Classical artistes must absorb impulses from music, theatre, books and conversations: Geeta Chandran

Classical dance forms have a strong grammar and cultural rooting , and constructing your own unique vocabulary that can also address social issues , does not usually come organically to us. Unlike in theatre , that’s more easy flowing, there is an established, well-defined process and repertoire. In theatre, one can learn acting, sharpen skills, and employ them to do whatever one wants to do with it.

But in dance, there is a history, a tradition, and a parampara that needs to be followed. Our muscle memory is indelibly ingrained, and the spine is trained to speak a certain language.
But there are dancers who think beyond the received repertoire, who explore collaborations, who are inspired by social realities and convey it through their artistic vocabulary. But this requires a different kind of orientation and exposure, a whole different pedagogy in fact. To do this, dancers must step out and absorb impulses from music concerts, theatre, lectures, books, and get inspired by them. What has happened in the case of classical art forms is that they are not reaching out to embrace other audiences as much as they should.

I believe a lot of it depends on the pedagogy. There are some teachers who discourage you from engaging or absorbing from other performers, but there are others who push you and give you the exposure. Classical art forms have always been looked at as a closed, intense space that require singular focus on one thing, but those times have changed today. We are living in a society full of stress, problems and issues. As an artiste, it’s crucial to be aware of what’s happening around and to be able to see how art can be placed in the context of the churning world.

I started experimenting rather early and people slotted me as an “experimentalist”. It took some time for people to understand that I can do both. Of course, there is a risk involved when you step out and want collaborations, but then when you see your audience growing because you are trying to say something different, it pays off.
Unfortunately, the current generation likes to be comfortably ensconced in groups with like-minded people. But that’s not enough. They need to open up and engage with people and other artistes and not limit themselves to a group pursuing just one thing. They need to look at it from an intellectual perspective. Every artiste must carve their own road and walk it; there is no road that everyone can walk on, no specific formula.

The gender barrier is constantly being pushed too. Even today, people largely discourage male classical dancers as they are expected to fulfil certain financial and familial responsibilities. And classical art forms are not instantly rewarding. Moreover, many compositions, specifically in Bharatanatyam, are female oriented. But today, things are changing.
There are many male dancers on the top. The hesitation that was there in the 70s, 80s and 90s is not there anymore. During the lockdown, everybody was forced into the digital media. This has also given people the space where they can put out their own art and perhaps made art more democratic. But that doesn’t always ensure

quality. It’s also a double-edged sword because audiences have become reluctant to go and watch performances in the theatre. They think everything needs to be live streamed and can be experienced from the comfort of their homes. But no. The experience of a live performance is completely different. The smell of sweat cannot reach you via digital media.
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"The gender barrier is being pushed in classical dance forms, making these exciting times"