Why can't we do Indian Classical dance with shoes?
Growing up in the modern world, with pretty much everything at our fingertips, we have the privilege of immersing ourselves in the melting pot of people, culture, traditions, trends, and more. It's never been easier to hop on a trend that's 'cool' and find ways to blend different influences together to create something new and call it 'fusion'. (I have thoughts on fusion but that's a whole other topic for another time)
One common 'trend' I have been coming across recently is seeing Indian Classical dance with shoes on. In an attempt to make themselves look 'trendy' or show distaste towards their culture, many of my peers have been haphazardly making this blunder without understanding the significance.
So, let's break it down into three categories: Science, Spirit, and Soul
The Science
injuring yourself 101
Classical dance footwork is incredibly intricate. The prowess of an Indian Classical dancer is shown heavily through rigorous footwork and body movements that require a great amount of strength and flexibility. To do so, the dancer must have a command on their body to rely heavily on the friction from the ground to help them move with ease. Without having that friction from the ground, it wrecks havoc on your knees (I speak from experience) and body and you end up injuring yourself.
The aramandi, or half sitting position, can be considered a state of equilibrium where in 'soushtavam' (where the shoulders and elbows are aligned, the ears and the shoulders are aligned, and the back is upright), your body is at its most stable point and in the optimum position to move. Not only is this position meant to keep the body movements clean, it, again, works to keep you from injuring yourself.
BharataMuni, the author of the Natyashastra, states that the only sound you should hear is the ankle bells when dancing. However, for anyone that has worn bells for a stage performance will know that only when the foot is stamped hard and with the perfect amount of force, the sound of the bells will be crisp. Otherwise, the sound of the bells will 'drag' and not sync with the accompanying instrumental beats and thrown off the rhythm.
The Spirit
propagating righteousness through art
With an art form that is heavily rooted in spirituality, it is very difficult (actually pretty near impossible) to remove the religious element from Indian Classical dance. Classical dance was created by Lord Indra and BharataMuni to bring order to a chaotic, dysfunctional society through something that was audible and visual. Mythological stories of Gods and Goddesses were used to spread awareness on topics like good versus evil, familial relationships using religion and customs to help people believe in the higher power that would help them down a path of righteousness. This led to a more structured society, bringing peace and harmony.
The initial 'namaskaaram' before performing the dance is requesting Bhoodevi, or Mother Earth, forgiveness for stamping on her with our bare feet. She is the first person we pray to and ask for blessings before we move on to the remaining Devas, Guru and the audience.
Back in the day (and today), dance was a worship and worship was dance. People use dance to pray to the Lord, share morals and values through art and entertainment, and find a harmonious balance through the different movements that were inspired by yogic traditions observed by BharataMuni, which he eventually wrote in the Natyashastra.
The bells worn around the ankle are considered a gift/blessing from God. They are placed in the presence of God before the Guru bestows them upon the student. This ritual symbolizes the sacredness of the bells which means putting the bells on in close proximity of shoes is considered a sign of impurity and disrespect.
When we do the 'Namaskaram', we are also indirectly addressing Shiva (God of dance) and Parvati (Goddess of Power) who are seated right behind us on the platform along with Bramha (God of Creation) and Saraswathi (Goddess of Wisdom) and Vishnu (The Preserver) and Lakshmi (Goddess of Wealth). They are not only the spectators of the dance performance but also protect the platform from negative energy entering the space to ensure the performance is a success. As you all know, in the presence of God, it is a Hindu custom never to wear shoes.
The Soul
the stage is a temple
Now, on a slight but relevant tangent, have you ever wondered why we don’t wear shoes to a temple? Mainly, a temple is considered a place of purity, where we can go cleanse the mind and soul and not bring in outside dirt and grime into such a pristine setting. I'm sure you've heard of the many lifestyle bloggers who preach to keep your surrounding free of clutter and mess to bring peace to help you stay focused on your tasks. This would be the same thing. (Ironically, these days temples are the most chaotic, but again, different story for a different day) Metaphorically, think of it as leaving behind our problems and entering a systematic environment to find our inner peace and surrendering to the Lord or spiritual higher power to give us the state of mind and motivation to successfully lead our daily lives.
The temple is where God resides and the temple is where dance was primarily performed. It was a place where people went for worship and learning and to leave their baggage outside to cleanse their soul. Shoes, in this regard, represent the filth that we drag around with us, both metaphorically and literally. To keep the temple clean for ourselves and for all the devotees, it is essential we leave them outside.
Now if a temple is where God resides, and we have Shiva-Parvathi, Bramha-Saraswathi, and Vishnu-Lakshmi sitting behind us when we perform, and we're dancing and telling stories to rid our mind of impurities and attain consciousness, doesn't that make the stage our temple?
It is imperative to make informed decisions. Choosing certain aspects to follow and not others in the realm of Classical dance is a sign of disrespect and arrogance to an art form that has stayed true to its roots for many generations. The Natyashastra clearly states the stance, the positions, the arm movements, the foot work and the different degrees of angles in order to perform as well as the states of mind to be in, the proper stage set-up, the deities that reside, and the colors to use for tranquility and the colors for destruction. Basically, what I'm trying to get at is that BharataMuni literally laid it all out for you.
To ignore all of those and to ignore the thousands of years of dance, art, and stories that have been passed down from generation to generation while maintaining many of those basic foundations is a sign of pure disrespect and arrogance. Whether we like to admit it or not, spirituality and religion is the reason why we have many of the art forms today. The traditional art forms paved the way for many of the newer styles that have developed and you can easily see the inspirations from traditional roots. The cultural significance that classical dance has is something that we cannot choose to let go because we 'feel like it' as it is a symbol of our heritage and serves as a reminder from where we come from.
Finally, this is not a comprehensive list and there are many more reasons to not dance classical dance in shoes. I could go on forever about this topic but these are certain points of discussion to help you think about what classical dance means in history and in society and the responsibility you have as a dancer to uphold its roots.
So, now that you've read all of the above, think twice before putting shoes on to go practice and promote Indian Classical dance.
B.A.R.E.F.O.O.T
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