Politics, Performance and Patronage
WACD | 2 p.m., Kaufman Hall
This talk concerns the conferral of "classical" status on Sattriya dance by the government of India. The author argues that the national recognition accorded in November 2000 to the Dance of the Sattras, the Vaishnav monasteries of Assam, was an act driven more by political expediency rather than artistic valorization. Excavating the political linkages of this dance from precolonial times to the present, Sethi explores how patronage, or lack of it, infuenced the artistic practices of the sattras. The recent recognition of the dance has impacted the form in subtle ways, imposing prescriptive paradigms of a national view of aesthetics that aligns with the privileged and protective status of the 'classical'. Most importantly, it has compelled the dance of the sattras into a dual existence- refected in its monastery life with ritual valences, and a stage life of artistic splendour but compromised essentials. The contestations and negotiations between the regional and federal powers, and between the ritual and concert stage, defne Sattriya’s more recent story.
More detailed information is available on the World Arts and Cultures/Dance website.
Event Date: Wednesday, Jan. 17, 2 p.m.
Venue: Kaufman Hall, Room 208
Price: Free
Kaufman Hall is located in North Campus off of Sunset Boulevard.
Parking is available in lot 4.
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