Evolving the Language of Dance

An Interview Divya Ravi, Bharatnatyam Dancer

In this insightful interview, Divya Ravi shares her creative process and approach to traditional and digital dance, and the evolving impact of Indian classical dance on global audiences. She speaks about seamlessly blending tradition and innovation, pushing the boundaries of the art form while connecting with diverse cultures worldwide.

1. Could you share some insights into your creative process as a choreographer? How do you go about pushing the boundaries of the classical dance form?

From the literal and narrative to philosophical to metaphorical and poetic - my creative process is in itself a ‘work-in-progress’, continuously developing over the last 8 years, ever since I started making my own work. On one hand, I often work with existing narratives - through poetry, literature, or inspiring compositions. If I encounter a musically ‘ready’ piece, the process is purely choreographic, and I see it as an opportunity to delve into the origins of the text - its background, lyrical/linguistic research, subtext, poetic nuances, poet’s philosophy, music composer’s intent, etc. However, I must admit that I am more fascinated when working with rarer or lesser-known text that has not been set musically. This offers fertile ground to create music with my fellow-musicians (most often my partner Sharan Subramanian, who has been my in-house music collaborator for the last few years). As an ardent music-lover myself, designing a piece musically is a key element to my process before I attempt to communicate with it, through Dance. I go so far as choosing (or should I say imposing?) Ragas on my composers. To quote a recent example: For my new digital piece ‘Hladini’, I am working on a 17th century Gujarati poem, where every line alternates between Krishna and Radha. My task to Sharan was to alternate between two Ragas and two Talas just as the themes of the lines alternated - we arrived at Bageshri and Khanda Chapu for the lines about Krishna and Madhuvanti and Mishra Chapu for the lines about Radha. Such moments of discovery are artistic highs that fuel my creative drive.

The other trajectory involves working with an overarching idea or theme, where there's no single stand-alone piece of text to work with. The goal is clear – you need to communicate an idea, give the audience a take-away. But there is no definitive starting point, and you cannot predict how the idea will take shape, and what the destination would look like. Stepping into this unknown can be quite daunting, but it is also here that the research process becomes much more interesting. The only way (that has worked for me) is to read, read and read more. Delving into various references, mythological, philosophical, cross-cultural, and regional sources unveil so many possibilities. Then suddenly, something clicks, one by one ideas reveal themselves like fog clearing out of the pathway, and you can see the destination, nice and clear. Once an idea takes shape, the challenge is to thread various concepts from different sources into a cohesive narrative.

Again, to take the example of my current project on Radha which originally started off as a digital work commissioned by Spirit of Margazhi Utsav. In April 2023, when I was given this project, I was (and still am) intimidated by the sheer magnificence of this elusive, mystical character called Radha, who interestingly finds no mentions in both the key texts centred on Krishna - Bhagavatam and Mahabharata. And yet there are so many traditions extolling her - Nimbarka Sampradaya, Gaudiya Vaishnava Sampradaya, Radha Vallabh Sampradaya, the Shyama Shyam traditions, the Bhaktivedanta traditions – each having their own distinct approach to realizing Radha. There’s an ocean of material out there and I was so lost, so I decided to start with one place that most dancers are familiar with – Jayadeva’s Gita Govindam. Four months later, this one text gave me enough material to make a duology of choreographies – one live performance work titled ‘Preyasi’, exploring Radha as the woman in love, and the originally intended digital work titled ‘Hladini’, establishing Her as the primordial Supreme. Both premiere in the next few months.

