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 Research in Dance: National Conference of Indian Classical Dance 2023 - Kiran Java email: kiran@kiranjava.com Photo credit: DPU Archives June 23, 2023 Student research scholars in dance from across India were invited to submit their paper presentations on various research topics in Indian classical dance at the National Conference of Indian Classical Dance 2023. The event was held under the auspices of Dr. D.Y. Patil School of Liberal Arts, a constituent unit of Dr. D.Y. Patil Vidyapeeth (DPU), Pimpri, Pune on 27th April 2023. The day was celebrated with live paper readings at the university and dance demonstrations by research scholars from different dance disciplines.  Top L to R: Rajni Rao, Kiran Java, Prerna Agarwal, Priyanka Bharde Bottom L to R: Sunil Sunkara, Amala Shekhar, Paullomi Mukherjee, Mugdha D'souza Participants from across India including Delhi, Hyderabad, Pune, Mumbai, Solapur, Jaipur, Madhya Pradesh, and Assam attended. The conference was inaugurated by Dr. Bhagyashree P. Patil, Pro-Chancellor, and presided over by Dr. Nandkishore Kapote, Director, Dr. D.Y. Patil School of Liberal Arts and head of Kathak dance department. The event opened with a Bharatanatyam recital by Dr. Swati Dhaithankar, head of the Bharatanatyam department. She beautifully presented Bhaja Govindam composed by Shankaracharya and a bhajan by Surdas.  Dr. Swati Dhaithankar Next was a Kathak recital by Dr. Nandkishore Kapote which comprised various intra-forms of Kathak. He closed with 'Baaje Re Muraliya' and a Kathak presentation on a Shri Gajanan Maharaj aarti. Dr. Kapote is a renowned dancer who displayed his exceptional skill in Kathak classical dance with great finesse. He was accompanied by Pt. Kalinath Mishra on tabla and Sanjay Garud on vocal and harmonium.  Dr. Nandkishore Kapote Dr. Narendra M. Kadu, Director of Academics, sang three classical songs that mesmerized the audience. Dr. Kadu has been performing Marathi devotional Abhangs for the past several years.  Dr. Narendra Kadu The performances were captivating, and showcased their mastery, due to their extensive experience in the field. They mesmerized the audience with their outstanding performances.  Top L to R: Rohini Kulkarni, Prerna Agarwal, Isha Kathavate, Priyanka Bharde Bottom L to R: Amala Shekhar, Amruta Salve, Aparna Panse, Akshobhya Bharadwaj Scholars from across India presented their research findings on a diverse set of topics. Some of the topics presented at the conference were:
 Top L to R: Sunil Sunkara, Paullomi Mukherjee, Mugdha D'souza, Dr. Parimal Phadke Bottom L to R: Rajni Rao, Maneesha Joshi, Kiran Java, Smriti Talpade Some researchers presented dance demos and performances during their presentations. Some backed up their results statistically with measurable results; experiments that can be repeated in the future. One example is Aparna Panse who showed video clips of children with Cerebral Palsy (CP) and the effect that the Hastas in classical dance had upon the child's verbal and non-verbal communication.  Akanksha Bramhe, a research scholar from Pune, receiving her certificate of participation from Dr. Nandkishore Kapote Another example is the research conducted by Akanksha Bramhe titled 'Comparative study of 10th standard female Bharatanatyam dancers and non-dancers at three different levels.' She collected data on levels of concentration in studies, routine study habits, and levels of anxiety from both test groups. After tabulating the data and crunching the numbers successfully, she presented her findings. Topics researched and presented are essential for the preservation of traditions, interdisciplinary collaboration, and critical analysis. It enriches the field of dance, propelling its evolution along with deeper understanding. The university is in the process of collating and publishing these in a journal format that can be accessed by scholars and the general public.  Kiran Java is a writer and author of 'Journey of Kathak' and 'Meeting the Kathak Rishi'. She holds a Masters degree in Journalism and Communication and a Bachelor's degree in Marketing from Eastern Connecticut State University, USA. She holds a Diploma in Natyashastra (Kathak relevancy) under Dr. Puru Dadheech and a certification in Vallabh Vedanta from Mumbai University. For more information visit kiranjava.com |
