Posted by rasika (69.142.123.190) on June 27, 2006 at 18:02:41:

In Reply to: posted by Arul Francis on June 26, 2006 at 16:25:31:

What you have written may be true, but I think there is more to consider than just the structure of dance education.

Comparing Ballet and Bharata Natyam:
Ballet does not enjoy the same patronage in the West that Bharata Natyam enjoys in India. That it not to say ballet is dead or dying--- it most certainly is not--- but there are fewer who are "mad about ballet" compared to those who are "mad about Bharata Natyam." Because of the way the two dance forms evolved, ballet is not terribly important to the culture of the West, whereas classical dance in India is synonymous with culture and tradition. Hence, it has become almost a custom now for young Indian girls to be initiated into some form of classical dance. There is no semblance of such a custom in the West with ballet.

So, how can we expect Indians to venture out into Western dance forms if there is so much to be explored within the realm of Indian classical arts, and if these art forms are so tightly bound to Indian culture? Also, and this is ONLY MY OPINION, I find that after having learned classical dance for awhile, ballet looks less complex and perhaps not as appealing (even surface elements like the costumes, most would agree, are more elaborate and alluring in BN than in ballet). Please bear in mind I am not trying to argue to superiority of one dance form over another, but this is how I see the issue. I have been born and brought up in the U.S., so the unequality between the two analogies Ballet:West and BN:India is quite marked.

   
   



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