initial encounter with the world
Pioneers such as Uday Shankar, Ram Gopal, Madame Maneka, Rukmini Devi Arundel and Guru Gopinath in the 1940s and even 50s started companies that toured the world with elaborately equestrian ballets, giving away Indian dance – Took it far. By the 1960s, however, ballet as a concept began to fade. Today, most government-funded institutions such as the Kathak Center in New Delhi, Kalakshetra in Chennai and Kerala Kalamandalam in Thrissur still stage such productions.
where tradition meets modernity
teacher-disciple tradition [tradition], a distinctive aspect of Indian classical dance, paved the way for similar, structured dance teaching in institutions such as the Maharaja Sayajirao University of Baroda and the Nalanda Nritya Kala Mahavidyalaya in Bombay. Not that the tradition has become completely obsolete (take Nrityagram, founded by Protima Bedi), but teachers took into account its limitations as well as its remarkable principles to create a more structured approach to dance education Is.
effect of television
Classical dancers were the pioneers of India’s rich performing arts traditions, aided by organizations such as the Sangeet Natak Akademi (1952) and the Indian Council for Cultural Relations (1950). His influence on the popular imagination began to decline as Indians were exposed to new dance styles on television. This led practitioners such as Gopi Kishan, Kumudini Lakhia and Birju Maharaj to choreograph for Hindi films.
dance as reality tv
By the mid-2000s, desi dance reality shows such as Boogie Woogie, Jhalak Dikhhla Jaa and Dance India Dance were instrumental in introducing the audience to dance forms such as ballroom, lyrical, variants of hip hop and more. In turn, they spawned a whole new legion of choreographers who set up their own studios and are well versed on social media to spread their art. Few, such as hip hop crew Kings United, have made an impact internationally.
back temple
Site-specific work is now more common, a practice that dates back to the origin of dance in temples. Many temples and state boards benefited from this ‘mancha’ as is evident in the dance festivals held in temple towns such as Khajuraho and Konark. Recently, corporates have entered the fray with the Neemrana Group promoting dance at their heritage assets.
the more the merrier
The art of the soloist is now becoming the art of the group. Razzmataaz of group choreography and group presentation is now mostly seen in festivals. The aspirations of the parents are high and the mentor knows that the students are eager to get on stage and put their best foot forward. Even the organizers of the festival are more interested in group choreography than solo singing, keeping the interest of the audience in mind. However, some institutions in Chennai such as The Music Academy and Narada Gana Sabha ensure that the solo tradition is maintained.
online stage
The pandemic forced dancers to hold their classes and even perform online. While it has come at the cost of quality, it has provided an equal opportunity with easy accessibility. However, the staying power is less and there is a lot of competition. Today’s internet star is tomorrow’s potential history.