Fusion, hybridity and contaminazione : a theoretical framework based on the analysis of multi-genre choreographers blending Indian classical and contemporary dance

Abstract

This dissertation examines the possibility of building a theoretical framework which can be used to analyse mixed-genre choreographies merging Indian classical dance and contemporary dance. The suggested theoretical framework is developed through the contextualization of three specific terms which are often used to connote mixed-genre choreographies: hybrid, fusion and ‘contaminazione’. The framework is informed by theories drawn from various fields such as post-colonialism, aesthetics, philosophy and the ‘rasa’ and ‘bhava’ theories. A first theoretical contextualization is followed by a specific analysis of the work of three different artists: Akram Khan, Shantala Shivalingappa and Shobana Jeyasingh. My personal knowledge as a Bharatanatyam and contemporary dance practitioner has allowed a more detailed analysis of the choreographies. The theoretical framework is therefore the resultant merging of the various theories and the data collected through the analysis.