Publication at Faculty of Arts |
2014
Abstract
The contribution outlines the role of the devadasis, temple dancers and courtesans, in the history of classical South Indian dance of Bharatanatyam. Although Bharatanatyam is percieved as a homogeneous and traditional form with links to the Sanskrit aesthetics, during its renaissance in the 1930s it experienced a thorough reform, which affected its repertoire and moved its practice to the new social and cultural milieu.
The contribution explains the reasons why the devadasi performances disappeared in the first decades of the 20th century while the modified form of dance reached great popularity.