After discussing the three studies in the last post, we felt the Padam was the most incomplete and needed to be explored before writing about them all. So here is a competed draft of the Padam.
The assignment again was to create a critical, gender-subverting padam that uses repeating lines of poetic text and abhinaya. Incorporate non-Indian, autobiographical material.
Not Enough Padam Complete Draft from Shyamala Moorty on Vimeo.
password: loop
Feedback Questions:
1. What parts are the most interesting to you and why?
2. What parts do you lose attention and why?
3. What do you feel about the relationship of the text to the movement?
4. What music, if any, could you imagine with the piece? Are there ways the existing text could become more musical?
5. Comment on the relation between autobiography and abhinaya in the work. How is each mobilized? How are the boundaries of each tested, expanded, or broken, if at all?
6. Track the performance of gender throughout the work. You might look at how the physical movement (angika), the costumes (aharya), the text (vachika) shift and change. I'm also curious what gender the "beloved" reads as. Do you assume it is a woman or man? Does your understanding shift throughout the piece?
7. Comment particularly on the costuming and costume changes -- sequence, timing, and performance. Are there any changes you would suggest? Parts that work particularly well?
8. Title ideas?
The assignment again was to create a critical, gender-subverting padam that uses repeating lines of poetic text and abhinaya. Incorporate non-Indian, autobiographical material.
Not Enough Padam Complete Draft from Shyamala Moorty on Vimeo.
password: loop
Feedback Questions:
1. What parts are the most interesting to you and why?
2. What parts do you lose attention and why?
3. What do you feel about the relationship of the text to the movement?
4. What music, if any, could you imagine with the piece? Are there ways the existing text could become more musical?
5. Comment on the relation between autobiography and abhinaya in the work. How is each mobilized? How are the boundaries of each tested, expanded, or broken, if at all?
6. Track the performance of gender throughout the work. You might look at how the physical movement (angika), the costumes (aharya), the text (vachika) shift and change. I'm also curious what gender the "beloved" reads as. Do you assume it is a woman or man? Does your understanding shift throughout the piece?
7. Comment particularly on the costuming and costume changes -- sequence, timing, and performance. Are there any changes you would suggest? Parts that work particularly well?
8. Title ideas?
1. Parts that draw my attention: unveiling of hair, 1st eruption with leg and body wigging out, kathak nritta section with chakkars and footwork, putting on hat. Each of these moments creates a surprise -- thematically or dynamically, from what has been set up earlier.
ReplyDelete2. Parts where my attention drops (part of this may be the camera-work): taking off dupatta, change into ivory colored kurta. Also, to a lesser degree: 1st rendition of "I was a foreigner in your world," 1st rendition of "questions simmering unasked," timing of 1st "You did not know how to love me and give me my freedom (too long). The timing, pauses, emotional tone and timbre of the poetry speaking also becomes a bit predictable.
3. Except for a few places of repetition and remixing (eruption and changing out of Mughal costume), the text is rendered in a fairly straight forward fashion, allowing for a typical abhinaya 1-1 word-text relationship that shows how the meaning of the text multiples and accrues as the text remains the same. I don't mind this, as I think it allows abhinaya's compositional/improvisational structure of "repetition with difference" (which corresponds to Judith Butler's thinking about parodic repetition) to be fully realized and read, though I also have a higher tolerance for "miming" or "literalness" than many postmodern dancers would. I would love more variety in how the poem is spoken, sung, or otherwise rendered. Right now, except for the latter part of the "My body would erupt with otherness," it follows a fairly consistent sweet, neutral, meaning-filled poetic tone. It would be nice to have the vachika abhinaya (with different emotional variations in the voice, rendered through timing, melody, speed, rhythm, and, above all, emotional nuance) be as fully realized as the angika abhinaya (which, of course, also needs work performatively).
So sorry - I meant the timing of the 2ND "You did not know how to love me and give me my freedom" (the abhinaya gesture interpretation, NOT the 1st rendition of that line (the running backwards).
