Shift in Thematic
Narratives and Presentation Styles in the Indian Classical Dance Art Form:
by Mrs.
Preetha Subramanian, M.A. (Ohio Univ.,
Athens)
Key words
Navarasas (nine facial expressions); Hastas (hand-gestures); Panchabhootha
(five elements of nature); Nritta (pure
dance consisting of geometric body movements); Nritya (consists of facial
expressions and hand gestures that align with these emotions); Allarippu, Jathiswaram (invocatory numbers of a recital);
Hillana
(finale of a recital); Varnam (a combination of nritya and nritta, which is
performed during the first half of a recital); Padams, Javali, Keerthanams and Shlokas (nritya pieces which are performed usually before or after
the varnam during a recital).
Abstract
Dance in many parts of the world has been used as an
effective tool to communicate history, mythology, nature, and other events to
people. In this essay, I first analyze the
effective use of navarasas in the
Indian classical dance Bharatnatyam, as a way of depicting universal
emotions. It is when we employ the different facial and body gestures
(non-verbal communication) of dance and bolster it with music containing lyrics
(verbal communication) that a theme (storyline) is created. Secondly, I argue
that though Bharatnatyam is a very effective
communication tool, the practitioners of Bharatnatyam failed to experiment
sufficiently with contemporary themes until very recently. Only in the past
decade, a small percentage of Bharatnatyam dancers have
integrated present-day issues into traditional dance formats. Thus the format of
the dance and its presentation style has changed, without however significantly
altering its traditional structure and formalities. I support this claim by
interviewing some distinguished Bharatnatyam and Oddisi practitioners, who have knowledge of
Bharatnatyam as well as other Indian classical art
forms in order to obtain a consensus and/or a broader perspective on this issue.
I will elucidate the views of these adept practitioners while attempting to
espouse it/them from various communication perspectives. Finally, I will discuss
the reactions of the audience, practitioners, and others (musicians, critics,
the press, stage-hands or people involved in the back stage, etc.) in this
process, from the point of view of the “communication lens”
perspective.
A personal declaration by the author
in support of her credentials
for undertaking the research at
hand
As a
practitioner of Bharatnatyam for the last
twenty years under the tutelage of Shobana Bhalchandra
(foremost students of the Dhananjayans of the prestigious
College of Fine Arts: Kalakshetra, the foremost
Institute for Classical Indian Dance and Carnatic
Music, founded by Rukmini Arundale in 1936 at Chennai, India), I have been fortunate
in imbibing the theory and practice of Bharatnatyam at the “feet” of
universally-acknowledged masters of the art. During the past seven years I have
been successful in creating for myself a niche in the kutcheri culture (classical-music and dance
concert-ballet circuit) in the southern Indian cultural “metropole” of Chennai by giving numerous solo
performances during the prestigious annual Margazhi Vizha
(December Festival for Performing Arts). I have also had the opportunity of
performing and collaborating (in choreographing innovations) in
fresh compositions with some eminent practitioners in this field. Having been a
part of many ballet productions whose main objective at escalating the creative
element in the corpus of the otherwise standard format of Bharatnatyam has further whetted
my expertise of this venerated art form. I have also had the privilege of
leaning Mohiniattam (principal
classical dance form originating in the state of Kerala)
and Kuchupudi (principal classical dance form
in the state of Andra Pradesh) for a short span
of five years. Since Bharatnatyam is
complemented by the musical accompaniment, I have a thorough understanding of classical Carnatic music and have been trained as a singer for the
last fifteen years. All these endeavors have prompted me to analyze certain
aspects of Bharatnatyam, like stage decor,
costume, jewelry decoration, acoustics, lighting, specialized sound effects in
music, and seating arrangements of the audience which are otherwise not given
far too much consideration.
An
introduction to the Bharatnatyam
performance
Bharatanatyam is one of the most
popular dance forms in Tamil Nadu ( one of four South Indian “Dravidian” states). It has,
gradually, over the centuries come to acquire a prominent place in Indian
culture today. Bharatanatyam is often referred
to as a science in itself. The name
Bharatnatyam is synonymous with a[n animated] display of visual geometry. This is because
the dancer conceives and
executes a series of body movements which are
geometrical designs in expression; conceived in a special
backdrop, they outline straight lines, diagonals, circles, triangles, squares,
and other intricate geometrical patterns.
