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Should Odissi be performed in public places?

Should Odissi be performed in public places?

Dr. Rohini Dandavate
I have often been invited to perform Odissi dance in public spaces e.g. on the
lawns of Universities in Ohio, or on the fair grounds as a part of annual city fair,
or a city folk festival. I choose not to participate because the venues and context
were not apt for a classical dance performance. I felt that presenting the tradition
of Odissi dance in unconventional settings would lead to it being categorized as
one of the exotic or folk or popular art forms. I appreciated the enthusiasm
of the event organizers intention to showcase an unfamiliar art form to the
community but I wished they would be sensitive in understanding the context and
meaning of diverse art traditions and practices, especially in the present era
when information is accessible at the click of a finger. However, these
experiences motivated me to look for suitable opportunities in educational
institutions and in the community wherein I could share my art with students and
people in an ambience where they could experience my art and understand the
meanings and ideas embedded in it.
As an artist in residence in the Ohio Art Councils Arts learning Program I learned
how the arts were integrated in the regular school and college programs and I
started work on innumerable projects in educational institutions and in the
community to help build awareness and understanding of Indian dance traditions
and Indian culture. However, since I continue to see dancers present in pubic
spaces, I was motivated to post this point for discussion on Face Book to seek
the views and perspectives of other dancers, dance instructors and dance lovers.
My Face Book post was as follows:

Sharing a thought re presenting Odissi dance on streets, parks, railway stations, roads and other
public spaces. The Gurus who reconstructed the dance form worked towards adding
sophistication and finesse making it a classical dance form. Unlike so many popular art forms,

which were spontaneous expressions of people for merry making, Odissi dance evolved as a
expression of spirituality. So are we taking it back to the streets and other public spaces in the
name of building awareness of the form? If so, do we see other classical art forms like Ballet,
Symphony or Opera being performed on railway stations or on the roads for a similar purpose?
Just wondering and would like to know your perspectives friends.

This post received 17 responses and 32 likes. Four participants in the discussion
group found public spaces inappropriate for an Odissi dance presentation while
12 participants were in favor of presenting it in public spaces. The complete
responses are given at the end of this paper.

The three participants who expressed concern hail from Odisha, the
State in which Odissi dance originated. Deeply connected to the
culture, cultural traditions and ideas embedded in the dance, for
them Odissi dance is an act of worship and not just a performance
experience. Sumitra Mohapatra, a leading Odissi dancer wrote,
we as Oriyas our dance form is a offering to Lord Jagannath. the
tahia is a symbol &blessing of the lordit is the last piece of jewelry
to b put --that was always put by guruji himselfit used to be put in
front of Lord Jaganath and we dancers went on stage with the
blessings of the Lord himself and Guruji. It is still the same spiritual
dignity and performed as an offering to the Lord & the audience are
a part of it..

This response suggests the purpose of this dance tradition and the process of its
presentation. For the Odiya people, Odissi dance in the temples or on the stage
is a medium to present the narrative built around the ritual, implying significance
and meaning. Similar to this view, Dr Narayan Menon, while discussing the art
forms of India in the article, The Performing Arts A Definition, wrote,
In the highest concept of Art in India- whether it is music or
dancing, painting or sculpture or architecture- Art is
considered a yantra, an apparatus of worship not because
of the text in a psalm or a hymn in which words make up a
prayer. The music itself, the sound, nada, is the apparatus of

worship as a Fugue might be. The creation of music

becomes in itself an act of worship. And so with other arts.
Dr Menons adds, Through it all one senses that religion,
art, myth and ritual, are virtually indivisible.
(P.21. Aspects of Performing Arts of India, Marg Vol XXXIV No.3)

Dr Menon in the above mentioned paragraph explains the core

function of the arts, and the manner in which art ties the spiritual,
the aesthetic and the narrative. To emphasize the complex nature
of the classical arts in India, he compares the arts to Fugue, a
contrapuntal musical composition developed during the Baroque
period, with a basic structure consisting of a theme or themes
stated successively in different voices. The classical performing arts
are similar wherein the theme is expressed in a variety of ways.

