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The Revolution Will Not Be Exhibited
No full textIn this essay, I try to understand what it means to stage an Indian classical dance performance at the British Museum and what is at stake. More specifically I query, what does it mean to sacralize stolen objects with immigrant bodies dancing dances from colonized lands. Apotheosis, a carefully-choreographed staging by several Indian neo-classical dancers, was performed in the storied museum’s Sir Joseph Hotung Gallery of China and South Asia, in 2019. The performance’s title which means “divinification,” is the elevation of a person to the rank of a god or divine being, or, the ultimate expression or epitome of a divine quality. The question I ask is if and how this artistic performance, in this space, intervenes in or uncritically extends the well-established depravations of colonial plundering
Bāṇḍɨ Pə̄thɨr : The Traditional Folk Theatre of Kashmir Past, Present and Future
No full textBāṇḍɨ pə̄thɨr [bāṇḍɨ pə̄thɨr] ‘a play of the Bāṇḍs’ (pronounced as such in Kashmiri but often spelt as “Bhand Pather” in the literature, and sometimes also referred to as “Bhand Jashna”), is a centuries-old endangered outdoor theater of Kashmir. Bāṇḍɨ pə̄thɨr, described as a kind of epic drama where the themes and situations are already familiar to the audiences, traditionally features in annually held Kashmiri festivals called bāṇḍɨjeśin (meaning ‘the festival of the Bāṇḍs”) and events for honoring Muslim Sufi saints referred to as “Bāṇḍɨ Cōk”; the latter are held at Muslim Sufi shrines such as Ashmuqām. Typically held in open spaces with large number of audiences and performed by professional troupes belonging to a certain community of Kashmir referred to as “Bāṇḍ” [bāṇḍ] (Singular/Plural) in Kashmiri, this article argues that a defining feature of the bāṇḍɨ pə̄thɨr is the art of improvisation.
Spiritual Ecology of my Bharata Natyam Dance: A Peacebuilder’s Reflections on her guru’s Pedagogies of Crossing
No full textThis article is part II of articulation on SADI’s call, of an over two decades long reflexive journey of the author’s dance practice, body and spiritual path. Thus, it aligns with SADI’s turn to making visible subordinated knowledge that remained unarticulated and marginalized at the confluence of multiple operations of power. It not only highlights a pioneer dance scholarship project for Pakistan (Aslam, 2012) a seedling, but the ongoing process of mindful dispersal of this seed of interfaith harmony, peace-building via deeper connection to the lands in its new home of Nusantara
Dancing for Themselves: Ritual Celebrations of Chaitra Parva in West Bengal (Photo Essay)
No full textChaitra Parva, a seasonal overlap between spring and summer, is celebrated annually through a series of ritual rites, many of which include dance and music, invoking Lord Shiva (a Hindu male deity). It is mainly performed by the ordinary non-Brahmans known as ritual bhaktas, who undertake perilous austerities, renunciation, and self-mortification to appease Lord Shiva. This four-day festival is known as – Falhar (fruit worship), Jagaran (night of awakening), Bhakta Ghora (wheel celebration), and Balidan (animal sacrifice). This reflection on the dance festival in writing and photography aims to visually capture how the Chaitra Parva festival embodies rural West Bengal’s cultural landscape. It also sheds light on how those ritual rites, accompanied by dance and music, connect the people with a sense of belongingness while representing a unique cultural identity
Crossings between Regional and National Culture in the work of Imphal-based choreographer, Surjit Nongmeikapam
No full textI analyze the regional and national cultural crossings in the pedagogical and choreographic practice of Imphal-based artist, Surjit Nongmeikapam—member of the Meitei community. Through ethnographic observations, qualitative interviews, and “thick descriptions” (Geertz 1973), I suggest that Nongmeikapam’s choreosomatic practice is a methodology for deep resistance towards the forced Hinduization and Indianization of the region. I show how his conception of the “natural body” empowers a culturally embodied regional identity that is contemporary, and his improvisation-based pedagogical practice, Yangshak Movement, fosters harmonious, equitable, and reciprocal relations between the body and the land rooted in regional philosophy and movement traditions. Making multiple crossings between internal and external, regional and national, religious and indigenous, and local and global borders, form, and culture, I argue, Nongmeikapam not only reclaims but also reproduces a new framework for regional and ethnic autonomy, representation, and freedom through a process that could usefully be called resistive hybridity
Beyond the Holy Trinity of Vyajanthimala, Waheeda Rahman and Madhuri Dixit: A Case for the Lesser Known Women Dancers of Bombay Cinema
No full textIn this article, I will be focusing on the period from 1940s to 1960s in Bombay Cinema, with a little spillover to the 1970s. It is widely considered among film enthusiasts that the 1960s were the aesthetic peak of dance in Bombay Cinema, which had begun to take shape in the 1950s. In this decade, one notices the development of a distinct language of film dance that is identifiable as ‘bollywood filmi dance’, a combination of Kathak, Bharatnatyam, folk, semi classical and mixed western forms resulting in a hybrid form greater than the sum of its parts. Before that, in the 1940s and 50s while individual dancers like Bhagwan Dada or Kathak exponents Sitara Devi and Roshan Kumari had their signature styles, as a community the ‘Bollywood’ dance style was beginning to get formed.