Bharatnatyam operates and/or communicates on different and separate
planes. On the one hand, through
the art of nritta, a dancer creates formations that showcases the architectonic splendor of the
art form. These are abstract progressions, which do
not convey any particular meaning but finds the dancer creating complex
patterns. Units of nritta are called
jatthis. Some pure nritta pieces, which find a place
in a recital, are allarippu, jathiswaram and thillana. On the other, through the art
of nritya, a dancer crafts
poetry, conveying facial expressions while the body reacts to the emotions. This
is supposed to evoke sentiments in the audience. Almost always nritya phases
have a direct link to the lyrics of the song, which is usually sung by a live
vocalist. Some of the pieces in a recital which are interwoven with nritya are varnam (a combination of expressions as well as pure dance),
padams, javali,
keerthanams and shlokas. Though the nritta sequences are set
patterns, which cannot be changed during a recital, the nritya segment provides a lot of scope for on-the-spot
improvisations. This is because; the story is presented as sancharis (in parts) in a Bharatnatyam performance, in
which each line of the story can be interpreted numerous times. This paves the
way for the danseuse to exhibit her
innate inventiveness through improvisations.
The musical
accompaniment at all traditional Bharatnatyam
recitals is classical Carnatic songs. Most of the lyrics are based on episodes
in Hindu mythology and the epics.
The ensemble of a Bharatnatyam recital consists of a mirdangist (percussionist), violinist,
flutist, a veena (string instrument) player and
natuvangist (a person handling the cymbals) and
the vocalist. The mirdangist and the natuvangist play
a vital role during the nritta segments while the
flutist; veena player and vocalist play key roles
during the nritya sequences. In recent
and/or contemporary
periods, a Bharatnatyam recital takes place
on a stage. The musicians sit on the left fore-stage, facing the right flank of
the dancer. The statue of Lord Natraja (God of
Dance) is placed on the right corner of the stage, and the stage décor is always
ethnic in nature.
°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°
Interview
Quotations
“Whether you debate it, mourn its demise, wail and beat your chest [breast], the fact is that the format and presentation of Bharatanatyam has changed!”
Anitha Ratnam (Bharatnatyam/Contemporary dancer),
“As the taste of the audience is changing, artists are compelled to move away from tradition in order to survive.”
Jayanthy Subramanian (Bharatnatyam dancer), Chennai, India
“Sometimes it is necessary to change or re-invent my
repertoire and my presentation material to make the audience sit through a
four-hour performance, especially during the Margazhi Utsavam in
Chennai.”
Meenakshi
Sheshadri (Bharatnatyam, Kuchipudi, Oddisi, Kathak dancer and Actress),
“However much Bharatnatyam
changes, the basic purpose is one and the same…. It is to reach the
people. I think that is the success of any art.”
Shobana Bahalchandra (Bharatnatyam dancer),
“I look upon dance as my communication with the Supreme.”
