Thanks to the advent of the popular International Dance Show, So you think you can Dance, there has been increased awareness about how many varied dance forms and styles exist from the Viennese Waltz to Krumping! It has brought along with it many other reality dance shows, such as our very own Dance India Dance or the kids dance "talent" show Chak Dhoom Dhoom.
What interests me while being witness to a performance is how the dancers use their bodies to make it look aesthetic. By aesthetic I do not mean holding a rope and swinging on it like Tarzan and Jane! Yes it is difficult, you need a lot of muscular strength and power to be able to even hold on to the rope for dear life, but is that dance? The Indian dance shows bring out wonderful talents but somewhere leave me disappointed. The Indian choreographers today feel the need to display how dancers can be a Superman or a Powerpuff Girl, after a small song and dance sequence, they are made to swing through the forests on their ropes, performing various stunts that you also can watch at a circus! No offence to performances or shows where you have to score points to win. But if you just compare the Indian Shows with the International counterparts, you can feel the insecurity among the Indian Choreographers/Dancers! There is a need to show- off!
Moving on....The word "Contemporary" has opened a Pandora's box as far as Dance and Movement is concerned. Even a flick of a wrist seems to be a beautifully crafted dance movement. I came across a beautiful piece of choreography. 2 Dancers. No props. Just their bodies.Watch.....
Right from the beginning from the time his hand slides out to gently clasp her hair, you see her beautifully moving into his lap and you know instantly that this piece will showcase strength. Its the amazing transition of movements, even when there is someone sitting on your back (the way kids want to play Ghoda Gadi) and you still have that ability to move through the floor so effortlessly. That for me is strength in dance. It is that peaceful internal strength that makes me want to watch a dancer perform. They are trying to convey a story or meaning through their movement. The beauty of it being that it is open to interpretation!
My mother once watched a contemporary dance performance with me. At the end of the performance she looked at me and said " I din't understand anything!" , which made me wonder why she felt the need to intellectualize the performance. Now when I think of it, I realise, in Indian Classical Dances such as Bharatnatyam, there are specific mudras or gestures, that signify a particular emotion, animal or thing. Accompanied by facial expressions, it might not be too difficult to decipher when the dancer is expressing happiness or surprise or sadness. On the other hand, along with very slight facial expressions, in most contemporary pieces, the Body does the talking. It is therefore, what you perceive, what you imagine and what you feel during the piece, which makes it a very personal experience.
Beautifully written Rashmi! Honestly , I am an avid follower of So you think you can dance , and initially i too had the same reaction as your mom abt the contemporary dance routines on tht show. I think now, I have learnt to appreciate thm for wat they are .. something very open to interpretation. And I cudnt agree more abt our indian choreographers and their need to show off stunts in these dance shows :)
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