Probably the most important emerging discussions of our time and what it means for the future of Indian Classical dances
'Are you a fusion artist?'
That question somehow made me very uncomfortable - partly because I didn’t really know how to answer it. I’m fully aware of the projects that I partake in and how they will be perceived as fusion. I myself admit to using some of the Western influences that I have grown up with by incorporating the elements that are integral to my Indo-Western identity. On one hand, I'm grateful to have a strong foundation in the basics of Kuchipudi to be following the guidelines that I have been taught and representing a classical art form that has been passed down for generations. On the other hand, I get excited knowing that I can also experiment with what I have been taught and see the many ways I can apply these skills to tell untold or emerging stories.
In the past, whenever someone would ask me what my thoughts on fusion were, I always had one answer - just don’t do it. However, over the years, I’ve come to realize that this concept of fusion is opening up new doors to creative outlets and experimentation. Some stories that are relevant and emerging in modern society can benefit from multiple influences. Within reason and in the right context, I started to understand that it does hold a power that is appealing and reach larger audiences. In turn, that has a slight domino effect on those who may not be familiar with the art forms and inspire them to further research the art forms to dig deeper into the culture.
The key word here is within reason. This is why you hear a lot of purists frown upon the word 'fusion'. Most of the examples of fusion arts that incorporate Indian classical influences that we have seen have not utilized the strong basics training and classical dictionary that has been standardized to its full extent. Specifically in dance, hasta mudras and facial expressions are incorrectly used and depictions of Hindu Gods and Goddesses are appropriated and misinterpreted in the wrong context. In addition, we can visibly see the dancers’ form in the fusion dances are not educated enough and potentially damaging to the body, making purists frown upon it more.
Fusion, in my opinion, is doing justice to the multiple influences that are being utilized into one performance. The struggle here is that it's hard to give equal importance to so many components and, in most cases, one usually dominates the other. For the sake of keeping up with the current social norms and what keeps us 'hype', classical dances often get the back burner. At most, we'll get teases of it occasionally in music or dance for the sake of ‘representing Indian culture’, lasting a split second and the true beauty of the art becomes diluted and the real translation is misconstrued.
Here’s the thing: we’ve all become okay with the idea of posting everything we do on social media. In fact, we’ve become the culture of ‘if it’s not on social media, then it didn’t happen’. We want to represent and showcase that we care about our culture, purely for the sake of seeming like we are different than most. In those conditions, we become okay with merging different influences without the basic understanding in order to gain views that turns into popularity. Of course, there is that allure of wanting to be the next best personality so utilizing our culture for your own personal gain? Where does that actually lead us?
Why does this relate? While social media does have its strengths in working for artists as a personal marketing strategy without the need for agencies like in the past, it also has the potential to wreck havoc on the true culture of Indian classics for the sake of views and popularity. Everything is defined by some sort of metric and, let's be honest, the numbers get to us. When something doesn't perform as well as we had hoped, we automatically place the blame on the post at stake and trying to brainstorm new ways to make it more exciting. This, unfortunately, is having an effect on the art itself and has the ability to compromise the integrity of one as an artist.
I recently had a chat with my dance professor at the University of Silicon Andhra, Dr. Yashoda Thakore*. An expert in the classical dance field and being very open-minded, she had an insightful perspective on the quickly changing culture in dance and the effect it has on Indian classical dances.
Manaswini: ‘What do you think about the recent development of classical dances that merge different styles, mostly Western with Indian Classical dance, together and posted on social media?’
Dr. Yashoda Thakore: ‘On a small level, I think it is OK. It encourages a creative outlet and it is refreshing to see different perspectives to help us understand the value of Indian classical dances. However, I do believe that people resort to fusion when they don't have sufficient expertise in any one particular art form. In order words, they look to other forms to fill in the gaps that they are unable to do with just one. Then, add in the commercial aspect of it as well and incorporates all the flashy glamorous elements that have been added in for the sake of viewer engagement and taking away from the art itself.
However, who am I to tell someone not to move? Everyone has the right to move their body in whatever way they please. It is the art of dance that allows you to express yourself and what makes sense for you. Though, at the cost of classical dances, we are not only losing the true beauty but also, more importantly, the history of the art forms in this lackadaisical behavior of some artists. I do believe that fusion can be done much more intelligently than it is being presented in mass media. This is the time where we need to make a change and invite more conversations in this realm to preserve the history of the art forms.’
This was the reassurance that I needed to solidify my thoughts on this topic. The word fusion sits nicely in the word confusion itself. As we blur the lines between genres of dance, we start losing the cultural history that we have brought with it - not only the stories of epics and Hindu Gods, but also the historical figures of the past that were greatly significant to India’s social and political history. As much as I don’t want to call this an issue (because I'm sure there are so many perspectives on this), it’s time to pause and reflect on what this is doing to the true culture of classical dances. In this emerging concept of fusion, we must acknowledge that we are messing with its cultural identity and what it means for future generations.
The concept of fusion is not something new. We have seen it play over hundreds of years of colonial invasions and religious movements in Indian history now coming into the light through media and standardized texts. Old school Bollywood dancing has been influenced by various gharanas in the North from renowned kathakars, a few devadasis from South India entered films after the 'Devadasi Abolition Bill' in 1947, and Anna Pavlova, a Russian ballerina, who worked closely with Rukmini Devi Arundale bringing in ballet technique, played an integral part in the revival and reconstruction of Bharatanatyam in the 20th century.
What is shocking here is the level at how fast this is moving today, possibly reaching uncontrollable levels. What used to take years of land invasions, political agenda and religious conflicts to influence an art form is now happening at a rapid rate over videos and technology. The key difference here is the speed at which social media and a melting pot of cultures that we are now exposed to influencing our decisions. Just in the last 2 decades, we have seen how classical dances have changed through the hands of different Gurus and their interpretations of scriptures and sculptures, utilizing more geometric lines and shapes, something that was not existent pre-colonialism era [in Indian History]. Developing our vocabulary of classical dance history and theory before engaging in choreographic attempts will help us to make more educated decisions, while paying tribute to those who have built this foundation for us to be able to present it today.
The origins of classical dance are still murky and it is important for us to maintain the standards that we know today as much as possible until we continue to question and search for answers about its history. If and when we ignore some of these standards, we also forget the questions that were previously asked, leaving us farther and farther away from the truth. With the current resources, we can be held accountable for our actions and can choose to put our roots at the forefront.
As Dr. Thakore has mentioned, merging of multiple genres can be done more intelligently. There is nothing wrong with getting inspired by Indian Classical dances. In fact, they have been the basis for many of the new forms we see today. If you do plan on using those influences, make sure to acknowledge the type of dance you were inspired from and give credit to the art form. Better yet, describe the movements and hand gestures you are using and the meaning you are trying to convey. Take the necessary training that has already been built by those before us and commit yourself to the art. Remember that each step of what we consider classical dances of India is a piece of history that has been passed down from generations. It’s not just about the movement of the body, but what it means to the Indian ancestry.
What does fusion mean to you?
*Dr. Yashoda Thakur is a faculty member in the University of Silicon Andhra and is an acclaimed and accomplished Kuchipudi and Devadasi Nrityam artiste. She has provided her insights on this topic through a discussion in her course ‘Indian Classical Dances’. More information about the University of Silicon Andhra can be found at https://www.universityofsiliconandhra.org/
F U S I O N