Smitha Mangal (Bharatnatyam dancer),
“The responses
of these Indian classical dancers indicate that in the recent past, the
presentation style and themes of classical dances, especially Bharatnatyam,
have undergone rapid changes. In the past most of the
classical dance themes dealt with mythological stories or tales associated with
ancient Indian society. Today, practitioners of Bharatnatyam, especially the ones
living in big Indian cities, have shifted their focus to urban themes, as their
audiences belong to the cities and can understand, enjoy and appreciate
contemporary themes entwined with present day stories which they encounter in
their daily lives better. For the practitioners too, this shift has proved
easier from the point of choreography, as they themselves connect to urban
anecdotes more adeptly. Changed lifestyles and technological advancement
have naturally affected the way Bharatnatyam is
choreographed in the present milieu. Situations pertaining to the urban life
style such as the nuclear family system, working women, and homework-laden
children have drawn a new set of rules which has skewed even the pattern of
teaching Bharatnatyam for the present
generation.” (The
Hindu, “Review of Literature”,
Primordial
dances
Dance is one of the earliest art forms created by the human race. Anthropologists believe that dance developed among the earliest human beings as part of their religious and cultural ceremonies (Fauboin, 1967). The early dancers depicted -- through their body movements -- the different stages of life like birth, puberty, marriage, old age, and death. Apart from this they were also enthused by nature, due to which many of their dance topics were related to the five elements of nature (the panchabhootha) like fire, wind, sky, water, and earth, and its other aspects like the sun, the moon, trees, and animals. They were also inspired by attempts to communicate with supernatural forces, either by offering thanksgiving or through sacrifice. The body movements were influenced by the movements of wind, trees, animals, ocean (in cases where people lived near a water body), and other elements of nature. The dances, though they followed a pattern, were not pre-sequenced as people danced in accordance with the occasion and the mood. Some instances of such primitive dances included hunting dances, agricultural dances, festive dances, and fertility dances.
History of Indian dance
forms
The dance heritage of
Pictures of
early humans in
Philosophy of a stage
recital
Being a performer of Bharatnatyam, I have never felt jittery or nervous while addressing an audience. This is because the “audience” does not intimidate me. I believe that the audience is a part of a big configuration where many fascinating activities take place, some of which will be discussed during the course of this paper. Goffman describes a part or a routine as the pre-established pattern of action which is unfolded during a performance and which may be presented or played through on other occasions. (Goffman: 1953, p. 16) I agree with Goffman who claims that we humans are always performing even when we are not on stage. This is because even when we are not in front of an audience, we are trying to project ourselves as a recognizable entity. We are always trying to impress people around us, to be perceived the way we want them to perceive us. Throughout his book, Presentation of the Self in Everyday Life, he provides examples of how people fake performances, and may even give the impression that they are what they are pretending to be. (Goffman: 1953, p. 22) This is very true in a dance recital because the danseuse not only performs front stage but also performs after the recital. Goffman talks about the front region/front stage or the front setting and the back region/backstage (Goffman: 1953, p. 107). Usually members from the audience consisting of friends, relatives, sabha (cultural association) people, critics, connoisseurs, etc. interact with the dancer and among themselves in the back stage. Thus, the back stage creates a space for socialization of people to discuss the various aspects of the performance as well as other issues.
Goffman in his Forms of Talk (Goffman:1981) states that some kind of a bond is created between the audience and the communicator during any performance. From the standpoint of the audience, I can say that when a performance takes place, no matter what the theme, the audience is influenced. This need not mean that they completely buy into the performers’ ideas. In some cases, they may be positively reinforced, especially when they believe in the message. In some cases, the audience may be bored or even reject the idea of the performer. This is what usually happens when a dance recital uses a contemporary theme or uses any prop or music, which does not fit in with the traditional mould. Interestingly, even a dispassionate audience that seemingly does not react to the performer silently conveys the message that what is being performed is not appealing. Thus, in any case, the audience reacts to the performance, which clearly indicates communication from their side. This is also pertinent to the performer in that when the performer begins her/his routine the agenda or the sequence of the performance maybe fixed. However, depending on the audience reaction the whole sequence maybe changed. Hence, a performance creates a space for both the performer and the audience to behave according to the reactions and feedback of the other.
It is during the course of a performance that a dialogue is created, where the performer bonds with the audience and vice versa. The dialogue that occurs in an auditorium is not restricted to one place and time. It flows out outside the performance arena and in many cases leads to varied reactions among people. This reaction may be good or bad, depending on various factors. It is based on the overall goal of the performance, the mindset and level of understanding of the audience, the way the message is being projected and interpreted, and to a certain extent it depends on the credibility or the brand value of the performer. This is how critics write off many dancers as good or bad performers. In many cases, the credibility of the dancer is based on such reviews.