DeleteAlso, there is a Vidya Rao article on thumri singing that might be useful for thinking about vachika abhinaya. Here it is: https://docs.google.com/file/d/0B7gHlaj9pphSMGY2NGY2ZTgtMTgxMC00YmM0LThhYWYtZjEyNzc1YjllNmM4/edit
4. I already wrote about this in my comments on the previous post, but will repost here in case it's helpful, and add some additional comments:
ReplyDelete"Sound-wise, I could imagine finding a way for the text to be sung improvisationally. It might sound weird to have English sung Hindustani-style. I’m remembering a rendition of Maya Angelou’s “Phenomenal Women” that Mythili had translated into either Tamil or Telugu, then sung Carnatic style. Perhaps it could make sense for the poem to be translated into Hindi, to start out Hindustani (perhaps in super high pitched light classical feminine style) and then to erupt with fragments of English, as well as other cultural sound references and a more masculine and/or gender-neutral sound as the work progresses."
While the most obvious thing to do would be set this text to song and have a live singer perform with me improvisationally, in order to fully realize the improvisational "crystal ball" quality of abhinaya as per Meduri, logistically and touring-wise, this would probably be a headache, and so it should probably be recorded instead. Because of the problems of setting English text to Indian music - it tends to sound funny and parodic rather than serious - other options to explore could include speaking the English text over an instrumental musical background, or shifting between sung text in Urdu/Hindi and spoken text in English, so that the poem translates itself within the musical composition.
Another important thing to look at is which specific musical song genres are being referenced. Structurally, I wrote this poem following a thumri or padam structure, but since Ravi thinks its themes are very ghazal like, this would be interesting to reference musically. Of course, the gender reference become more complex, since ghazal is often a male protagonist speaking to a female Beloved, and looking more closely at the female-centric rekhti form might be helpful. I also think that investigating how the music, even within a Hindustani frame, references different historically situated milieus - are we singing kotha style? hyper-femme eroticized tawaif style? cleaned up bhakti style? abstracted musical style? - would be helpful.
5. Interestingly, as a viewer, it's not always completely obvious that this poem is autobiographically based. Some parts feel more obviously autobiographical than others: the foreigner, "eyes too small," and "not bengali enough" references. I think it's because the stylization, repetition, and abstraction provided by the abhinaya, the reference to stock metaphors like the moth and the flame (super Urdu poetry) and emotional themes like love-in-separation, as well as the poetic structure with its strategy of a repeated refrain that accrues new meaning and thus moves away from narrative literalness, displace the confessional contract and performance of an "authentic" self that often adheres to autobiographical performance. Abhinaya's vocabulary is disrupted by the introduction of physical eruptions such as the legs on "body erupt" (which imply other physical training) and by the onstage costume changes (which imply other gendered and cultural identities); the introduction of unfamiliar thematic autobiographically situated material such as not being bengali enough and references to 1st/3rd world also situate it outside of the mythological and ahistorical spiritual framework in which abhinaya usually operate.
ReplyDelete6.
ReplyDeleteGendered Performance:
Starts out super traditional kathak Mughal costume (though I should have more make-up and a tika to complete the look, as well as better dangly earrings), with traditional feminine gestures. First disruption occurs with taking the veil off my head, which simultaneously situates me as not feminine enough and not Bengali/Indian enough, and the taking off of earrings, as a partial rejection of that femininity. Eruption in leg moment is first big departure from abhinaya gesture: it reads more as a disruption and eruption against Indian femininity rather than as butch or masculine (indeed it could be read in a hysterical woman frame). Putting on jeans is a moment of both western-ness and butchness, which then disappears as I silence myself and sit down, hiding the jeans underneath the dress. The first "butch" or tandava movement to my eyes is actually the kathak nritta, which is then confirmed by the donning of the fedora. "Indian" gestures become larger, more aggressive and expansive in the "what?!" movement into the run backwards. The body then settles back into proper feminine abhinaya, which then explodes into pomo-kathak nritta hybrid vocabulary, ending with the very unladylike shoulder stand and jeans-revealing crotch-shot. The donning of the ivory kurta creates a striking visual change, in which I appear much more androgynous and - without making a big statement about it - more "modern," a mix of India, East Asia (since even in India folks always read that type of cross-tied kurta as "Chinese" on my body), and the West. The movement becomes more minimalist, a more somatic (the first raising of my hands in "open channel" reads as somewhat taichi-like to me), though still with some abhinaya gestures, and less tied to interpreting every word of the text.
Gender Identity of the Beloved:
At first I assume it's a man, but with the pranam, which situates the "other" as teacher, it becomes more ambiguous. The first time she is addressed as "pishi" clarifies that she's a woman.
