Dance Fusions

Photo Courtesy of Leela Dance Collective

My Voice by Preethi Sriram

Indian Classical Dance styles and American Tap Dance are literally world’s away from each other. Indian Classical Dance is known as a very structured form of dance. There are currently eight recognized classical dance styles from the different parts of India which include Bharthanatyam, Kuchipudi, Kathakali, Mohiniattam, Kathak, Odissi, Sattriya, and Manipuri.

As an adult student of Bharthanatyam, I have grown up with the very rigid and traditional dance style. The technique and how it is taught can be considered strict in that there are certain concepts that must be followed.

The teacher, or the guru, plays a very important role in the student’s experience of learning of the art form. The costumes are unique to the specific dance style and each of the dances that are performed in a traditional format consisting of learning the compositions in a methodical fashion. When trying to expose myself to other Indian classical dance styles of Kathak and Odissi, there was a similar concept of structure that makes the dance styles very distinct.

Many of these forms also have concepts noted within the Natyashastras or the performing arts treatise. The styles include intricate hand and feet work, as well as storytelling. The dancers may wear bells on their ankles, which gives the sound of the beat. As music is integral to the dance form, the music consists of vocalists and instrumentalists who are also trained in the classical art form of music.

Travelling to the other side of the world for dance is American Tap Dance. I am not as familiar with this dance style. I have watched Shirley Temple in some movies, and she as a child star in the 1930s, charmed the audience with her tap dancing.

When looking up the history of Tap dance, the search revealed that Tap dance takes inspiration from African forms of arts as well as an Irish dance form known as clogging.

From a first glance and introductions, Indian Classical Dance and Tap are literally world’s away from each other: Kathak, a classical Indian dance form, and Tap, an American Dance Style, would seem as if there was no connection to each other.

Yet, when these worlds of dance collide and fuse, what may be the outcome?

One of the shows that I had seen that was performed in the NC Triangle was the show Speak, presented by the Leela Dance Collective. I was intrigued by the description for the show as it was noted to be a fusion between the classical Indian dance form of Kathak and of American Tap dance style.

I was excited to see the experimentation of the combination of both styles.

The show was in the Stewart Theatre Center at the Talley Student Union Center at NC State. The set-up of the stage was an exciting feeling to be able to witness. On the left-hand side of the stage, the classical Indian singers were positioned and sitting down on a raised platform. On the right side of the stage, there was a “Western” set up, with a jazz band.