Burnside states, “A stage performance cannot be rewound and reexamined so the reaction of the viewer becomes a precious commodity.” (Burnside: 1993, p. 2) This is true because unlike a movie or television where a performance can be viewed several times (thanks to technology), a live performance is proscribed in time and space. We cannot rewind the performance and watch it according to our convenience. In that sense any live performance - be it speech, dance music, or drama -- becomes a rare and precious product. Hence in earlier times not only classical art forms, but for any staged performance to reach the audience, every line of the narrative was repeated numerous times. In the Bharatnatyam format too, each repeated line is interpreted with different hand, body and facial gestures. This can be clearly seen in some of the heavier and more intense pieces like Varnam (supposedly the longest piece in a “margam” [A-Z of a dance recital] sometimes lasting up to an hour) in which every line of the song is repeated a minimum of fifteen times. Each time the line is represented by a different set of hand gestures and facial expressions, though the overarching meaning is the same. Chandralekha, a pioneer of Bharatnatyam, believes that ‘Performance is an integration of verbal and non verbal communication’ ((Rustom: 1995, p.20). I agree with her because at one level (i.e., body gestures) Bharatnatyam can be considered as a nonverbal way of communicating ones ideas while at another level (i.e., music) which is sung along, containing lyrics loaded with meanings, it is directly aligned with the gestures. Music in Bharatnatyam is considered the verbal section of communication where words are woven and amalgamated with a tune to add meaning to the performance. Thus, I believe the richness of the piece increases due to the scope for multiple interpretations and usage of numerous combinations of hand gestures. Bharatnatyam is a rich combination of verbal (i.e., music) and nonverbal (i.e., gestures) mode of communication.
The relevance of Rasas in Bharatnatyam (the
non-verbal components)
Bharatnatyam is a multifaceted endeavor in which the corporeal, emotional,
intellectual, cultural and spiritual elements of an individual are packaged into
a set pattern of ideas and exhibited in an aesthetic manner to an audience. It
is a fusion of music, rhythm, sacred geometry, yoga, worship, therapy,
sculpture, poetry, harmony and beauty -- a blending of all these above
dimensions. Burnside states that, “A strong technical base is common to both the
exploration of technique and the intrinsic, expressive capacity of movements”
(Burnside: 1993, p.3). The intricate expressions enacted through the face and
body of the dancer, signify at one plane the different feelings or rasas providing a space in which ecstasy,
agony, revulsion, fear, anger, astonishment, and romance are communicated. Most
of these expressions or abhinayas can be categorized under the navarasas, which find a place in Bharatha’s Natya Shastra (Faubion, 1967). Sujatha Vijayaraghavan (2003) who is a well-known writer of short stories
and articles on fine arts states, “The term navarasa is commonly used in the
context of Dance and Theatre. Fauboin, in his
book Bharata, the author of Natya Sastra, defined the ashtarasas as the eight emotions depicted on stage by
dancers and actors.” (Fauboin: 1967, p. 13) The eight expressions are shringara rasa or
love, hasya rasa or humor, karuna rasa or
pathos, raudra rasa or wrath, gambira rasa or
heroism/valour, bhayanaka rasa or
fear, bhibatsa rasa or disgust and adhbuta rasa or
wonder. It was only later that the shanta rasa or
tranquility was included as the ninth rasa by Abhinava Gupta, the commentator or the sutradhar on
Natya Sastra. The concept of
rasa has
influenced most art forms in
The platform for most of the famous Indian classical dance forms has undergone a metamorphosis in the last twenty years. This is more prominent in the case of Bharatnatyam as it has evolved from a highly codified style to one affording maximum freedom for progress. This dance form, which began with the temples, royal courts and kothas, has stretched to the more popular ‘stage’ today. Ashish Khokar points out that it is, indeed, a "sparkling example of creative evolution in terms of material, music, costume, etc.” ( “Cover Feature”, SHRUTI, July, 2003, Chennai, p. 3). This evolution has been attained by the transcending of the dance form from the domain of the elitist into the world of the egalitarian, without compromising its artistic essence. Thus Bharatnatyam is a classic example of a dance form that has become not only “pan-Indian” but has become widespread in the burgeoning Indian diaspora across the globe.
