Beyond the margins: rethinking Bharatha Natyam in SA

FOR this column, I don my academic cap as I address the current state of Bharatha Natyam in South Africa, particularly its placement within the broader framework of South African dance pedagogy.

- SARANYA DEVAN

THE writer, Saranya Devan, says Bharatha Natyam must be regarded as part of the wider South African dance culture. Supplied

(Saranya Devan)

I speak from a foundation of scholarly research developed through two Master's programmes tackled simultaneously — an MA degree in Bharatha Natyam from the University of Madras, India, and an MA in dance from the University of Cape Town.

For me, Bharatha Natyam is not merely a subject of interest — it is one I've interrogated through the lens of two rigorous postgraduate journeys.

Thus, I can associate with the sentiments shared by author and academic Dr Devi Rajab at an arangetram (debut public performance) of a Bharatha Natyam student in Durban last week, and which was reported in POST in an article titled: “Beyond ballet: the call for Bharatha Natyam’s recognition in local education”.

Dr Rajab’s reflections resonated deeply with me because they articulate something I have grappled with for years and am interrogating in PhD studies that I am currently pursuing.

I have also emphasised the need for Bharatha Natyam to be located within a formal school/university syllabus at various symposiums, the most recent being when I delivered a paper at the international conference hosted by the 1860 Indentured Labourers Foundation in Verulam last August.

As a third-generation South African Indian woman based in Cape Town, I often find myself questioning my identity as a Bharatha Natyam dancer within the framework of South African dance and so-called “Indian performing arts”.

I have spent almost half my life as a “born free”, yet continue to bear witness to the subtle discriminatory patterns that have historically repressed the artistic pursuits of my community.

Under apartheid, those who were not white were denied access to suitable public facilities and funding for artistic and cultural expression.