In comparison, one of my earlier works ‘Kanhopatra’ about the forgotten courtesan from 15th century Maharashtra, was more straightforward. Though shrouded in subjective opinions from varying socio-politico-economic contexts, my artistic exploration of her only traced her emotional progression, evidently subsumed in her own evocative voice surviving today as 26 Abhangas/Ovis. Choreography, for me, happens at a much later point. My movement explorations are guided by the research phase, the music development phase, and the knowledge / experiences I've gathered through the reading. When I finally get into process of choreography, it is an embodied accumulation of all the various knowledge systems I've been able to access. Almost always, I find the movement vocabulary emerging out of me without much thought or trying – it is all so instinctive and responsive, and I find this process so very enriching. Regarding pushing boundaries of the form, I start by saying that when we use the term ‘boundaries’, we suggest in some ways that the form is limited. I am guilty in equal measure for using this term ever so often. But it is our thinking and perception that are limiting factors, for the art is truly limitless. And I am fortunate to operate not around one art form, but three allied art forms – movement, music, and poetry. This intersection is empowering and organically leads me to multitudes of artistic possibilities and discovering new ways of expression.

2. Your performances have taken you to various international stages. How do you adapt your choreography and presentation to resonate with diverse audiences and cultures?

The beauty and profoundness of Indian art forms, including Bharatanatyam, lies in their universality and malleability. When backed by rigour of process and presented with conviction, they will work whether presented in a traditional setup or to a modern/contemporary audience.

I recently presented Varkari – a 20-minute compilation of select excerpts from my works Kanhopatra and Vitthamai at an outdoor arts festival in a High-Street in London. I was all prepared to dance to a floating crowd (of course, high-street visitors are there to shop) but it so touching and reassuring to see a good 70-80 people watch the entire length of the piece.

We also often think Abhinaya isn’t as captivating to an uninitiated audience as Nritta is. But the art of Abhinaya can convey themes that are incredibly relatable and moving because they tap into universal human emotions that transcend boundaries of time, space and language. My experimental work ‘Poems of Love’ (a chamber-concert collaboration with Sharan) purely focussed on Abhinaya explorations of multilingual poetry, reinforced this at a time when I was questioning my Abhinaya practice.

Of course, one must be intelligent in crafting the performance, whether it be choice, duration or content of pieces. But altering, adapting, or modifying the composition or choreography are seldom needed if we establish a context to our work beforehand. Context plays a crucial role as it provides an entry point for the audience to engage better with the work. I always make sure to provide ample context to my choreographic works through concept notes and/or announcements to warmly invite audiences into my artistic world.

3. As a performer and choreographer, how do you balance tradition and innovation in your work?

Tradition and Innovation – two words that are subjective and ever-evolving. ‘Tradition’, in my view, embodies the legacy, the wisdom, and the teachings passed down to us. How we nurture this inheritance, give it a new voice or perspective, and give it back to the world is what I would call ‘Innovation’. Take, for example, a Varnam - composed centuries ago, traditionally passed down through generations, evolved through the lens of various practitioners, choreographed on multiple bodies, and finally gifted to us. Or the traditional concept of Krishna as ‘God’ vis-à-vis ‘Child’ in many popular compositions, gradually morphing into concepts of ‘multiplicities and ambiguities of a supreme divine force’.

When we develop it, and present it with our own voice, it transforms from a legacy piece to an innovative expression.

I've been fortunate to engage with both tradition and innovation, and they are equally significant facets of my artistic journey. It is a privilege to be able to continue learning and presenting pieces that have been handed down to me by my teachers and mentors. Concurrently, I have multiple opportunities to innovate and develop new works where I get to unearth rare poetic works. How to balance them? I guess by being consistent and showing up every day – both as a curious student and as an ambitious creator.

4. How did you adapt traditional classical dance presentation for the digital format? What were some unique challenges and opportunities you encountered in this process?

During early days of COVID, in response to curators and organizations taking the digital route for their dance festival, I invested in a camera and some basic lighting setup to film my living-room-performances. A significant turning point came in June 2021 when I was asked to present a 30-minute work for Geeva Arts in Kentucky for their digital arts festival. By then, I had already done quite a few digital performances and it had been a significantly long time since I created a new work, so it was time to try something new.