Recently ‘Natyarangam’, the dance wing of
Narada Gana Sabha (a prestigious dance hall in Chennai) conducted an
annual thematic dance festival bringing together dancers, poets and musicians
under one roof. The theme for 2003 was set as ‘Rasa Bharatham,'
wherein the dancers who were participating were given an emotion to elucidate.
Some of the themes given were AIDS awareness, female
infanticide, eve-teasing, terrorism, water problem in Chennai, challenges women
face in today’s world, pressures faced by school children in trying to compete
for the first place in class, as well as other activities such as sports, etc.
This session ended with a live demonstration given by exponents like Vyjayanthimala Bali and Padma Subramanian, who tried to exhibit all the nine 'rasas' by picking up narratives from their personal
experiences.
Music in Bharatnatyam (verbal
component)
A study on verbal and non-verbal communication shows that in “human communication 10% is verbal, 90% is non-verbal” (Hall: 1990, p.16). Most individuals are only aware of the verbal (digital) aspect of what they are communicating while non-verbal communication is, to a large extent, not within their conscious mind and control. Lustig and Koester state that “verbal code is a set of rules about the use of words in the creation of a message”, (Lustig and Koester: 1999, p. 172) while they define non-verbal code as “something that is a multilayered process that usually involves a subtle set of nonlinguistic behaviors that are often enacted subconsciously” (p. 205). The music (Carnatic music) in a dance recital is regarded as the verbal mode of disseminating information. It is studded with rich lyrics depicts stories from Hindu mythology.
Burnside claims
that, “According to a survey made sometime ago, the accessibility of music for
dance is a major concern for audiences. Difficult music was considered more
off-putting than other features such as lack of narrative structure.”
(Burnside:1999, p.2) I agree with Burnside, because music as
an accompaniment in dance is considered a very important medium to communicate
messages to the audience. Unless the audiences understand the meaning of the
lyrics embedded in the song, communication is incomplete. Audiences who
regularly watch dance performances are conditioned to watch a certain format of
presentation. Hence, some people do not understand or appreciate experimental
work, like Abhyasa, Living Tree, Vaitharani or Utpala
because the music is perceived as new age instrumental, which did not fit into a
regular design of Indian classical dance form. As Watzlawick, Bavelas, and
Methodology
It is believed that the way an individual expresses his or her
emotions alters with changing times, which are largely based on the social and
political setting. As a practitioner of Bharatnatyam,
the changing dimensions of classical dance forms in
The methodology used for this study is the in-depth interviews of
some distinguished Bharatnatyam, Oddisi, Kuchipudi, Kathak and other
contemporary dances of
Data Collection
Procedures
The data collection was conducted during April-May 2004. The research procedures included six in-depth interviews of renowned dancers who have delved not only into the divine field of Bharatnatyam but who have also experimented with and are well versed in other classical and contemporary dance forms. This was achieved by using different forms of communication: tête-à-tête direct confrontation, and via electronic mail as well as by telephone.
All interviews were conducted in English. The interviews were
semi-structured which allowed respondents to express their views. The researcher
approached the respondents by sending an outline of the study as well as the
interview schedule. Since some respondents were in
Respondents
Profile
Six respondents were short-listed based on their experience in Indian
classical dance forms, their popularity in
Data
Analysis
The data analysis consisted of coding and drawing out themes from interviews. The procedure used open coding, an analytical process by which themes are identified in the data (Strauss & Corbin, 1998). During coding many themes were extracted.
Research
Questions
For the purpose of this study, the researcher came up with the following guiding research questions:
-What are the issues
current Indian classical dancers are facing while attempting to expand ancient
dance forms?
-How are
current practitioners of Indian classical dance forms dealing with
changes and challenges with respect to themes?
Thematic
Findings
The following themes emerged in response to the posed question.
Change
Most of the dancers dwelt on this point in all their interviews. Smitha Mangal states that, “Even if we do not keep up with the “latest” trend setter, each of us has created our own “change”, haven’t we?”