Therefore, keeping in view the main purpose of the dance tradition
and its complex technique, it was felt by the responders that a
public space might not allow the viewers to both understand the
narrative, the intricacies of movement and subtle nuances of the
form. The ongoing movement and sounds of public spaces would
make the dance more of a physical activity of visual appeal rather
than an experience of sublime joy and internalization of emotion.
Specifically since Odissi dance was one of the dance styles which
evolved from being a part of the ritual services in the temples, is
spiritual in essence and it is necessitates an ambience where one
can experience the devotionalism linked to the narrative and get
pleasure from the dance on all levels, devotional, emotional and
aesthetic. Overall, Odissi dance for some respondents is
representative of tradition, history, religion, spirituality and long

established cultural beliefs, so the idea of watching it being

performed in public spaces did not resonate with their thinking.

Twelve other participants were in favor of watching and presenting this dance in
public spaces. The highlights of their views are:
1. The desire to experiment with an art form by presenting it in unconventional venues
2. Offer the passerby with an experience and feeling of wonder, joy & beauty. Take it to the
man on the street and let them discover the dance form
3. Allow a democratic platform for presentation and make it accessible to all instead of
select audiences. Dance for all is what makes such forms less elitist and there is a space
for the Rasika and the casual viewer.
4. Watching Odissi dance in unconventional settings might inspire people to want to learn
more about it. May be such displays / expositions at various platforms will create 'interest
or liking amongst the people / public.
5. Odissi should not be fossilized to be preserved for eternity.... It should be a growing
vibrant challenging space.... It's a praxis not a practice.
6. The intention, quality, aesthetic and commitment to the art form is what counts - the
venue is secondary.
7. As long as the dancer's intention is spiritual and does not trivialize the art form, the venue
doesn't make a difference. The dignity and artistry of the art form depends in the manner
in which it is presented and not in the kind of venue.
8.

Parks and other open spaces have been used umpteen times in Mumbai. And people
have heartily welcomed and responded to these ventures.

It can be drawn from these responses that the purpose of presenting Odissi
dance in public spaces, for these respondents came from their desire to share, to
experiment, to educate, to provide an experience of wonder and joy at no cost, to
make it accessible to people from all walks of life in the community, and above all
take the dance tradition to a level where audiences can discover, enjoy the dance
form from their own lens and understanding, and choose to learn more about it.

With these responses in view I would like to take the discussion further by
interpreting how presenting in unconventional venues can impact the process of
perception, and understanding of the dance form in people.
As a part of my doctoral study, I had the opportunity to study numerous
interpretations of the process of understanding and I compiled a grouping of
experience elements that are a part of the multi-dimensional and multi-sensory
process of understanding. The diagram given below lists the different elements
of understanding. Together these experience elements form the core
characteristics of human understanding.

Perceiving

Sensing

Becoming aware of meaning or cause of something,

Knowing

Remembering

Reflecting

Experiencing

Retaining,

Comparing

Imagining/ideating

Interpreting or judging in a particular way

Inferring or deducing a meaning of something new

Understanding

through creation of mental models

Figure 2: Elements of Understanding

As the diagram suggests the process of understanding has cognitive as
well as sensory dimensions. An individual seeking understanding of an
experience has to achieve not only a logical rationale or explanation of that
experience at cognitive level but also an enjoyable sensory perception of that

experience at emotional level. The experience of watching Odissi dance in public

spaces, amidst the other sounds and activities of the street or railway platform,
can evoke an emotional stimulation in human consciousness and help form an
impression. However to facilitate a logical understanding it becomes necessary to
know more about the dance form. Hugh Woodworth in his book, The Nature and
Technique of Understanding writes, to understand is to evoke certain pages in
ones own mind and a certain successful integration of pages(Woodworth
P.116&117). In other words, for the person experiencing the art form for the first
time, the degree of integration of ideas regarding the art form may not occur
because of: inadequate information or description, inadequate prior association
and the short span of time. Appropriate descriptions, and information alongside a
full-length performance experience would enable the viewer in connecting with
past experience and relating to the new one by understanding the similarity and
dissimilarity in ideas thereby guiding the power of decision-making.

