Avant Garde ,the Dancer of the Future and Dance: An Outlook (On World Dance Day)

People ask me at their first sight of introduction, ‘Are u a Dancer? O, you look like a Dancer! What is the Dance form you do…?’And before I start replying about my studying of Indian Classical Dance and about how have I been attached to it since last 15 years; they neither stop nor listen to me anymore and yet again start saying exuberantly, ‘…So, you are a Classical Dancer! very nice!! That’s really great…Even today’s world should not adieu it ’. It seems they have a very good impression on Classical Dance. Of course they should have it because of their brought up in enriching Indian Tradition and undoubtedly they are very proud for being introduced by such culture which is their very own whereas the New India is much more tempted to modern Dance culture. I felt that they had their own imagination about the social appearance (how they behave in any social gatherings) of Classical Dancers. But, is it enough for a Dancer to continue as a Dancer?

Before the stereotype ‘Indian Classical’ had come to us, Dances in India were simply body movements which connote symbolic meaning. Throughout the decades or may be after a long period, it had been reached and uplifted as Classical. It was certainly not started practising as a Classical Dance so far; rather a ritual which might give the importance on total involvement. This total kind of involvement is the vital part of learning the Classical Dance forms even today. Besides, there are also different Community Dances (Folk Dance) accompanied by music bring a community together for celebratory purposes most of which have their connection with indigenous social customs. Villages where there is a mixed population, we find them dancing together in occasion such as marriages and festivals. Beautifully present Classical Dance or the folk community art forms are more or less represent the way of existence to recreate past history or myth throughout the life. Now-a-days, NGOs take initiative to organise festivals, cultural show of these traditional forms in public domain. This gives the performers a level of their knowledge, exploration and presentation.

Bodily movement simply cannot consider as Dance (Nritya in Indian context) unless artistic balanced moves and postures (Bhangi) include in it rather it is called ‘the moves’ (Nāch). All the Indian Classical Dances had reached the present level of sophisticated kinesis through a series of maintaining practises and creativity by the experts with a full dedication. Various Traditional Schools (Gharana) of practising the Classical art forms were the sole responsible for the dignity of all those structure. Now, those movements may denote some of the ideal forms (mainly of woman) of the past time-a museum of the living beauty of the period or may depict a period of mankind. These all movements themselves are actually the constructed beauty made up of postures seen in sculptureque arts. In India, Maestros (traditional gurus) of each school take the responsibility to give the entire knowhow of the respective Dance culture. The traditional Classical Dance teaches not only the forms, also to intact with the nature and so the perception. It teaches how you walk in the garden, how animals behave, how tree shake their body in the wind, how flowers scented and everything in nature that surrounds you.  

Again, the rigidity of the artistic movements in the Indian Classical Dance might depict the social bindings, restrictions and boundaries. When the Maestro says, ‘Do not think about the bodily pain while Dance, just try to concentrate and complete the movement cycle…’it also symbolically means that pain is a part of human life and consequently, Dance gives that passion to face and cross it. In India, whole scenario of Art is different in a global understanding as it has always some connection to ritual and religious practise. The ritual object and the props used in a performance are taken from daily social life where a belief system as well as its transmission also continues. In earlier times, women took an active part in most of the ritual /religious performances. For e.g. - Devdasi tradition. On the other hand, in our conservative regional society there are certain restrictions that keep quite the women to not to perform Dance (or to enter ritual space) whereas learning Dance is not restricted.  Some of the Dance forms have been continuing traditionally among bearers and some are learnt by the enthusiasts. That is why, Dance is seen in two folds in India -as a tradition as well as a learning behaviour.