Change in
Themes
It is evident from the responses that Bharatnatyam and other Indian classical dances have adapted
for modern audiences and current socio- economic situations. The main objective
behind this could be with the intention of spreading a message, such as AIDS
awareness, or just storylines and themes based in modern times or for purely
entertainment purposes Shobana Bhalchandra claims that, “For any art to grow it needs to relate to the current life
styles of the people”.
Jayanthy Subramanian states, “My
choreography for a poem Nathigar (atheist) by the
contemporary writer Abdur Rahman speaking about the atrocities committed by the
followers of the major religions of Hinduism, Islam and Christianity in the name
of religion (which I first presented for Naradha Gana Sabhas Natyarangam) was well received as it had a very powerful
message to give”. Recently Jayanthy
Subramanian, Meenakshi Sheshadri and Shobana Bhalchandra have tried something original by performing
classical dance for old film songs purely for entertainment purposes at the
Change in Presentation
Dancer Anita Ratnam states, “There is lot more virtuosity in dance performances today. Better lighting, costume colour combinations, group choreography...” Changes have taken place in costumes (costumes have changed from real sarees to comfortable dance pants, which gives the impression of looking like the dance sarees). Stage décor and lighting has changed (creative lighting is being used to highlight themes, spotlight is used on a certain region of the stage or on a certain performer when there is a group of dancers to focus on someone or something in particular). Stage props have got more creative (dancers like Anita Ratnam use several kinds of onstage props like ropes, sticks, etc., in her ballet productions). World music (i.e., fusion music, like colonial cousins, chutney music, classical fusion; instrumental pieces like Kenny G, L Subramanian; Pop music from albums like Black or White) is used instead of classical music to reach out to more international and cosmopolitan audiences. Earlier practitioners stuck to authentic traditional jewelry made of gold. Changes have been made in terms of the makeup, hairdo and jewelry. Practitioners are experimenting with silver jewelry and other materials like clay, wood, flowers, and leaves, etc., to align it with the theme. All these alterations and developments have definitely changed the way a classical recital is presented. Jayanthy explains in her interview:
I had the opportunity to present an
experimental work in a political gathering
and the audience who know nothing of dance were
moved by the style the dance
was presented and most importantly understood
it.
Snob
Value
From the interviews of these dancers, I observed that dance
is learned more as a status symbol or an introduction to Indian culture. Anita
Ratnam affirms:
“Today Indian classical dance has become the best introductory culture course
to Indian heritage -
what I call the
facts than a deep dive into the sinews and breath of the art form.”
She further declares that “To boast my daughter learns from Padmashri ABC or Padma Bhushan XYZ is a highly valued sentence in today's cocktail circuit”. Smitha Mangal shares the same views while observing that
“Many families look upon Bharatnatyam as a status symbol, that is, to be able
to say, my daughter also had her arangetram [début] and this is how grand we
performed it”.
This is true not
only in
Focus
Shift
I
believe, that shift of focus is very important for the progress of any art form.
The respondents have delved upon this constituent of enhancement in their
interviews. This focus shift is chiefly about the modification in perception.
According to Rohini, focus shift is something
constantly in progress in all aspects of life. For instance, a dance piece
depicting the status of women fifty years ago would have shown all her
activities inside the comfort and security of her home. A contemporary piece on
the same issue would portray a woman as someone who is confident, forthright and
daring, and how she balances a career and home.
Fusion
- a contemporary approach
Fusion of several dance forms occur; on the one hand: Kathakali, Kuchipudi, Oddisi, Kathak, and on the other: the martial arts, such as,
Kalari, Silambam, Mohiniattam, including folk dances: Therukoothu, Devarattam; these art forms are all performed in
fusion by dancers, among others, Anita Ratnam and
Meenakshi Sheshadri. All the
respondents consider the fusion approach as a work in progress and something
difficult to describe. However, they also believe they have their own styles.
The reason for this maybe because they chose their paths depending on their
perception of what is the favored form of dance, and based on the approaches
their Gurus had.