This was around the time I unearthed rare poems by Kanhopatra, a courtesan turned saint-poet. I hadn’t seen much of Kanhopatra’s work explored in Bharatanatyam, and I was not sure if a subject as heart-wrenching as her story would work for audiences. Nevertheless, I felt her voice (through her evocative poetry) needed to find expression through me, and I created a 30-minute ‘Work-in-progress Digital Showcase’ for Geeva with basic music (predominantly vocals by Sharan and backing Tabla track). Kanhopatra was received positively and generated much fervour to create a live performance. 6 months later, I premiered the 60-minute stage work in Norwich Arts Centre, UK and Ananya Nritya Neerajana festival in Bangalore, thereafter, travelling to 3 other venues. I continue to develop Kanhopatra and this winter, She travels to Mangalore, Mumbai and Pune.

This digital work-in-progress allowed me to introduce the poet and work to the world and gauge audience reactions, which in turn enabled me to create a full-length stage performance. So I’ve done quite the converse to your question – I adapted digital works to the stage. Since then, I've been asked to work on two other digital projects – Vitthamai, Vitthala My Mother (2022) and Hladini (2023), both for Spirit of Margazhi.

What's intriguing about digital work, especially as a solo artist, is the possibility to take on multiple roles through costume changes, camera angles, and lighting, exploiting the medium to its fullest. The ability to adding closed captions further dismantles linguistic barriers in connecting with a piece. However, a significant challenge in digital work is capturing and retaining the audience's interest. More so now, after live activities have resumed.

The digital format granted us access to an entirely new world that we hadn't fully explored before. But, the debate continues about whether performing arts and the digital world will stay friends in a post-COVID world, considering factors like attention spans, algorithms, and fierce competition.

5. In your experience, what impact does Indian classical dance have on audiences worldwide? How do you see it evolving in the global context?

I speak as an artiste living and working in the UK for three-quarters of the year. Not too many years ago, Indian classical dance was often perceived as exotic - something that an uninitiated audience struggled to comprehend or connect with. But, in recent times, I've observed numerous instances where this perception is being challenged. Firstly, the umbrella term of South Asian dance is gradually making way for the recognition of distinct art forms such as Bharatanatyam, Kathak, Kuchipudi – each offering its own depth and specificity.

Beyond the performative, Indian art forms continue to reach the grassroots in England through workshops and community engagement practices. Many dancers, me included, are regularly invited to lead workshops in schools, hospitals, farms – the actual ‘grassroots’ in England. In my observation, people genuinely connect with the principles and philosophies of Bharatanatyam – concepts like ‘Navarasa', ‘Samam’ (ideas of central axis, centredness nad equanimity), and even the use of 'Hasta-mudras' are resonant with audiences as powerful means of communication and self-expression. One of my areas of interest has been to device ways to incorporate our 'Hastamudras' into early-years play schemas, benefitting children aged 0-5. Imbuing fine motor skills through hand gestures and movements enhances their coordination and multitasking abilities. Speaking of health and well-being, many hospitals have active arts centres, inviting dance artists regularly to present performances and workshops in the wards.

All these contribute to audiences steadily acknowledging that Indian dance is not "exotic," rather, it holds immense possibilities – to work with form, content and delving into the experiential. This shift is being facilitated by the entire arts fraternity - dancers, musicians, scholars, producers, technicians: everyone is consistently upping their game. Collectively, we are saying so much more today, and this evolution is remarkable because it invites more audiences into engage with dance – whether in the theatres, chamber concerts, workshops, high-streets or in the comforts of their living room.

The context and content of Dance are always evolving - sometimes spiritual, sometimes cultural, sometimes political, and so much more. What’s next? Perhaps technological advancements steeping into Indian Dance practices – Virtual reality, digitally enhanced movement and technology-enabled creation that reduces administrative burden on makers. Fortunately, Dance gives us all the choice to engage with the spiritual/cultural/political/technological, whilst offering a means to escape it. I know not how exactly Dance will evolve from here, but I hope that in the process of evolving, we don’t disregard and disrespect other artistic choices that don’t align with ours. There’s place for everyone.

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