7. Costume-wise, I find the unveiling of the hair, the disruption of the costume in the "body erupt" part, donning the hat, and the appearance of the last kurta-jean combination (though not the actual moment of changing) the most effective. Parts that could be cleaned up include the taking off of the dupatta (Ravi suggested either not using safety pins or using magnets) - this particular changing sequence, of dupatta, churidar and jeans, is particularly long, and textually/musically I think that escalating the text earlier, even if I'm not being physically wild while taking off the dupatta, could help. I also think I should take the hat off before I do pranam, rather than where it's situated now, and I slightly miss having more jewelry to give to my teacher during the "3rd world greed/1st world heart" line (makes her seem more greedy). The donning of the ivory kurta takes a long time, especially in the silence, but I realized that the refrain "Beloved, our love was not enough" should repeat here anyway - perhaps that's a possible solution? And in general I need to work on emotional intention during these moments.
ReplyDelete1. What parts are the most interesting to you and why?
ReplyDelete“When you moved- I moved” around 0:41 seconds; I love the flow of the motion and the relationship to the text- clear but not too direct; the change in angle really amplifies a sense of motion
“You open up inside of me” (1:07-1:12); luscious movement again, but the meaning is not served to me on a platter.... I am “forced to interpret”
Moth: after the water image (1:46) its very engaging until the end of the moth and the flame at 1:59; I think because the poetic quality of the movement matches up to that of the text; the images surprise me, even though I hear the text and comprehend the relationship between the danced image and the text
last repetition of “I was a foreigner in your world” (2:12-2:15)
first taking dupatta of head and walking “pedestrian” (2:26) is strong
“erupt with otherness” (3:16-3:23) effective change in movement energy, and the ending sitting pose/look is intense
“You did not know how to love me” (repetition 1, walking backwards) (5:18); I like the dynamic change, change in direction, enhances the feeling of freedom, expansiveness
First movement sequence with cream blouse (8:22-8:47)_ very engaging movement, which reads very specifically different, now in jeans and the cream colored blouse. It breaks the previous image, but is still so satisfying and gentle
2. What parts do you lose attention and why?
imperfect copy (2nd repetition, around 1:03), compared to strength of subtlety of 1st version of the line, this seems like pantomime and does not heighten the poetic quality
Taking off cream dupatta (3:26-3:53), while Shy repeats individual words....
“The questions simmering unasked,” due to repetition I loose attention.
“Hair prickling rhythms” (4:45-4:48)- striking through hair, I loose my interpretive attention.
“You did not know how to love me” 2nd repetition (5:25-5:32)
8:48-end drops the energy; particularly the new energy that came out from and built between 8:22-8:47
3. What do you feel about the relationship of the text to the movement?
ReplyDeleteIn general it seems to be about repetition of the same line and using different images, less often different interpretations and emotional nuances, to render them in angika abhinaya.
If there is a satisfying build, I enjoy the structure moving from more straight-forward to more removed from the literal meaning. Some moments, when in a line before I was asked to follow an interpretation as a viewer, and the next line is very straight forward (even if that is the case because its a “new” line), then I loose attention
(cp from questions 2: imperfect copy (2nd repetition, around 1:03), compared to strength of subtlety of 1st version of the line, this seems like pantomime and does not heighten the poetic quality: and “The questions simmering unasked,” due to repetition I loose attention.)
Also, if a line is for the first time rendered more subtly than direct, my enjoyment of the kinesthetic response to subtly is cut short.
I wonder if there could be more variation of emotional intent, in addition to choosing different images (which, yes, may already imply a different emotional intent)
I agree with Cyn that there could be more variation in vachika abhinaya.
4. What music, if any, could you imagine with the piece? Are there ways the existing text could become more musical?
ReplyDeleteAs I mentioned in the previous feedback question, I could imagine the vachika abhinaya to be more aried, varied in tone, maybe supported by atmospheric sound.
I wonder if its possible to sing the text in English, not necessarily in Hindustani style, but based on the raga system? I wonder if there is a way to translate the idea of singing in different moods, and different intentions into a musical style more compatible with English text rather than Hindustani music is.
Another possibility might be to have ragas sung without text set the emotional tone, as it varies, and have the text in English spoken over it. Or spoken live?
ReplyDelete5. Comment on the relation between autobiography and abhinaya in the work. How is each mobilized? How are the boundaries of each tested, expanded, or broken, if at all?
