'Importance of Research in Indian Dance'

Article written by: Padma Shri Dr. Sunil Kothari.

   Abhinaya Darpana (Mirror of Gestures), a Sanskrit text by Nandikeswara of   8th Century mentions: ‘Yato hastah tato drishtihi, yato drishtihi, tato manah, yato manah, tato bhavah, yato bhavah tato rasah,’ Where goes hand, there follows eyes, where follow eyes, there follows, mind, where follows mind there follows emotion, where there is emotion follows Rasa, flavor/relish. Dr. Ananda Coomaraswamy in his preface of the translated text of this book lays emphasis on Abhinaya, acting, which leads the spectator to enjoyment of a performance.

  Classical Indian Dance is described as ‘Drishya Kavya’, visual poetry. Once a spectator has entry points into enjoying it, he relishes the joy of watching classical Indian dance. It is said hat the spectator has to be equally well versed as a dancer to enjoy the dance.

  By 1930s, when Indian dance was revived, the pioneers like poet Rabindranath Tagore, poet Vallathol Narayana Menon, dancers Uday Shankar, Rukmini Devi, Madame Menaka who institutionalized training of classical dance, sought to co-relate the available Sanskrit manuscripts on dance with practice. The aesthetic principles enunciated in the Natyasastra, were applicable to performing and plastic arts and also to literature. These interdependence of arts ushered audiences into the world of dance and theatre in a meaningful manner.

  The importance of research in dance, its scope and viability are grasped by the educated young, middle class, performing artists right from early 1950's and since then there is no looking back on parts of serious dancers. Similarly it would help the young generation to appreciate how classical dance leads one to a rarefied realm, a joy which can not be defined, but experienced.

  Earlier dance was taught as an oral tradition. Even today that methodology, of Guru Shishya Parampara, the teacher and the taught order, seems valid. In the beginning what is learnt by rot, repetition, following instructions of the guru, later on leads one to surprisingly great understanding of its higher values, philosophical thoughts, speculative meanings and spiritual content.

  Those not familiar with the dance traditions, need to know about its origin, the locale where  it is performed and preserved and what it conveys through movements, hand gestures, expressions, eyes, eye -brows, face, neck,  arms and legs, all  in perfect sync. Often a dancer before she performs a dance number explains the story through hand gestures, facial expressions and offers to a spectator entry point into what is to follow with the recitation of the shloka, Sanskrit verse, the accompanying music, instrumental and utterance of mnemonic syllables. She gently explains what nritta, pure dance, is and what is Nritya, expressional dance which translates poetry into movement, using hand gestures and facial expressions, and also at times introduces Natya, element of drama.

  This is one of the most successful ways of leading audiences to appreciation of classical Indian dance. SPIC MACAY movement has done a great job introducing both music and dance forms to school going children and college students. Such dance appreciation courses are one of the most important strategies of making classical Indian dance popular and of easy access to audiences.

  With dance being taught at the University level with BA, MA, M.Phil and Ph.D Degrees, the scope for research in dance has opened up several possibilities of higher academic studies. Various inter-related disciplines offer scope to look at dance from various angles- social, anthropological, cultural, and political. In the post-independence era, contributions of redoubtable scholars like Dr. V.Raghavan, Dr. Kapila Vatsyayan, Dr. Padma Subrahmanyam, Dr. Kanak Rele, Dr. Sunil Kothari and others have been considered very valuable. In particular, Dr Kapila Vatsayayan’s path-breaking methodological study Classical Dance in Literature and Arts has shown the direction in which research in dance can be explored. Whereas performing artists like Dr. Padma Subrahmanyam and Dr. Kanak Rele have demonstrated how with the help of the manuscripts, lost dance traditions can be revived and enriched.

  What a dancer doing research and performing has to guard against is the use technical language, which may intimidate the general public in following the discourse and explanations. However, without diluting the core, the explanations need to be couched in simple language with demonstrations/illustrations. To strike a personal note, when I started writing on dance, Dr. Mulk Raj Anand, Founder editor of Marg, art quarterly, invited me to write on dance forms like Bharatanatyam, Odissi, Kathak etc., he explained to me how excellent photographs with adequate captions and text which would compliment the visuals and vice versa lead readers to the world of dance, in particular, with illustrations of legendary dancers, whom public watches performing. That would make the art of dance accessible to lay and informed readers.