I would like to share another study conducted by Daniel Kanheman, a

psychologist, on how the brain is used to process information. In his book, Of 2
Minds: How Fast and Slow Thinking Shape Perception and Choice, he discusses
the two modes of thinking evoked by the picture of the angry woman and by the
multiplication problem. He refers to the two systems as System 1 and System 2.
According to him,
System 1 operates automatically and quickly, with little or no effort
and no sense of voluntary control.
System 2 allocates attention to the effortful mental activities that
demand it, including complex computations. The operations of
System 2 are often associated with the subjective experience of
agency, choice, and concentration.
Seeing the angry womans picture and reacting was an example of fast thinking
where participants of the study did not require to think longer to react or express
whereas on looking at the multiplication problem, participants required some

thinking and understanding of whether one could solve it or what the probable
results could be, and decide if they wanted to engage in computing the answer.
The thinking process was slower and sequential in the second situation while the
reaction to the picture just happened with no stress. Kanhemans inference was

System 1: as effortlessly originating impressions and feelings that are
the main sources of the explicit beliefs and deliberate choices of
System 2.

The automatic operations of System 1 generate surprisingly complex
patterns of ideas, but only the slower System 2 can construct thoughts
in an orderly series of steps.
Source:http://www.scientificamerican.com/article/kahneman-excerpt-thinking-
fast-and-slow/

Daniel Kanhemans systems of thinking present how understanding and meaning

making is also related to the time involved in the process. Odissi dance in public
spaces can in those brief moments of watching:

Provide a novel experience

Provide a sense of wonder and joy at no cost

Arouse curiosity

Make the passer by aware of the form and

Could be used as an experiment

In all, it will facilitate in forming a mental impression in the minds of the viewers
on the street. On the other hand, an Odissi dance performance in its defined
ambience with explanations will enable members of the audience at both the
sensory and the cognitive levels and help in comprehending the symbols,
meaning and ideas represented through the dance. This debate clarifies that
watching Odissi dance on the street or in any other public place would be like
seeing the tip of the iceberg and so it remains for the dancer to decide what he or
she wants to achieve.

References

Woodworth, Hugh. (1949) The Nature and Technique of Understanding,

The Wrigley printing Company Limited, Vancouver, B.C.
Bal, Meike. (1994). On Meaning Making. Polebridge Press, Sonoma,
California.
The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48
[gcide].(Online), Available:
http://onlinedictionary.datasegment.com/word/understanding
Menon, Narayan. The Performing Arts- A Definition. Marg, Volume(XXXIV
No. 3), pp. 21.

Responses Received
1.Usha Srinivasan (Bharatnatyam Dancer) and I have to agree. I've seen two
videos of Bharatanatyam dancers performing in train stations and sidewalks. In
both cases the dancers were non-Indian and clearly enthusiastic to share their
beautiful discovery with others. While their passion and intention are
commendable, their choice of setting is not right
2.Tikli Meena Patnaik (Odissi dancer) If this is a classical form it should be left as
classical. I know these days we call it fusion and this and that. But the respect
and value of certain art form like Odissi should be left alone. It can be popularize
without railway station, parks, etc as mentioned above. But again this is my
personal thought, I can not force every body to agree with me.
3.Sumitra Mohapatra (Odissi dancer) me being a Oriya &a Odissi dancer a
student of guru kelucharan --we as oriyas our dance form is a offering to lord
jaganath --the tahia is a symbol &blesing of the lord--its the last piece of jewelry
to b put --that was always put by guruji himselfit used to be put in front of Lord
Jaganath and we dancers went on stage with the blessings of the Lord himself
and Guruji. It is still the same spiritual dignity and performed as an offering to the
Lord & the audience are a part of it.
4.Shabnam Samuel (Admirer of Odissi dance) However much people say that
they would like to take an art form to the masses, certain things like classical
performances be it in music or dance, cannot be taken to the streets. The origins

of these forms have a history and a story to tell. One cannot do justice to these
complex art forms by making it a simple story that one can tell on the streets.