In between this tension of continuing Dance tradition and learning, there had been evolved many new Dance styles. In the beginning of 20^th century, Indian Dance as a newly creative contemporary form came to be known on the world map because of the leading exponent Uday Shakar and his ‘Hi-Dance’ (Later known as contemporary). It was he who first applied western theatrical technique into traditional Indian Classical Dance. He and his ballet troupe made cultural tour enriching the Indian culture in a modern way. Uday Shankar was able to make a possible niche to love Indian Dance forms globally which was barred in the then rigid society of Classical Performing Art.  

Is it possible to assent again the Dances of India in a modern way or any Avant Garde to reveal the present day Indian society? Now this is a question whether we need Avant Garde in our cultural evolution or not. Avant Garde is a western concept (from French, advance guard) defines ‘Art in the developing of ’ with respect to art, culture and politics. It breaks all the rigidity out of all historical and traditional ethos or philosophy. It is so contrary to tradition but part of the traditional. During the last 100 years Avant Garde has developed into its many folds such as-historical, current (which always changing), a forward looking, a tradition seeking and Intercultural Avant Garde.  Avant Garde carries a cache of shock, of newness escape from the stylistic aesthetic rules passed on by the culture. This is mostly applied in Theatrical arts.

The work of the current Avant-Garde is often excellent, virtuosic in its mastery of formerly experimental and risky materials and techniques.  Avant Gardists are bold enough to revolt a traditional way of performing. This has been seen also in Dance field might be different from Modern Dance. Definitely, we do not need the kind of shock giving Art forms which may hurt our cultural boundaries. But why not to experiment with the form? Few months back during a meet, some of my colleague Dancers said to me that to continue all the traditional forms is the easiest way instead of doing nothing and that is how the glory of richest culture are always at hands. But again, is this sufficient to think more as a Dancer!

With the continuous practise, a Dancer may not be said as a Dancer (rather a balanced learner) unless she/he is not able to give a balanced image/ expression in his/ her thoughts. In that case, there may be a question of whether the gurus in our country last? As the time grows gurus have been also seen changing many ways to teach the students. If the potentiality of a Dancer is the utmost important for a guru, then in any case the guru will lead to show the path of any art forms you like whether Classical, folk, rock or any other! I am sure about that. And why not ! It is to encourage the young Dancers to shape their thoughts into a definite form.

Does anybody think that the present day school express and represent the culture of the contemporary social life? The dancing gurukul or dance school of the future is to develop some contemporary ideal forms. It will be, as it were, a museum of the living beauty of the period. Now almost every practising form mostly traditional, are in a liminal state because of the modern equipped environment. Also because it’s no more perform in the original way but at the same time is not going too opposite way and stays in the state of middle performativity. Most of the Folk Dances accumulated their audience instead of avoiding the involving the audience to take part in. Except few, the infrastructures no more akin to the traditional (naturalistic) environment replaced by modern big rooms with large mirror in front of dancing spaces. It has been changed also the utility of the space and time. 

We should not be so demanding to perform only the constructed beautiful form instead we can create newer commemorating the existing form which in one way justify the present context of surviving the social system and to mould the cultural evolution on the other. Along with the Litterateur and Scientists, Dancers of the future can too take the responsibility to open an idea of reality through symbolic bodily interpretation. Present day Dancers have also the same responsibility to feel the same existed nature. They procreate the language of Dance but in their own way. It’s a time for the Dancer to feel and express own way about the air, river, trees and for the artist to visualise or carve or paint all those to prove a period of History in future. Because strategy of social system has always been changed although the insightness remain all the same.  It is very much required to fill up the gap between present and past not only by performing and encouraging Traditional Dance, but also to support the other forms by the by, which may represent a period of olden times or contemporary etc. This can be experimented by coming a second and third generation together in one platform and make it worth full.

There will be needed to outline not only the creativity but also the entire surrounds, values that can affect primarily the Dancer’s personality as well as the cultural life we are representing. I believe that the Dancers of the future will owe these from physical environment and will make an excellent Dance culture.

(Source: Some essays on Performance by R. Schechner, Some academicians and their contribution to Performance Studies, interviews with Dancers.)