Bharata Natyam: In Cultural Perspective

Bharata N?_tyam as currently practiced is one of the major classical dance forms in existence. Its rich repertory of poetical texts; its highly developed vocabulary of expressive gestures; its intricate syntax of pure dance patterns; its music, displaying a wealth of complex rhythms and melodies; its sumptuous costumes all make it one of the most sophisticated dance traditions in the world. When performed by an accomplished dancer and fine musicians, it affords aesthetic experience of the highest order. It is rapidly becoming known and appreciated all over the world, as it indeed deserves to be.

In this volume, five scholars inspired by the magnificent dance performances of the renowned exponent of the Pandanallur style of Bharata N?_tyam, Padma ?r? Alarmel Valli have contributed to an interdisciplinary understanding of this great living art form. Disciplines represented include philosophy, humanistic studies, dance ethnology, ethnomusicology, art history, and comparative historiography.

In Chapters I and II, Professor Kliger traces the history of classical dance in the Tamil region, in its religous, social and political contexts, and explores Indian aesthetic concepts and their exemplification in Bharata N?_tyam as a classical dance form. Chapter III, by Professor Van Zile, provides a formal analysis of two basic units of abstract dance movement frequently employed in Bharata N?_tyam. In Chapter IV, Professor Kagan examines the form and content of each item in a typical Bharata N?_tyam recital. Chapter V, by Professor Rabe, explores the complex interrelations of dance and sculpture in India, focusing on examples in the Tamil region, the home of Bharata N?_tyam. In Chapter VI, Professor Kopf traces four historical perspectives on the female temple dancers known as Dev?das?s.