Except for certain moments where the autographical context is direct and refers to Cynthia not being Bengali, the connection is subtle, though insinuated. There are moment where I cannot be sure, but think they could be autobiographical, starting with – when you dance, I dance- me, and imperfect copy”- I think what make me read it as autobiographical is the expression in this case.
I dont think the boundaries of autobiography are tested. They are just not made explicit.
The boundaries of abhinaya are tested in the moments where autobiography interrupts the flow of the classical abhinaya (the “erupting” sequence), as well as the more pedestrian costue change moments.
All in all the trajectory leads me as a viewer to read the whole padam as autobiographical the closer it gets to the end.
Though I dont see the boundaries of abhinaya broken, more like expanded. Because the story could be read abstractly and non-biographical.
6. Track the performance of gender throughout the work. You might look at how the physical movement (angika), the costumes (aharya), the text (vachika) shift and change. I'm also curious what gender the "beloved" reads as. Do you assume it is a woman or man? Does your understanding shift throughout the piece?
ReplyDeleteTo me the beloved reads primarily as female. Even in the beginning when there is no direct indication I get the feeling that the beloved is female, however, the relationship does not necessarily read as erotic. The exception to all this are the first 14 seconds. There, the beloved could well be male, and the love well be erotic. Once the beloved is addressed as “pishi” both aspects that seemed implied from the beginning- a female beloved and a non-erotic love relationship, get confirmed. This observation is of course dependent on me knowing some of the background, as well as understanding the term pishi.
Gendered performance:
the beginning reads as classical Kathak material, appropriate both to a female character and a female performer, with a subtle subversion caused by the visibility of Cynthia's short hair cut underneath the sheer dupatta. The moment of taking the dupatta off the head, highlighted by some more pedestrian movement moments, Cynthia's look as well as unruly short hair, is the first departure from that performance mode. Here an “autobiographical” moment creates dissonance with the image of femininity that was established thus far: not in the text, but in the walk, the look and the gesture of taking off the earrings. This moment could use some emphasis. The next big moment of disruption is the “eruption”- large “kicking” movement on the floor, ending in a sturdy sitting pose with an almost or mildly angry expression. To me, this is where a hint of tandava enters the performance of femininity, and this is a significant contrast to the previous “pedestrian” moment.
In the following part the action of putting on the jeans seems more significant than the taking off the dupatta- which is curious because the dupatta is much more important for “protecting” modesty. What is also striking is the way Cynthia flings off the churidar and the stances she strikes after the jeans are put on, as well as the way she strokes across her short hair. They have a confrontative quality, which contradicts a demure femininity.
After the rhythmic sequence, the walk into the standing gesture addressing the “beloved” into sitting and putting on the fedora continues the infusion of the padam material with both pedestrian and “male”movement vocabulary. Even though there are moments of returning to the signature “feminine” sitting position with both legs bent to one side, the following movement sequence, coving a lot of space and ending with the fall, sideways on the shoulder right leg up in the air expands and amplifies this trajectory.
The moment after taking off the anarkali Kurta, in jeans and bra, read both masculine, as well as feminine, and most of all vulnerable, while the ending, in the white kurta reads the most androgynous, both in costume and in movement (expansive, but comparatively stationary, large, but calm)
7. Comment particularly on the costuming and costume changes -- sequence, timing, and performance. Are there any changes you would suggest? Parts that work particularly well?
ReplyDeleteA lot of this is already answered in the previous question.
In addition I think I want to mention that in general the costume changes do effectively underline the narrative trajectory. The taking off the jewelry is clear as a conflict with the prescribed image of femininity in the early part of the piece, towards the end, it does not have the same clarity.
The moment of taking off the dupatta is indeed a bit long. I like the Fedora in the sequence where it is put on, but it is confusing that it disappears again, because there are, costume wise, clearly 2 trajectories: Kathak costume and jewelry disappears gradually, morphing into jeans and cross-tied kurta look through gradual accumulation.
On another note, though I understand the background of the 3rd world/first world line, I feel that it will not be clear to an “outsider” viewer what dynamic is referred to. And the meanings that can emerge without the background knowledge make me uncomfortable. I feel that moment requires elaboration. This is also the moment where the “taking off jewelry” action, the pranam, and the disappearance of the fedora are confusing.