5. Vrindavan Dandavate (Playwright and Arts Administrator) I like the idea

immensely. I would love to watch such performances..this is what i dreamt in
experimental theatre..go ahead.& all the best,--vrindakaka
6. Elena Odissi (Odissi dancer) When i have doubts I always think about guruji's
used to say to some of his students.. That we need to be like lotus flowers in the
pond..bringing the beauty of this dance to unconventional places is not an
offence for the art but an offering of beauty to the universe. I find dancing only on
stage very elitist and personally I am not interested in satisfying peoples
expectations but in offering them an unexpected moment of wonderwhich
would not have even dreamed ofleast paid for!
I think there is a prejudice against abhinaya. I have been reflecting about it a lot
because I personally prefer performing abhinaya. I have come to the conclusion
that we (as classical dancers) are a bit obsessed with having to 'understand' and
'explain' everything with do and expecting that the audience equally understand
all gestures and subtleties in order to enjoy. But isn't it that we are harming our
own art? Do people really have to understand everything? Can't they just enjoy
the movement, the energy of the dance, the shift of expressions? Isn't it again up
to the quality of the performance/er? Certainly the dancer has to think about the
context and the potential audience when selecting the items to present. But
would not a piece like saki he be wonderful if performed in a park/garden for
instance? A deeply embodied and felt abhinaya can reach very far!
True art is subject to infinite interpretations and modalities if understanding and
enjoyment. Children or passers by perhaps cannot understand the depth,
subtleties of what we do and definitely have little or no idea of the kind of
psychophysical work which is behind it both from the dancer the guru the creator
of the choreography... However their enjoyment is to me no less valuable no less
rich.. And frankly the smile of a child or the wonder of a non traditional rasika is
for me extremely satisfying as performer. Of course reaching a wider audience
does not mean compromising the quality of what we do. People have to see and
they have to see the best.. This is real justice to the art form.

7. Aloke Surin (Friend of the Arts) My personal view is that all art forms should be
allowed a democratic platform and if someone wishes to perform in a public
place, I see nothing wrong with that. For art and culture to be truly universal it
should not be perceived as a luxury only for the elite sections of society - this
malaise affects things like classical western music and even Indian classical

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music (I am referring to the "gharana" culture and the tradition of royal patronage
for the arts).
8. Erifily Nikola (Dancer and Yoga instructor) in fusing dances, my main objective
has been to remain respectful to the forms I borrow from. although i do not have
an issue with venues, i do mind when people rush to call themselves classical
dancers after taking a year's worth of classes. for me it feels like disrespect to
people who have been studying their whole life the finer nuances of a complex
art form.
9. Sanjeevini Dutta (Odissi dancer) It is a fair point to raise. My take is that the
Odissi dance form cannot be compromised by the setting- it is a refined and
sophisticated art form wherever it is practised.But of course the subtleties and
nuances particularly of solo abhinaya items is lost in a passing crowd. Big group
pieces of nritta items such as batu and pallavis can be rearranged to be effective
in large open spaces, and what better than get audiences who may not buy a
ticket to see odissi or any another dance in a theatre space? Dance for all is
makes such forms less elitist and there is space for the rasika and the casual
viewer.
10. Rasika Kumar (Bharatnatyam Dancer) This is an interesting discussion,
Rohini Didi. What comes to mind are the original venues for classical dance
where it was performed in temples and in processions through the city alongside
the deity during festival times. Here, it was about bringing the dance to the
common person. The tradition of dancing on a stage has only come about
recently, and even then, we borrow from the original tradition by keeping an altar
on the side and sanctifying the space accordingly. I totally agree with your point
about distinguishing classical art from art meant for spontaneous merry-making
(as you put it). But I think as long as the dancer's intention is spiritual and does
not trivialize the art form, the venue doesn't make a difference to me.
11. Katherine Kunhiraman (Dancer & Dance educator) Some of you sound so
elitist! If these arts are never seen by "the man on the street" how will they ever
discover them? Rasika Kumar Kumar sensibly points out the traditional venues,
but what about the rest of the world? Some, many haven't a clue! The way YOU
present it is where dignity and artistic integrity reside.
12. Jhelum Paranjape (Odissi dancer) I can definitely imagine an Odissi
performance on a street. That doesn't make it a dance of merry making. Also, I
kind of agree with Sanjeevani, that in a place like this, pure dance items like
pallavi would be more appreciated and appropriate. About abhinay... In a park of
course it'll be a hit.. but I thought we were specifically talking about streets. Parks
and other open spaces have been used umpteen times in Mumbai. And people
have heartily welcomed and responded to these ventures.

