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Day of the Dance Every year on April 29, the world celebrates the power of dance. Thakur Paramjit reports
The power of dance in
human existence has been recognised the world over and 23 years ago,
World Dance Day commenced under the aegis of International Dance
Council, an NGO based in UNESCO headquarters in Paris. Aimed at
promoting art of dance, this annual event is celebrated on April 29
throughout the world.
Dance evolved much before human beings made their presence on this earth. Shiva is described as the cosmic dancer. Birds exhibited their courtship dances long before Man learned to create rhythmic body movements. In our country, music and dance trace their origin to the vedic period. Indians mastered the spirit of rhythmic movement and transformed it into highest form of thanksgiving and devotion to God. Founded in 1973, the International Dance Council (Conseil International de la Danse ), is the official umbrella organisation for all forms of dance in all countries of the world. Serving as a worldwide forum to bring together international/national/local organisations and individuals, it represents the interests of the dance world at large. Dance Day events may include special performances, open-door courses, public rehearsals, lectures, exhibitions, articles in newspapers and magazines, dance evenings, radio and TV programs, street shows etc. The focus of World Dance Day this year is on inculcating interest in various forms of dance among school children. To achieve this aim, CID has requested its 30,000 members in 200 countries of the world to contact the Ministry of Education, in addition to other government and private agencies, to create interest of school children in various forms of dance. The suggested activities include writing an essay about dance, drawing a dance scene, singing dance songs, reading relative passages from books, collecting visuals about dance, and performing some sort of dance. It was an integral part of the cultured man in Ancient Greece. It is not enough to have dance in the curriculum; it must be taught as a meaningful activity, a vital means of communication. There are several countries where the state does not tolerate dance. Professional dancers are outcasts of society; amateur dancing is to be seen within the family circle only. In more than half of the 200 countries in the world, dance does not appear in legal texts (for better or for worse!). There are no funds allocated in the state budget to support this art form. There is no such thing as dance education, private or public. Luckily, this is not the situation in India. Dance has been an ages old tradition in our country and our government encourages propagation of this art form. But of course the morality forces which have recently threatened the livelihood of some 70,000 girls by ordering the closure of the dance bars. Folk dances are a spontaneous expression of joy. In Indian traditional society, celebrations were an integral part of any happy occasion - be it wedding, harvesting or birth of a boy. While adults danced, the little children tried to emulate their steps. That was their initial training. With the passage of time, these children would become adept in dances. Today, the scenario is changed. In majority of villages, such celebrations do not take place and the exuberant and lively art forms are gradually going into oblivion. Television has made inroads into the homes and lives of all sorts of people, transforming their lifestyle and making yesteryears’ healthy entertainment styles obsolete. In the past, dances constituted significant events attended by a large number of people. India enjoys a very strong tradition of classical dances and these have come forth in a more inventive and formalised form on the stage. Some of our renowned classical dancers include Birju Maharaj and Sitara Devi in Kathak, Guru Kelucharan Mahapatra and Sanjukta Panigrahi in Odissi, Yamini Krishnamurthy and Leela Samson in Bharatnatyam, Radha and Raja Reddy in Kuchipudi and many others forms. Classical dances have
undergone subtle changes and modifications introduced by various gurus Indian
classical dances have held their forte, not only in India, but in
foreign countries too. Perhaps ours is a greater share in the day
of the dance. |
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The
legendary dancer Isadora Duncan said, "The dancer’s body is
simply the luminous manifestation of the soul." Famous
choreographer Martha Graham dwelt thus on the magical quality of this
art form. of the magic of that foot, comparatively small, upon which
your whole weight rests. It’s a miracle, and the dance... is a
celebration of that miracle." The Natya Shastra in India
described the art thus: "There is no knowledge, no other
learning, no other art, not even yoga or action that is not found in
dance." In present times famed Odissi dancer Sonal Mansingh says:
"Dance is a part of the environment and dance forms should
reflect issues of the society and the art has the power to bring even
countries closer."
