(RE) MAKING NATYA IN THE "NEW NORMAL": AN AUTOTHNOGRAPHIC EXPLORATION OF INDIAN CLASSICAL DANCE DURING THE COVI-19 PANDEMIC

Abstract

During the COVID-19 pandemic, the historical debate about the value of the arts as instrumental versus intrinsic interestingly resurfaced in Singapore and globally. This debate was discussed by various artists as they tried to think of how to continue their artistic practices in the pandemic. This happened in parallel with my observations of the rethinking and remaking of Indian classical dance as it was being adapted to be done digitally. I therefore was interested to understand why this similar overall response amongst artists was occurring and yet also how different artworlds experienced the pandemic in different specific ways. This thesis will use the digitalisation of Indian classical dance as an autoethnographic case study to understand how the artworld has been impacted by the event of the COVID-19 pandemic and how artists respond by adapting their practices digitally. Specifically I look at how the digitalisation of Indian classical dance impacts and is impacted by the articulation of the value of Indian classical dance by dancers. It is found that the digitalisation of Indian classical dance challenges the articulation of the value of Indian classical dance, is used to articulate the value of Indian classical dance and leads to the remaking of how the value of Indian classical dance is articulated.