Theme-based Dancing: A Win-Win Show!

Among Indian dancers, theme-based dance performances have gained a special niche so that almost all YouTube dance creators are coming up with so many amazing performances. Due to the innovations that these YouTubers incorporate in their performances, such concerts are spectacular, and they invariably leave you in awe.

Do you want to experience a thematic dance? Watch now!

Recently, almost all Indian television channels, both national and regional ones, have their own trending dance shows, continuing with different seasons. All these shows can never be devoid of such thematic performances. And, believe it or not, almost all of these performances make you speechless. Luckily, this trend is still on track.

What is Theme-based Dancing?

According to Anita R Ratnam, one of the Indian classical and contemporary dancers and choreographers, dancing and acting go hand in hand. In her article on Adapting Traditional Themes in Dance - Theater, she talks about how Nritya and Natya are interwoven concepts (in the traditional perspective) that bring out a fuller emotional impact on the audiences.

Dancing and acting go hand in hand.

A theme-based or thematic dance piece is nothing but this, where a dancer picks up a unique concept, story, or a socially important theme and tries to replicate the same through dance. At times, when such performances just depict the scenario, others come up with solutions to the problems or answers to the questions. In that case, the performances become more fruitful and satisfying for the audiences.

The list of themes that you can use is literally endless. You can pick from woman empowerment, child abuse, poverty, social injustice, castism, deforestation, motherhood, and what else not. You can get a little more fancy ones here.

How Did Thematic Dance Forms Evolve in India?

One of the most intriguing aspects of Indian classical dance forms, be it Kathak, Kathakali, Bharatanatyam, Odissi, or any other, is that the choreographer plans the performance around a Katha, a story! There is always a plot for all performances, mostly depicting a God or a Goddess from the two great Indian mythologies such as Ramayana and Mahabharata. They were more of dance-dramas that can be enjoyed with the accompanying vocal and instrumental music and added Jathis.

Then slowly came the semi-classical renditions of these dance forms, mostly inspired by movies where the traditional classical dance forms were mixed with informal and light, and at times fancy, movements to allure the common audience. Initially, veteran classical dancers and their followers defied this culture, but such performances were indeed huge success in the country that most of the early-day actress-dancer celebrities are still remembered for their semi-classical performances. It was then people who had limited resources and opportunities started trying out their own versions of the classics without any regret as it had become more than normal by then. (You can read a more thorough history of Indian dance here.)

Traditional classical dance forms were mixed with informal and light, and at times fancy, movements to allure the common audience.

And, I would say, more than anything else, this has brought liberalization in the Indian dancing arena. Till then, dance or any art form (other than the folk counterparts as there has always been a folk counter stream that has survived through ages) in the country was meant to be for the elite, but now, anybody could dance and improvise on it themselves.

However, most of the time, they lacked the very essence, the Katha! Even if a story was told, it would be in bits and pieces without a flow and with so many elements capable of distracting the audience, from the attire of the dancers to fancy editing.

At times, they lacked the very essence, the Katha!

As an answer to this, dancers started trying out theme-based performances so that they can exclusively convey their message, not necessarily a story, through their effort. For this, some used traditional music, and some movie songs, which are still in use. Some even came with experimentations in music too such that the entire concept was whole-heartedly accepted almost instantly.

Indian movies have played an important role in this evolution, where we cannot but stress the part of renowned choreographers, such as Saroj Khan, Prabhu Deva, Kala Master, Geeta Kapoor, Mallika Sarabhai, Ganesh Acharya, Remo D'Souza, Terence Lewis, and many others.

Later, many dance reality shows, including Just Dance, Jhalak Dikhhla Jaa, Nach Baliye, etc., and award shows became the real stages for such sparkling performances—especially led by veterans like Rekha, Madhuri Dixit, Sridevi, and others—that they got so much love from the spectators and dance lovers.

How to Plan a Theme-based Dance Performance?

As mentioned earlier, first, you need to fix a theme. You can go with traditional stories. However, more than mythological stories, in theme dance performances, you can talk about societal disparities, injustice, tragic events, historic events, legends, politics, memories, or even your intense deep emotions. Technically, everything under the Sun!

Your theme can be anything under the Sun!

In theme-based dancing, after conceiving and fixing the concept that you want to replicate, the next most important thing is to choose the apt music accompaniment. It should be matching not only with your theme but with your chosen style of dancing too. For instance, if you are planning to express an affectionate but complicated feeling that you have for your lover through your performance, you cannot choose a song like Tere naina tere naina…. Instead, you could choose a song like Ae dil hai mushkil....

Or, in some cases, mixing up songs and adding voice-overs would be an effective technique for enhancing your performances, such as this dance performance on stopping acid attacks. Moreover, theme-based dance performances make the most impact if they are performed by a group of talented dancers, instead of doing them solo.

Theme-based dance performances make the most impact if they are performed by a group of talented dancers, instead of doing them solo.

My First Attempt

My first attempt at a theme-based dance was a tribute to childless mothers. I dedicate it to all those mothers who had to bury their infants, some in tombs and some in their wombs! They are both the victim and the accused! And, this paradox is entwined with their day-to-day lives as well. They are sad deep within themselves but are never (mostly not) allowed to even weep.

They are asked to move on, which requires great effort from them as they are struggling with internal grief. More than grief, it is a wound that cannot be healed, even by giving birth to more healthy children afterward. A lost child is always a lost child. It could be a forced abortion, miscarriage, IUD, or anything; their loss is eternal!

They have to live for their ‘loved ones.’ They need to be happy! They need to forget! They need to move on! All the while, they are the accused ones too. So, the moment they try to move on, they are surrounded by questions and suspicious stares. They are never allowed to move on, yet they shouldn't spend their tears as well!

Through this performance, what I want to tell them is, ladies, cry! Shout! Shed your tears! Ignore what needs to be ignored! Do what you think is right! Never turn back! Live your life the way you want! Dance! And dance as if no one is watching!

For the background music, I used a recreation of one of the famous Ilayaraja songs, 'Thumbi vaa thumbakudathin...' from the movie, ‘Olangal’ (1982). This version is re-programmed by Arun VT and the team. Arushi Mudgal has been featured in its video version, Udaan.

And for this ADDC choreography thematic dance performance, I mixed contemporary moves with Bharatanatyam and fixed the former for expressing my anger, anxiety, and grief and the latter for showing my thrills, ecstasy, happiness, and madness. My whole intention behind this dance video is to declare my solidarity with the mothers who had to go through the above or worse! And I also want to inspire dance lovers to come up with better versions.

I hope you enjoyed this discussion on theme-based dancing. If you have any questions or suggestions, please let me know through your comments.

Be innovative! And, dance!