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13. Parvati Rajamani (Odissi dancer) I see absolutely no contradiction in

presenting the dance form on the street , albiet to an audience that is discerningbut the question is can we modify/ tweak an audience on the street ? But then
,can we really sus what exactly goes on in in the mind of all the members of the
audience in a classical established venue ? So in my view, the intention , quality ,
aesthetic and committment to the art form is what counts - the venue is
secondary. And thank you Rohini ji for initiating such an interesting topic for
debate !

14. Aadya Kaktikar (Odissi dancer) The whole argument seems to rest on the
classical status of odissi which is a relatively new event. As for spirituality.....i
wonder if it is attainable in an auditorium? I think the answer tests on questions
like why do we dance? To what purpose to what end? What is wrong with
dancing odissi for merriment? Yes the gurus worked towards classicizing odissi
bcs that was the need of that time... They responded to it.... Today is a different
world.... How am I as an artist responding to it? Odissi should not be fossilized....
To be preserved for eternity.... It should be a growing vibrant challenging
space.... It's a praxis not a practice..... This should be the core of thinking from
which decisions such as these ought to be taken....
15. Raj Surin (Patron of the art and Photographer) Like you mention at the very
start....dance forms were re/-constructed by the gurus - from what ??....obviously
it was to refine and hone the dance moves into well synched presentable for an
audience/guru..effectively choreographed...and lost to the mass because of the
(at times) godliness / for the royalty...but look at all the fanfare today in terms of
crowd/ flash-mob performances..besides finding an audience in the street /
participants of curiosity- it does seem worth the while to indulge out in the open..
most of our indian dance moves (cinema) stem from the classics on record..and
when put into a "choir" mode in the public platforms..i think it is fun (there will be
die-hards who will say it is out of place /sync with the "original art form"..which
anyway came from natural expressions of cultural referances...SO YES..i think its
worthwhile..this world could do with a lot of such ....
16. John Dennis Horo (Patron of the arts) Yes Rohini. I do endorse and support
your view as such traditional dances of India need to be propagated and taught
at the school level / in childhood itself. May be such displays / expositions at
various platforms will create 'interest or liking / loving' amongst the people /
public. Later in life, all of us get too busy with multiple responsibilities of life.
17.Monica Singh Sangwan (Odissi dancer)I am in two minds about it .though I
am all for not making it an elitist art form we have to be conscious about its
presentation .world over dance festivals etc have started putting classical dance

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along with other cultures folk dances. I even saw a video of Greek folk dance and
Odissi dance being performed together.this is terrible .the danger of folklorising a
classical dance due to incorrect presentation, desperate and misguided need to
popularize it etc etc will not serve the art form. We have to think much more
intelligently before endorsing too much openness. Abhinayadarpan, natyashastra
and other texts speak in detail of stage presentation and even the audience that
needs to witness it . Even if times have changed the aesthetic should stay intact

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