, India. It...
.
List of Dappankuttu songs
- Aathichoodi, Jimbalakka, Bambara Kannaley, Dai Namma kaatula (Pattiyal), Madura veeranthane (Dhool)
- Otha Sollala (Aadukalam) (Dinesh KumarDinesh Kumar (choreographer)Dinesh Kumar is a 'Indian choreographer working with South Indian films, including Tamil films. He won the 2011 National Film Award for Best Choreography for his work in Aadukalam...
(choreographer), National Award Winner for Best Choreography)
Jurys' Comments : This National Award for Best Choreography is awarded to Dinesh Kumar "For the Native Charm and Innovative Design in the Art of Choreography that creates an Effervescent Energy in the Spectator".
- Vandanam Ayya Vandam (Eesan) (Dinesh, Choreographer)
- Thirupathi Ezhumalai Venkatasa.. (Prabhu Deva, Choreographer)