Interrogating the “Nation” in Contemporary Indian Dance in India and the Diaspora

Abstract

Nationalism is a problematic concept since it includes and excludes certain groups on different grounds as it suits the State. India excludes marginalized indigenous, Adivasi tribal population and many in the neglected Northeastern region of the sub-continent from the privileges of citizenship. I discuss such exclusions via performances in the genre of Contemporary Indian dance, by providing a brief overview of this style, its origins, techniques and idioms. A pioneering dancer-choreographer of Contemporary Indian Dance, Astad Deboo’s solo, group and collaborative work spanning 50 years, is note-worthy for his choreography with marginalized Manipuri drum-dancers and martial artists in Rhythm Divine I, and Rhythm Divine II: The River Runs Deep. Deboo’s signature style – abstract, meditative and infused uniquely with emotion” is imbibed by the Manipuri dancers. This essay also explores violence perpetrated by the Indian State against poor, tribal Indians as performed in Contemporary Indian Dance by diaspora-based Aparna Sindhoor/Anil Natyaveda’s Navarasa Dance Theater Company in works such as River Rites, showcasing struggles for water rights; A Story and a Song concerned with environmentalism using Indian and Native American folk tales. In Sindhoor’s words, Navarasa’s choreography delves into social justice issues? such as violence against women, environmental degradation, [and] human rights?