How Digital Media is Shaping the Aesthetics of Classical Dance

By Ayshwaria Lakshmi

Social media presence is paramount to attract audiences and gain recognition. This article explores the influence of new-age media on creating new dance works. 

In the digital era, having a social media presence is a critical aspect of brand building. This applies to any individual or business in any field. To the performing arts world, adopting digital tools has both boon and bane. 

When maintaining a social media presence,  the choreography has to accommodate the aesthetics of live stage performance as well as of the new media technologies. There are various forms of social media formats such as reels, short videos and more. To adapt dance pieces for real-world performances to fit these norms is no easy feat for choreographers. But the artists are taking this as a task that tests one’s abilities and is flourishing in attracting viewers of all generations. 

Parvathi Menon and Shijith Nambiar from the Chidagni Foundation explain that the aesthetic of choreography remains the same, but new media offer more dimensions. 

“What we feel is that the aesthetics of choreography remains the same, whether you're doing it for a traditional stage performance or media, the aesthetics of choreography would remain the same, thought process, everything remains the same,” they share.  

What differs is which format the piece is showcased to the audience and how it is viewed by them. To explain this, the duo shares that in an auditorium, the vision of the viewer is limited. 

Despite using diagonals and different formations, there is a limit to how much each person sitting can see. In the new media, the opportunity to use cameras from different angles to capture different formations and close-up shots for intrinsic and subtle abhinaya can be captured. 

“Choreographing for digital media allows bringing different elements into the choreography. it can be more vast, but on a stage performance, it is more limited. It is more about a wholesome experience at that moment,” said the duo. 

Incorporating Digital tools into Choreography 

The role of the digital tools as a collaborator in new media choreography, emphasises its presence and influence on the piece.

“In the aesthetics of choreography, when you are creating a piece for new media for new media versus traditional stage performance, if we're talking about dance films and choreography, full-length choreographies for digital to the digital space, then I think the most important difference is that when you are choreographing for new media, you cannot ignore the role of the camera.” shares Kavya Ganesh from Shambhavi Soirées. 

Kavya Ganesh

Photo credits: Shalini Rajendran

The camera is a character that needs to have its own space when a piece is structured. There comes an additional responsibility of thinking about camera angles and simultaneously editing to make it a piece that is palatable for the camera, points out Kavya. 

“ The presence of a camera is essentially a character, a collaborator on your piece. So when working on a piece for the new age media, we have to be very conscious about how that would feature into our choreography. I think that is the biggest difference in terms of aesthetics,” says Kavya. 

In a traditional stage performance, a performer relies on the audience and there is a certain sense of energy that is transmitted between performer and audience. This makes the pieces more immersive and this determines the experiential quality of it. Whereas when you take a piece for New Age media, the approach would change. Differences in approach between new media and traditional stage performance arise due to the interplay between performer, camera, and director.

Evolutions of Choreography 

The evolution of choreography in the digital age, highlights the shift toward shorter, more visually-driven performances and the incorporation of technology to create a more immersive experience for the audience. The pandemic has also influenced choreography, with a focus on incorporating more visual and audio elements to engage the audience.

While creating choreography, the recital had a gradual introduction such as an atami, a gradual increase in the speed according to the music. This has undergone a change as a result of social media influence and an introduction to various aspects through social media. 

“When we look at the current interest of people, we are pushed to create and think out of the box. We are changing ourselves from the age-old tradition of the format of how pieces of choreography are created,” says Aparnaa Ganapathy from Team Sakhyam. 

Team Sakhyam

Suram Sahaana and Aparnaa Ganapathy hold Master's degrees in Bharatanatyam and came together to build Team Sakhyam. Team Sakhyam works toward bringing innovative and unique performances that incorporate traditional invocation, fusion dance, western mix, thematic presentations and conceptual choreography. 

The audience, these days, wants more colour, different formations and intricate and quick movements. When presented to the new age media, the editing and the camera angles bring in more elements, changing the way the choreography is viewed.  

“The potential of LED backup and digital backgrounds to enhance dance performances, as well as the use of live video feeds and online resources for teaching and learning.  Dancers incorporate technology, social media, and fusion music to boost the traditional dance forms. This also emphasises the importance of blending traditional dance forms with upcoming trends and social media features to keep the art form fresh and relevant while preserving its rich heritage,” shares Sahaana.

Digital, a tool for the heritage 

Modern technology has helped many artists gain a certain reach but whether it is a boon or a bane is questionable, says Parvathi Menon and Shijith Nambiar from Chidagni Foundation. 

It has evened out the playing field and given us access to a lot more artists and audiences. Artists who may otherwise not have been able to get auditoriums and live opportunities can now share their art, especially young artists and recognising talent has become a more equalised process. 

Shijith and Parvathy

The intention of Indian classical arts is the transference of energy. Adapting to the trends and incorporating digital aesthetics is a must but offering an immersive experience through the performance is an indispensable factor. Putting on a recital or a conceptual piece is a journey that takes place for months or even years. Modern technology, if used appropriately, can be a good tool to promote and market a performance or a festival. So in terms of marketing and creating connections, new media has been a terrific boon to artists. 

Sahaana and Aparnaa from Team Sakhyam agree for thinking out of the box choreographies, bringing in more audiences to these age-old art forms. Piecing a choreography together for the current digital era brings in learning beyond dance. It allows the performers to explore the editing part, the lighting, and the camera angles. 

However, reel culture also has reduced attention spans towards the performing arts and a large number of audiences are simply looking for instant gratification, shares Kavya Ganesh from Shambhavi Soirées. 

Process as a concept often tends to get lost in social media-based work. Trending and viral culture have made it such that one can learn a routine in 5 minutes and post a 1-minute reel and get views. So the whole endeavour becomes solely output and not process-based. 

Music is prioritised in choreography, with current trends favouring short, high-energy performances. Techno-music and lighting are shaping classical dance forms in contemporary culture.

Despite this, some artists are still engaged in the process, residency periods, research, and study to produce quality creative work. The performers agree live performances are here to stay and that live immersive connection is prioritised by the audience. 

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Ayshwaria Lakshmi is a Chennai-based journalist & Bharatnatyam dancer