Dance in India: from Evolution to Innovation -Twisha Anand

History of dance The dancing girl of Mohenjodaro Devdasis in 1920

History of Indian classical dances Bharatnatyam (Dasi Attam) Kuchipudi (Brahmin story telling) Kathakali (half-Aryan and half-Dravidian) Kathak (‘katha’ meaning story) Manipuri (Gandharvas and the Goddess of Dawn) Odissi (temples and religion)

Innovations and modern dance forms Indian fusion dance - “Now, with a broader acceptance of and respect for cultural diversity, many dance artists of differing backgrounds work in collaboration, exploring the expressive potential of each other's dance traditions.” (Mrinalini Sarabhai) Contemporary dance - combination of modern and post modern dance. “Contemporary dancing reflects the issues involved in our century.  New movements in dance can also make it contemporary in its pattern. Contemporary dance should be inspired rather than acquired.  Movements that are meaningful are important.  It must be a need within yourself to express new forms that cannot be done with classical techniques.” (Mrinalini Sarabhai) Beyond dance -

Factors encouraging innovation in dance forms Governance and Laws Social systems and hierarchies Culture Needs Awareness and training Exclusivity Religion Audience and support Conferences and meets Other performance elements

Barriers to innovations in dance forms Government and patrons Lack of awareness Risk averseness Ego and mindset The history of dance Methodology of teaching dance - “The teaching method in India is basically a 'see-and-do' method, which involves students watching older students and imitating them.  This means that students never get to do something in a new way.” (Vimala Sharma)

“The dance will continue growing into new dimensions of beauty in form and truth in expression. And the dancer will continue to give more and more expressions to the sentiments of love. And the heroines of the classical dance will continue to be the nayikas of today.”