Understanding Adaptation of Performance Space through Indian Classical Dance: A Case Study of Bharatanatym, Odissi, Kathak & Sattriya

Abstract

As a professional dancer and an architecture student in Ahmedabad, I have always been fascinated by dance & architecture as art forms and the relation the two may share. The project initiated through a performance at Sanskar Kendra called “Revisiting Sanskar Kendra through Dance” which explored Le Corbusier’s architectural style, and experiencing the built form through the dancers’ movements. The performance involved dancers showcasing different dance styles and freestyling in the spaces at Sanskar Kendra. Through this, I was able to observe the various movement patterns each dancer had based on the dance form they practice, and their experiences. Which led to more questions and study about the relation these two art forms share. Dance is a physical art form which wasn’t created by an individual, and has occurred since history from different cultural backgrounds, each of them with a strong expression. It is directly presenting people’s experiences through artistic movement. As a spatial discipline, it is expressing a space with its context and cultural background of the people through movement. Architecture is also a form of expression of an individual in expressing a space with its context and cultural background of the people, however, through built form. This study dwells into a deep understanding of both these practices and their relation with time in different contexts. India has a rich culture and heritage with its diverse population and practices. Dance & architecture, both, have been practiced as artistic forms of expression since prehistoric times and are still evolving. What relation do these spatial disciplines share? Through this study, I hope to understand the cause and effect between movement & performance spaces of Indian classical dance forms. Through this, I wish to engage a dialogue about architecture and its relationship with the identities of culture, community and dance in contemporary time.