Key research themes
1. How do political, linguistic, and cultural identities shape the historiography and practice of classical dance traditions?
This theme investigates the ways in which regional, national, and linguistic politics influence how classical dance forms are historicized, canonized, and performed. Focusing particularly on South Asia, the research highlights how dance histories and identities are constructed amidst postcolonial nation-building, linguistic politics, and cultural assertion. It analyzes the dynamic entanglement of dance as a site of identity formation and political contestation, illustrating the role of dance in cultural nationalism and the reinvention of tradition.
2. What are the evolutionary and social functions of dance in human societies across cultures?
Research under this theme explores dance from an evolutionary biology and social science perspective, examining its adaptive roles in communication, social bonding, and mating. It investigates proximate and ultimate mechanisms of dance behavior, including group synchronization, signaling of fitness and coalitionary strength, and the cultural transmission of social information. This research elucidates why dance is a near-universal human phenomenon and how it functions to coordinate social interactions and maintain group cohesion beyond artistic or recreational purposes.
3. How have dance studies established themselves as interdisciplinary academic fields, and what methodologies and critical perspectives inform their development?
This theme addresses the disciplinary formation and epistemological foundations of dance studies as an academic field. It explores institutional, cultural, and intellectual developments from the late 20th century onwards, focusing on the negotiation between theory and practice, challenges of articulating dance within global and local academic frameworks, and the incorporation of critical theories such as postcolonialism, intersectionality, and critical heritage studies. It also considers the role of archival work, ethnography, and expanding bodies of knowledge that question traditional historiographical practices.