Dance Anthropology

Studying dance or movements in its cultural contexts through an anthropological lens is Dance Anthropology (DA). But, it is not just that. DA also allows one to understand the changes a culture has gone through, through its dance or movements too. It has also been called as Ethnochoreology, Dance Ethnology, Anthropology of Dance and so on. Read more...

Ethnography, field work, participant-observation methods are some of the crucial and commonly-used tools through which one can document dances, martial arts or any movement-based events. While those methods require more time, interviewing the artists/indigenous people is a quicker process to collect data. One day, I had a chance to interview three Puliyattam (Tiger Dance) dancers. The transcript of the interview was used in my Master's thesis titled Movement Sequences and Symbols - Ethnochoreological Analysis of Tiger Dance.

Through one of those dancers, I came to know about Namma Ooru Thiruvizha (Our Hometown Festival), a government initiative to shed light on folk dances. I attended the one that happened in Salem in 2024 and had a chance to speak with a few folk dancers. Through one such interaction, I came to know that Tamizh Nadu has 1024 distinct folk dances and it was documented by N Vaanamaamalai. It was through his efforts and documentation, a department for Folklore commenced in the Madras University. I plan, hope and wish to dig more into these artforms and document them in these webpages in the coming days.

Why am I doing this?

In my postgraduate studies, one of my professors Dr Surabhi Jiwrajka taught us the course Cultural Anthropology. As a sub-unit to it, she introduced us to Dance Anthropology. To my luck, I had a chance to perform Yakshagana, a ritualistic dance form from the coastal regions and Malenadu area of Karnataka. It was after the performance did I realise that I learnt more about Karnataka in those two months of practicing the form than what I learnt in five years of residing there. I felt learning a new dance is like learning a new language - a gateway to a new culture. Thus began my craze for learning more about these forms. It suited me because as a dancer I am more intrigued by how the dance speaks to its culture, history, architecture, than the choreography in itself. 

Curious to learn more, yes, by why do I want to document these? 

One, it aches me to know that 1024 folk dances are dwindled and is practiced in smallest pockets in the region.

Two, all the research and literature done through Ethnochoreology is minimal in this sub-continent. In fact, even on a global scale, Ethnomusicology (you guessed it right, studying a culture through its music and vice versa) is more popular than Ethnochoreology. And by popular I meant the access to resources, literature, people working on it are comparatively more. And this makes me sad as a dancer who can't sing to save her life.

Am I qualified to do so? Well, not really but that would not stop me. That is also why I chose to begin with the state I grew up in so it is easier to comprehend. And I am also attempting smaller actions, like the ones below, to get equipped.

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