Since 1983 Adishakti had been looking to develop a new language of physical expression and vocal expression. In 1987, however, we realized the need for a language or methodology for psychological expression , which matched the energy of the body's language for expression. Western methods of acting use Stanislavski's process of emotional recall for psychological expression. But this method works only for representational theatre because it uses the logic of real thought. It does not work in a performance form where the energy used by the performer is non-functional and extra daily. Also the flaw in the principle of ‘emotional recall' lies in the probability that after a couple of performances it can become a formula and loose its capacity to release spontaneity. 

In 1998 with Brhannala, Adishakti was able to overcome this problem after an exploration of the Koodiyattam performance techniques, which use breath for the generation of each emotion, and for its expression in the face. 

In 1987 Adishakti engaged with Koodiyattam guru Amanur Mahdev Chakyar and asked him how he solved the problem of “ emotional recall” without loosing freshness. He revealed that in fact he used a very physical technique of breath, which never failed him. When asked to impart this knowledge he refused, saying that it would die with him unless he discovered a worthy heir to whom he could pass this on. However he gave some clues on how to start discovering it for oneself. Adishakti started exploring this mystery on its own. In 1996 we saw Koodiyattam actor, Usha Nangiar in performance and realized that the Chakyar had indeed found a worthy student. In the following year Usha Nangiar and Adishakti worked together sharing notes and learning from each other. Usha was quite amazed that her “ training exercise” was of such supreme importance in performance. And we discovered that there were indeed special patterns of breath for the generation of specific emotions. And this stands to reason when one accepts that breath is really the physical expression of thought and emotion . For the way one breaths is effected by the way one feels. And if one observes this minutely it is easy then to manipulate the breath to create states of mind during performance.

Usha taught us nine patterns of breath for the nine emotions in the classical tradition. This was for expression only in the face as is done in Koodiyattam performance. We wanted a technique also for the body and the voice.

Adishakti's extension of the Koodiyattam method came out of its query as to whether the energy centers of the body, which motivate action, the voice resonators and the psychological centers/ the chakras of the Tantra tradition were related to each other and connected to the breath in Koodiyattam expression.

The answer came to us out of a series of exercises, which were an elliptical movement around the axis of the breath/ emotional expression co relationship in Koodiyattam.

We discovered that all three: psychological , vocal and bodily expressions are indeed united by a common breath. That it is not merely a coincidence that the resonators of the voice, the centers of physical energy and the chakras / psychological centers are located in related regions of the body. A particular kind of breath to express one emotion in the face will express the same emotion in the voice, in the mind and in the body. And in Adishakti's production Brhannala the actor Vinay Kumar was therefore able to creatively extend the breath patterns used in Koodiyattam for facial expression, into bodily and vocal expression.

In the case of the voice, the breath, which is concentrated in the chest emerges in a strangulated sound--- it emerges with extreme difficulty. This is a physiological replication of what happens to breath in a real life situation of emotional pain. The shock of tragedy robs the body of breath and the cry that emerges then is almost a plea for oxygen. Here again, in the performance situation, the sound the actor creates feeds the emotion and further helps the performer to take the expression of the emotion further.

The entire performance of Brhannala therefore was informed by a technique of breath. Whether the performer, was making a transition from one thought to the other or was physically expressing something with his body or with his voice or imbuing a theatrical moment with an inner dimension--it was breath and its rhythms, which lay behind it all. 

The performer in Brhannala, Vinay Kumar was able therefore to achieve a level of detail in his performance that he had not reached before. Handling detail in performance is important for the number of things that a performer can do per minute is what makes his/her performance energized, complex and layered. With the physical help of breath as a motivation, therefore, Vinay Kumar could employ his body, his mind, and his voice all at the same time, in a hitherto unprecedented way.

Subsequently Adishakti has been looking to extend its technique of breath for performance by investigating the breath practices of the Noh performer; and this, particularly as it comes from another aesthetic.

Indeed a significant outcome of our interaction with Noh {in 2003-2004} was the information that texts both in Noh and in Sanskrit poetry have markers for breath pauses. And these are different from grammatical pauses. Adishakti is currently investigating the relevance of such pauses in text for expression.