Shobana Bhalchandra believes
“other styles like Mohiniattam, Kuchipudi
have had their effect on Bharatnatyam and other classical dances”. Anita
Ratnam deems her style is a fusion of many experiences
in her life. She declares that “(d)ance is an amalgam
of what I have lived and absorbed from the social club dances of my teenage
years, the love of sports and martial arts and the discipline of classical Bharatnatyam, Mohiniattam
and Kathakali, Butoh, Tai
Chi”. She states that some of her inspirations that have led her to create
her own style in dance are pizzazz of Bob Fosse’s choreography on Broadway, the
brilliance of Alvin Ailey and Martha Graham, the
individual style of Meredith Monk, the visual genius of Ammanur Madhava Chakyar (Koodiyattam), the skill of Rukmini Devi Arundale, and of her own contemporaries and mentors. Rohini has
used Oddisi
and combined it with western classical ballet to create fusion pieces on themes
like fire, world peace, etc.
Discussion/Reflection
There were numerous points that all the respondents touched
upon in their interviews. The first point is that when a performer is dancing
there is both verbal and non-verbal communication. The second point is that
feedback (responses) is mainly non-verbal communication, and the verbal
communication is delayed in time: as when parts of the feedback from the
audience is given as opinion backstage, and as when critics provide reviews in
the newspapers. The third point is comparing the way this art form is viewed by
the western world and by Indians. Most of the dancers
seemed to agree on the differences between Indian students and foreign and NRI
students of Bharatnatyam. Respondents believe that foreigners and non-resident Indian
students have a more researched approach to the learning of Bharatnatyam than students learning in
There were also some surprises for me as a researcher when I read and listened to some of the interviews. The surprise was that dancers from totally different schools of Bharatnatyam ( these schools or styles: Varuvur, Kalakshetra, and Pandhanallur), who follow totally contrasting styles seemed to give similar answers to questions such as the status of Bharatnatyam in Indian society. Styles vary in terms of footwork, body movements, gestures, and some enhancements like jewelry, hairdo etc, (Kalakshetra style is open to experimenting with plaited, coiled up hairdo, while they always only wear stone studded jewelry; popularly known as temple jewelry, while the Varuvur style is open to wearing gold & stone studded jewelry). Almost all respondents felt that technology has had positive effects with respect to making communication between dancers and rasikas (ardent supporters of dance) much easier. They agreed that technology has made its contribution to Bharatnatyam in creating a platform to communicate and share creative thoughts with dancers in other parts of the world as well as enhancing the quality of a recital. Another surprise was that all of the dancers thought of their style of dancing as a work in progress and something that they found difficult to describe.
Conclusion
During the course of this study I have realized that Bharatnatyam is
not an isolated art form. It is an amalgamation that has influences from other
dances, martial arts, and folk forms. Though classical dances follow a strict
set of rules and has a rigid framework, it is always changing and evolving and
the change is more visible in the last decade. The reasons could be the
audience, technological advancement, changes in the structure of society, etc.
But these changes in choreography, lighting, costume, group productions are
favored and a welcome extension. Despite such influences classical dance forms
have to essentially remain rooted in classicism. In conclusion I quote the words
of Anita Ratnam who states “In order to be international, I have to be Indian. To
communicate to the world, I need to be rooted”.
“Yetho Hasta Thatho Dhrishti,
Yetho Dhrishti Thatho Manaha
Yetho Manaha Thatho Bhavaha,
Yetho Bhavaha Thatho Rasaha”
(Where hands go your eyes follow;
Where your
eyes go your heart follows;
Where
your heart goes your expression follows;
Where
your expression goes, there is your gift to the
audience.)
[This verse is the first lesson a dancer learns, based on Bharata’s Natya Shastra.]
References
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APPENDIX
Interviews
I - Anita Ratnam
1. Do you think people are
tired of the old Bharatanatyam format? What do
you see for the future of solo/group Bharatanatyam/Indian classical dance?
