Alarippu

The alarippu is a short and simple item, but is significant as a ritual dance prelude to the performance. It sanctifies the body of the dancer and the performance space.

A connotation of the name alarippu is flowering, suggesting the opening of the body and limbs in preparation for the dance items to follow. It features a progression of movements, beginning with the head and eyes, and then involving more and more of the body, and using more of the performance space. The alarippu is accompanied by the sollukattus, “tham-thi-tha thai-tha-thai”, and percussion in slow, medium, and fast tempos. The duration of the alarippu is about three to five minutes.

The alarippu Kalyani is dancing is a tisra alarippu, meaning the rhythm is in beats of three.