16
COVER STORY
/ Aug. 2014
Indian DANCE Through Ages
By PRANAAME BHAGAWATI
In the period of the Colonial rule, the English
also brought with them their culture and art
forms from the west. Their culture, music
and art forms made a remarkable impact on
India’s culture. The British rule banned
many of the activities that centred on the
temples.
This
affected
the
cultural
happenings that used to take place in the
temples. Due to this, the Deva Dasis, who
used to earn their livelihood from the temple
fund by providing her presence, service and
art to the temple deity and during the rituals,
suffered.
In 1875 during the tour of the Prince of
Wales in India, he visited Jaipur where he
was highly impressed to witness the
performance of a local dancing group in
Chandra Mahal. On January 1, 1903 in the
Dilli-Darbar, several Kings and Emperors
brought with them dancers and musicians to
the occasion where they presented their
performance at the Red Fort. In this period
there also emerged many institutions and
organisations to promote Indian art and
music. Several profound institutions were
established for the benefit of promoting,
inculcating and spreading the knowledge and
course of such ancient dance arts. With the
efforts of Pt. Vishnu Narayan Bhatkhande
and Pt. Vishnu Digambar Palushkar was
introduced the Notation System.
INSTITUTE
After its independence, India got a much more
wider platform to showcase its ancient dance
heritage and also mingling with
other continental dances or music.
Contents
There emerged a set of standard
dancers, exponents, cultural activists
and dance revolutionists who with much
enthusiasm carried ahead their respective
dance art forms to the rest of the world and at
the same time they themselves explored other
dances too.
With emergence of the cinema and theatre
industry, performers and choreographers
unfurl a new dimension in their respective
dance art forms. Autonomous bodies, cultural
societies
and
government
enabled
organizations propose new projects and
cultural festivals time to time and encourage
soloist as well as groups to perform and
undergo cultural exchanges. Opening of
Indian classical dance classes in abroad and
incorporating foreign students in such classes
have also marked its growth at the
international level.
Moreover, getting involved in vast industries
like the Bollywood, etc. with technical
knowledge of choreography as well as that of
handling the camera, have incredibly brought
global essence to its entire outlook. Television
shows and global events in the recent time
are other ways for the professional growth of
dancers/choreographers.
ESTABLISHMENT
PLACE
Gayan Samaj
1874
Pune
Gandharva Sangeet Mahavidyalay
1901
Lahore
Maharaj Sayaajirao Sangeet Mahavidyalaya
1916
Badora
Madhav Sangeet Mahavidyalaya
1918
Gwalior
Merris College of Hindustani Music (present
Bhatkhande Sangeet Mahavidyalaya)
1926
Lucknow
Prayag Sangeet Samiti
1926
Allahabad