Government of IndiaGender monopolies in Indian classical dance: a sociological analysis of cause and context
Author: Subramaniam, V.
Keywords: Dance--Sociological aspects
Sociology of dance
Sociology
Issue Date: 1995
Publisher: Sangeet Natak Akademi, New Delhi
Description: In most pre-industrial gemeins chaft societies dance developed as a commercial activity celebrating marriage. childbirth, harvest or a victory or sometimes as a mode of defying or alleviating pain and grief after death or warding off an affliction by evil spirits. Both males and females participated in different ways in this with allotted roles according to local custom. But as dance evolved into a more sophisticated art with a catcar distinction between the dancer and the audience. there also developed sharper differences between male and fema le roles and a gradual dominance of the female in dance which came to be considered a more feminine art. In Indian classical dance, however, the evolution of male and female roles in dance was far more complex than in any other civilization, In particular, the position ofthe male dancer has been a paradox for centuries in South India. Lord Siva was glorified as the king of dance from the 5th century onwards and his icon adorns the stage in present-day Bharatanatyam performances. But the majority of Bharatanatyam dancers are and have always been women. By contrast, in Kuchipudi and Kathakali (as well as Sattriya and Chhau) the dancers till recently were all men taking both the male and female roles. These paradoxes need some explanation. It cannot be argued that either the male or female anatomy is specially fitted for this or that dance role as both have their excellence and limitations. The reasons for gender-dance relations in India are neither anatomical nor purely religious but socio-historical. This article traces the ambivalence and paradoxes of these relations to several rival traditions and then complex interactions.
Source: Sangeet Natak Akademi
Type: Article
Received From: Sangeet Natak Akademi
| DC Field | Value |
| dc.contributor.author | Subramaniam, V. |
| dc.coverage.spatial | India |
| dc.date.accessioned | 2017-07-10T22:13:54Z |
| dc.date.available | 2017-07-10T22:13:54Z |
| dc.date.issued | 1995 |
| dc.description.abstract | In most pre-industrial gemeins chaft societies dance developed as a commercial activity celebrating marriage. childbirth, harvest or a victory or sometimes as a mode of defying or alleviating pain and grief after death or warding off an affliction by evil spirits. Both males and females participated in different ways in this with allotted roles according to local custom. But as dance evolved into a more sophisticated art with a catcar distinction between the dancer and the audience. there also developed sharper differences between male and fema le roles and a gradual dominance of the female in dance which came to be considered a more feminine art. In Indian classical dance, however, the evolution of male and female roles in dance was far more complex than in any other civilization, In particular, the position ofthe male dancer has been a paradox for centuries in South India. Lord Siva was glorified as the king of dance from the 5th century onwards and his icon adorns the stage in present-day Bharatanatyam performances. But the majority of Bharatanatyam dancers are and have always been women. By contrast, in Kuchipudi and Kathakali (as well as Sattriya and Chhau) the dancers till recently were all men taking both the male and female roles. These paradoxes need some explanation. It cannot be argued that either the male or female anatomy is specially fitted for this or that dance role as both have their excellence and limitations. The reasons for gender-dance relations in India are neither anatomical nor purely religious but socio-historical. This article traces the ambivalence and paradoxes of these relations to several rival traditions and then complex interactions. |
| dc.source | Sangeet Natak Akademi |
| dc.format.extent | 03-14 p. |
| dc.format.mimetype | application/pdf |
| dc.language.iso | en |
| dc.publisher | Sangeet Natak Akademi, New Delhi |
| dc.subject | Dance--Sociological aspects Sociology of dance Sociology |
| dc.type | Article |
| dc.identifier.issuenumber | 117-118 |
| dc.format.medium | text |
| DC Field | Value |
| dc.contributor.author | Subramaniam, V. |
| dc.coverage.spatial | India |
| dc.date.accessioned | 2017-07-10T22:13:54Z |
| dc.date.available | 2017-07-10T22:13:54Z |
| dc.date.issued | 1995 |
| dc.description.abstract | In most pre-industrial gemeins chaft societies dance developed as a commercial activity celebrating marriage. childbirth, harvest or a victory or sometimes as a mode of defying or alleviating pain and grief after death or warding off an affliction by evil spirits. Both males and females participated in different ways in this with allotted roles according to local custom. But as dance evolved into a more sophisticated art with a catcar distinction between the dancer and the audience. there also developed sharper differences between male and fema le roles and a gradual dominance of the female in dance which came to be considered a more feminine art. In Indian classical dance, however, the evolution of male and female roles in dance was far more complex than in any other civilization, In particular, the position ofthe male dancer has been a paradox for centuries in South India. Lord Siva was glorified as the king of dance from the 5th century onwards and his icon adorns the stage in present-day Bharatanatyam performances. But the majority of Bharatanatyam dancers are and have always been women. By contrast, in Kuchipudi and Kathakali (as well as Sattriya and Chhau) the dancers till recently were all men taking both the male and female roles. These paradoxes need some explanation. It cannot be argued that either the male or female anatomy is specially fitted for this or that dance role as both have their excellence and limitations. The reasons for gender-dance relations in India are neither anatomical nor purely religious but socio-historical. This article traces the ambivalence and paradoxes of these relations to several rival traditions and then complex interactions. |
| dc.source | Sangeet Natak Akademi |
| dc.format.extent | 03-14 p. |
| dc.format.mimetype | application/pdf |
| dc.language.iso | en |
| dc.publisher | Sangeet Natak Akademi, New Delhi |
| dc.subject | Dance--Sociological aspects Sociology of dance Sociology |
| dc.type | Article |
| dc.identifier.issuenumber | 117-118 |
| dc.format.medium | text |
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