  I also planned several lecture-demonstrations with leading dancers for dance appreciation courses often held at NCPA in Mumbai. And  week long dance –festivals with dance-demonstrations by leading gurus and their disciples  like Kelucharan  Mahapatra, Sanjukta Panigrahi, Kum Kum Mohanty, (Odissi), Vempati Chinna Satyam, Shobha Naidu, Kamadev, (Kuchipudi), Lachhu Maharaj , Sitara Devi, Birju Maharaj ,Kumudini Lakhia( Kathak), Bipin Singh and Jhaveri Sisters (Manipuri), Kalyansundaram, Mrinalini Sarabhai, Anjali Merh (Bharatanatyam), Chathunni Panicker (Kathakali) and Dr Kanak Rele (Mohini Attam). This I conducted from 1970 till1980 at C.J Hall (now where National Gallery of Modern Arts is), in Mumbai. I continued later on when I joined as a Professor and Head of dance dept. at Rabindra Bharati University, Kolkata and School of Arts and Aesthetics, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi. Even now I do conduct dance appreciation courses which invariably bring new audiences to classical Indian dance.

  Today young dancers studying classical dance whether under well known dancers, running their own academies, or at University level, have considerable scope for research in dance. The availability of Sanskrit texts, various scholarly publications, edited versions of Natyasastra texts, including the Natyasastra, translations in vernacular languages, information available on electronic media, study with gurus, scholars, opportunities for performances, lecture-demonstrations in schools, colleges and other forums would help them to enrich themselves and also share their knowledge with audiences.

  Today dancers can apply to any University which offers courses in dance, attend workshops announced by dancers, scholars, gurukula opportunities through SPIC MACAY, look up e portal www.narthaki.com , and contact institutions which also offer training privately. Institutions like Kalakshetra Foundation (Chennai), Kerala Kala  Mandalam (Kerala), Jawaharlal Nehru Manipuri Dance Academy(Imphal), Kathak Kendra (New Delhi), Darpana Academy of Performing Arts and  Kadamb(Ahmedabad), Rabindra Bharati University(Kolkata),School of Arts and Aesthetics, JNU, (New Delhi) Nalanda Nritya Kala Mahavidyalaya, Nalanda Research Centre, , Bharata College of Performing Art s (Mumbai) , Hyderabad University , Telugu University,  (Hyderabad), Siddhendra Kalakshehtra (Kuchipudi), Sattriya Kendra( Guwahati)  to name a few , cover eight classical Indian dance forms and allied traditions. Well equipped with theoretical and practical knowledge the dancers can provide a broader understanding of precious legacy of classical Indian dance to laymen, increasing the tribe of connoisseurs.

Dr. Sunil Kothari
Photo Courtesy: Avinash Pasricha

Padma Shri and Sangeet Natak Academy Awardee Dr. Sunil Kothari.

Dr. Sunil Kothari is a leading dance historian, scholar, author and critic.

He has to his credit more than 18 definitive books on Indian dance forms including Bhratanatyam, Kathak, Odissi, Kuchipudi, Sattriya dances of Assam, New directions in Indian Dance, photo-biographies of Uday Shankar and Rukmini Devi, Rasa Volume I (edited), Damaru, Essays on Indian traditional Theatre and Dance (edited), Dance in Retrospect published by Sangeet Natak Akademy- edited papers of 1958 Dance seminar organized by Sangeet Natak Akademi- two volumes, Dance Sculptures of Medieval Temples of North Gujarat with reference to Sangitopnisatsaroddhara (under print) and few others in Gujarati: Uday Shankarand his dance technique, Manipuri Dances and Contribution of the Jhaveri sisters, Jugalbandi, Dance travelogues.

Dr. Kothari earned his Ph.D in Dance of Traditions 
of Kuchipudi, Bhagavat Mela Nataka and Kuravanji with reference to Rasa Theory in 1977 from M S University of Baroda and D. Litt in Dance from Rabindra Bharati University, Kolkata in 1985.

Dr. kothari was Professor and HOD of Dance, Rabindra Bharati University, Kolkata and Dean and Professor, School of Arts and Aesthetics, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi.

Dr. Kothari was Fulbright Professor, New York University and has taught at UCLA, Georgia University and Evergreen College,Washington West.

For his outstanding research and contribution to dance, he received Padma Shri, civil honour and Sangeet Natak Akademy Award from the President of India. He also received Life Time Achievement award from Dance Critic Association, New York. He is the first critic from India to receive such distinguished award.

Dr. Kothari was a dance critic of the Times of India group of publications for 40 years. Currently, he writes as a dance critic for the Hindu newspaper, Sruti- monthly from Chennai, Nartanam-quarterly from Hyderabad, Angaraga-half yearly from Bhubaneshwar and e Portal Narthaki.com.

Dr. Kothari is based in New Delhi and is a visiting professor of School of Arts And Aesthetics JNU, New Delhi.