 
Memetic Disruption: How Internet Memes Challenge and Transform Traditional Power Hierarchies in the Guru-Shishya Relationship
No full textThis paper examines how memes function as catalysts within the Indian classical dance community, challenging entrenched hierarchies of caste, class, and authority in traditional guru-shishya pedagogical structures. Using humor and visual storytelling, memes created and circulated by anyone with access to digital platforms validate lived experiences of exclusion, foster solidarity among users, and offer an accessible yet subversive mode of resistance against pedagogical authority. Memes are treated here as participatory digital artifacts that reflect and critique the power dynamics embedded within Indian classical dance pedagogy. In doing so, the study contributes to ongoing conversations about power relations between gurus and disciples, tradition, and critique—proposing memes as tools that both contest and reimagine modes of learning and belonging
Unlocking Online Excellence: The Keys to Quality Matters Course Design Success
No full textTrack: Course Design
Are you ready to unlock the secrets of exceptional online course design? This dynamic session unveils two compelling case studies that demonstrate the strategic preparation process for Quality Matters (QM) review certification. Through these real-world examples, participants will gain invaluable insights into the systematic approach of transforming online courses to meet QM\u27s standards.
This session delves into the critical aspects of course preparation, including:
- Identify suitable courses for Quality Matters certification.
- Apply effective strategies for implementing the Quality Matters rubric.
- Develop practical approaches to online course preparation through self-reviews.
Whether you\u27re new to Quality Matters or seeking to enhance your existing knowledge, this session offers valuable insights. Join us to discover the key elements that unlock the door to successful QM course certification and elevate your online course design to new heights of excellence
Advancing Access Through Open Educational Resources: The Syllabus Review Service
No full textTrack: Open Educational Resources, Open Pedagogy & Open Access Scholarship
Bluford Library at North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University has developed an Open Educational Syllabus Review Service to support faculty in adopting and integrating Open Educational Resources (OER) into their courses. The service offers faculty individualized consultations to evaluate syllabi for OER adoption opportunities, recommending quality, openly licensed resources tailored to course objectives. Librarians collaborate with faculty to identify suitable textbooks, multimedia content, and supplementary materials while providing guidance on copyright compliance and accessibility standards. Initially developed through a library-led grant initiative aimed at expanding OER awareness and adoption, the project focused on exploring ways engage faculty and integrate open resources into the curriculum
“Whenever My Mom Speaks Spanish at Home, It Helps Me Understand More in Math”: Reflections on the Testimonios of Bilingual Latinx Students
No full textIn this paper, we share three insights from our conversations with 46 upper elementary Latinx students at predominantly white schools: 1) Students’ were silenced, but they persisted; 2) Students’ relationship with mathematics was enveloped in language; and 3) Students’ mathematics and community were tied together through language. By highlighting the testimonios of our participants, we hope teachers reflect on how they empower and raise the voices of their bilingual Latinx students to counter deficit storylines. We also provide opportunities for growth in creating more equitable spaces for bilingual Latinx students