8. Title ideas?
Not really, besides going with the “traditional” model of using the signature line, or the first line: “Our love was not Enough”
1. What parts are the most interesting to you and why?
ReplyDeleteOverall it's very satisfying the change from the feminine classical look at the beginning to the more androgynous contemporary look at the end.
The aggressive angry movements create a surprising disruption of the classical abhinaya world and yet are a nice continuation of the interpretation of the words.
I like the intimacy of the last section and the longing for that real connection without all the cultural barriers. I enjoy that there’s no excessive performance of gender in either direction. Somehow it allows me to relax and feel more then the other parts. It feels less performative even though it is still performance.
Moth to flame
“exceeding your imagination” sitting and then elaborated through space
2. What parts do you lose attention and why?
First “I was a foreigner in your world”
Removal of duppatta, putting on jeans, taking off Kathak top
Putting on kurta at end – they take long and the words are more spread out so there’s less audio support.
First “questions unasked”
First “first world greed”
3. What do you feel about the relationship of the text to the movement?
I think it’s important to hear the relationship of the words to movement but I think both the sound and the relationship can vary more.
Perhaps the more classically dressed section could keep the traditional structure with the repetitions of the lines and the speaker (or singer?) could play with how it’s performed in terms of speed, tone, etc.
Then when the butch and femme outfits get mixed up perhaps the text could also be more fragmented, so the order isn’t linear, and individual words can be repeated and recalled coming out in a more abstract way.
The final section with the simple kurta I like mostly with just one repetition of each line. Straightforward and simple…except for the line about the world outside, either the movement could be done quicker or the line could be repeated twice under the movement, or perhaps just musical support would help keep the moment alive.
4. What music, if any, could you imagine with the piece? Are there ways the existing text could become more musical?
I imagine it starting with a sound that matches the traditional Kathak look of the outfit and movements.
I’m open to creative possibilities about how the words could be sung, but I also think it’s fine to have the words spoken with the music. Or if it’s sung in a different language to have English words spoken live or integrated into the sound.
Like the costume changes, I do feel whatever sound world is created, should evolve and have interruptions.
Tone wise I feel the piece goes back and forth between sensual sad, sweet and rebellious resentful.
5. Comment on the relation between autobiography and abhinaya in the work. How is each mobilized? How are the boundaries of each tested, expanded, or broken, if at all?
I feel the sense of autobiography enters into what appears to be a classical abhinaya piece with the disruptions of resentful/butch gesture. The ending also feels more like a real autobiographical sadness rather then a performed mythology of love and loss. I enjoy that the piece has both in it and that the two worlds rub up against each other, sometimes seamlessly and sometimes jarringly. It’s mostly seamless because it follows the text but the first butch/aggressive movements feel like they jar the narrative. The second imperfect copy seems more autobiographical too early and jars my sense of the narrative early on. So I question if we should have it there.
Will come back to 6 and 7 later.
ReplyDelete8. Title ideas?
Our love was not enough
Not enough
For Pishi
Moth to flame
Love or freedom
Love and freedom
Here's my music ideas again with additional notes that weren't in my response before at th bottom.
ReplyDelete4. What music, if any, could you imagine with the piece? Are there ways the existing text could become more musical?
I imagine it starting with a sound that matches the traditional Kathak look of the outfit and movements.
I’m open to creative possibilities about how the words could be sung, but I also think it’s fine to have the words spoken with the music. Or if it’s sung in a different language to have English words spoken live or integrated into the sound.
Like the costume changes, I do feel whatever sound world is created, should evolve and have interruptions.
Tone wise I feel the piece goes back and forth between sensual sad, sweet and rebellious resentful.
Additional notes to music: I think understanding the words in English is really important for the Western audience, anyway. Even if some become fragmented they should be heard.
I generally like Cyn being able to just do Abhinaya and not speak, but the section that starts “Imagine us in a room together” and goes to the end, I could also imagine her speaking live.
However the text is performed: I feel the first few sections of the poem could have the repetition and variation of the text that is often found in Padams and Thumris. When the costume gets mixed up between butch and femme I can imagine a lot more fragmenting of the text in terms of order, speed and repetition. The final section from “imagine us in a room together” I could see just simple, one line each to the end and no fragmenting.
and here are my comments to 6 an 7.
ReplyDelete6. Track the performance of gender throughout the work. You might look at how the physical movement (angika), the costumes (aharya), the text (vachika) shift and change. I'm also curious what gender the "beloved" reads as. Do you assume it is a woman or man? Does your understanding shift throughout the piece?