As much as Indians are hung up on 'status', classical dance has
become a status symbol. To boast "my daughter
learns from Padmashri ABC or Padma Bhushan XYZ" is a highly
valued sentence in today's cocktail circuit (p.21). However, the artistic
value and intrinsic beauty of Indian classical dance is being gradually
eroded and nibbled away by society's desperate need to be glamorous, hip, cool
and sexy. There is
lot more virtuosity in dance performances. Better lighting, costume color
combinations, group choreography...(p. 20) but little
care in the intellectual life of the dance or the dancer. Research inputs are
far less today since the pressure to perform, be seen, be quoted, and
photographed or just to fulfill a sumptuous grant over-ride the time taken
to breathe life into a particular dance or an idea. The process of
creation is not an enshrined one in most Indian dance circles and so it is
under the most humiliating situations that most creative artists
function. Lack of rehearsal space, negligible funding and general
impatience color the final outcome of even some well-known and respected names
in the field. Having said the above, it must be added that Indian classical
dance is the most highly valued export product of the Government of India. Every
year, hundreds of classical practitioners are sent abroad by the Indian
Council of Cultural Relations to fulfill the 'culture quota' of the foreign
missions and embassies. Several excellent and many mediocre performers avail of
the Indian government's generosity to simper and fawn over foreign
audiences while trying to be eloquent about 'the 5000 year heritage
of dance and music' without any real knowledge of history. Glossy
brochures, slick video excerpts and website presences are rarely a true
indicator of the real quality of the performer or the performance. No matter
what the audience wants to see, the Indian government wants to have very little
to do with contemporary dance and relies heavily on classical dance to hold its
cultural flag aloft in distant shores. Several million dollars are spent in the
promotion of classical dance within
2. What do you think is the
status of Indian classical dances in Indian society today?
Every year more and younger girls crowd dance academies with eager
parents wanting their daughters to imbibe even a hint of this brilliant art
form. Never mind that their daughter will eventually fly away after high school
to study, law, business, biotechnology or multi media. Never mind that she will
never be a professional dancer. Enough just to learn through the classical dance
system, the various facets of mythology, music, rhythm, history, epic,
legend, movement and of course a fantastic 'mind and body workout' - all rolled into one! Today Indian classical dance
has become the best introductory culture course to Indian heritage - what I call
the
3. Do you think practitioners of Bharatnatyam/any other classical dance form are under
increasing pressure these days to move away from the traditional
structure?
4. Should or shouldn’t classical styles be
tampered with?
[Answer to questions 3 & 4. Ed.]Whether you debate it, mourn its demise, wail and beat your chest, the fact is that the format and presentation of Bharatanatyam has changed. To me the word ‘purity’ is problematic. What is truly pure? Actually, nothing is. Pure Bharatanatyam does not exist today. In the name of the classical, practitioners have manipulated and used the vocabulary and the framework of the classical form to present what they claim to be ‘classical’ and ‘pure’. Items have been altered, new songs and lyrics have been introduced into the program (p. 21). Audiences want ‘something new’ and yet are comforted when they see the familiar. No dancer today who lives in the urban milieu can lay claim to purity since either consciously or otherwise, their own practice of the classical has undergone changes dictated by audiences and the milieu they live and perform in. In a way, your question is now anachronistic.
5. You have a distinct style of your own. How
will you define it? What are some of the influencing factors to form your own
style?
My style is a ‘work in progress’. It is an amalgam of what I
have lived and absorbed.. from
the social club dances of my teenage years, the love of sports and martial arts
and the discipline of classical Bharatanatyam, Mohiniattam and Kathakali. Now I
am fascinated with the slow and meditative energy of Butoh and Tai Chi (p .25). My body moves in a way
that I cannot yet define as a module for transference to other students or
dancers, It is a highly personal style of moving that
has become organic to the way I walk and sit and talk and move. But it is
intrinsically Indian. My influences have been many. The pizzazz of Bob Fosse
choreography on Broadway, the brilliance of Alvin Ailey and Martha Graham, the individual style of Meredith
Monk, the visual genius of Ammanur Madhava Chakyar (Koodiyattam) the skill of Rukmini
Devi Arundale and my own
contemporaries and mentors. Over
the last ten years I have had the good fortune to visit rural areas in