A New Voice

Published in 2019, this book is a collection of 9 essays written by young dancers and scholars in the field of Bharatanatyam, based on talks given by them at the Inaugural Navadhisha - New Voices in Dance Conference held in December 2017. The essays reflect the voice of today's dancer, pondering over the central question 'Why do we dance'? Is dance even an essential activity of human life? What do we really mean when we use the term 'spiritual' to define the practise of Bharatanatyam, especially in the context of today's generation of dancers. What is the social relevance of the Indian dancer, and dance itself?

As Bharatanatyam reaches out to an increasingly global audience and student base, the question of relevance of the content we present arises often. The particular aspect that comes into scrutiny time and again is the Nayika in Bharatanatyam. While almost all dancers present these Nayikas, do we treat them and their stories as mere artefacts to be preserved for curiosity or can we see them as powerful voices that can resonate with and, even influence, today? As a dancer of today, it has been important to me to engage with the idea of the Nayika to rediscover its relevance for me, viewing it through the lens of my own environment and influences growing up.