In the beginning it appears to be a traditional piece with the woman talking to a man. Even when she bows I could still interpret it as her worshipping a lover/God. It is only when the imperfect copy comes in that I start to think that maybe it’s a woman and I start to understand a teacherly relationship. Coming back to calling her beloved creates an interesting confusion between female/male, teacher/lover.
The “you have become very soft” and “I could not be like you” lines really cement that the teacher is a woman for me. The line “Like you” is confusing to me and I wonder if it could be still in her voice “like me”?
Then, having fully established the teacher/lover as a woman it is interesting to me the re-establishing of Cyn’s gender as more butch. The eruption of an alternate gender possibility seems to be out of frustration about the constraints of the gender you are representing and thus the initial outburst is initially extreme.
Later when “in the room together” I see the gender extremes are let go, like you’re not trying to perform any particular identity any more, just trying to be.
7. Comment particularly on the costuming and costume changes -- sequence, timing, and performance. Are there any changes you would suggest? Parts that work particularly well?
The revealing of your hair is a striking moment that jars the perception of your femininity in the classical Indian frame.
Taking off of duppatta takes too long.
I like that the pants get hidden and that the demureness comes back, but they seem hidden for so long that it seems strange that you put them on there.
Taking off of vest and dress takes too long.
Love the look of the asian-like Duppatta but it takes so long. Is there a different Kurta we could try or Velcro for the inside part?
Hello errbody,
ReplyDeleteI am so happy to be involved with this piece again, and like how it is changing. I spoke with Cynthia about this piece at length last weekend, and we had a fairly interesting discussion.
I find this edition of 29 the most compelling of the 3, and also the most sad. It departs from the comedic approach that the other editions employed. While I do enjoy comedy, I truly appreciate the opportunity to witness abhinay in this 1-1 form.
I am highly entertained to find the thematic order in line with hindustani ghazal performance.
I suggest the following for music:
Option A
Create hindustani ghazal-like music to be sung using the English-language poem. This is a risk as English words in hindustani music often lend to camp and comedy. Further, hindustani ghazal music only allows for melodic changes to happen during long vowels or near 1-1 for each consonant or short vowel. For example, the phrase, "Monkey,please don't leave me" would allow for changes on each consonant, and the syllables "key, plea, on', lea, me" but the phrase "I will not sweat when I go running this month" allows for significantly less movement. It is also helpful when phrases end with a long vowel sounds to allow for the phrase to reach melodic resolution if it has not yet done so.
Option B
Hindustani ghazal-type music played under a reading of the poem, similar to the abhinay trials we had with "I didn't say a word"
Option C--synthesis
1) "ghazal instrumental music" under an English reading of the refrain
2)Urdu translation of part of the poetry, ideally in ghazal form, set to hindustani ghazal music
3) Urdu ghazal introduces English fragments until a shift to English.
4) Remainder is read over background music or sung as a ghazal in English.
I am most excited about the challenge presented by option A, and find option C a similar path. Option B is a backup option, should the music fail. Cynthia encouraged me to take a risk since the backup option is a fair path.
As for what to call the poetry--rekhti poetry is an outdated term (rekhta being an older name for male-perspective ghazal, rekhti is the feminine conjugation of the word). Rekhti was female-perspective ghazal and as far as I know, was considered a lesser form used for bawdy humor, like a limerick. Performance would have a butch male in partial drag employ nazaakat and nakhraa to read and gesture poetry. I believe that the known handful of ghazals that are not limerick-intent that are from the female-perspective are still referred to as ghazal, and not as rekhti.
I have some friends that have done work in Persian and Urdu poetry translation and can provide those contacts should we decide to pursue that route.
I look forward to speaking further on this with Shyamala and Cynthia later today.
Ravi
Also, Cynthia, should you want to go the long braid wig route, it could be funny-uncomfortable to have that come off with your dupatta as well,a la D'Lo. Just a thought.
ReplyDeleteFurther on costuming, we had spoken about sewing (or not) the dupatta in shape, and then using magnets to attach the the costume. I suppose another fast option would be to use a sewing pin carefully.
What could be interesting is to have the angarkha portion of the kathak costume actually be a western circle dress (paired with waistcoat and dupatta), which also gets removed in favor of jeans.