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Who was Uday Shankar?
Who was Uday Shankar?
Uday Shankar was an actor, choreographer, and dancer prominent all over India. He was born on December 8, 1900, and passed away on September 26, 1977. Uday popularized Indian dance through his effective use of Western theatrical techniques in combination with classical Indian dance. Uday went to London to study at the Royal College of Art, where his journey toward innovating classic Indian dance began.
Uday Shankar was an actor, choreographer, and dancer prominent all over India. He was born on December 8, 1900, and passed away on September 26, 1977. Uday popularized Indian dance through his effective use of Western theatrical techniques in combination with classical Indian dance. Uday went to London to study at the Royal College of Art, where his journey toward innovating classic Indian dance began.
Uday Shankar's impact on Indian dance
Uday Shankar's impact on Indian dance
Uday Shankar performed most of his work in central India. Uday went on a 7-year tour around Europe and America with his troupe in 1930, where he learned a variety of dance forms and techniques that were unknown in India. When he returned to India, Uday began implementing techniques found in European theatrical dance into classic Indian dance forms. Uday's blend of European theatrical techniques and Indian dance made his art hugely popular both in India and abroad, where he is credited for creating a new era in traditional Indian temple dances. Before Uday's form of dance, Indian dance had been known for their strict interpretation, yet Uday was a front for the creative reformation of classic Indian dance.
Uday Shankar performed most of his work in central India. Uday went on a 7-year tour around Europe and America with his troupe in 1930, where he learned a variety of dance forms and techniques that were unknown in India. When he returned to India, Uday began implementing techniques found in European theatrical dance into classic Indian dance forms. Uday's blend of European theatrical techniques and Indian dance made his art hugely popular both in India and abroad, where he is credited for creating a new era in traditional Indian temple dances. Before Uday's form of dance, Indian dance had been known for their strict interpretation, yet Uday was a front for the creative reformation of classic Indian dance.
Uday Shakar's Impact on the World
Uday Shakar's Impact on the World
Uday wanted to use this new dancing technique to promote Indian culture and traditions during a time when the Western world was more dominant. Within the period when Uday Shakar was at work, colonialism was at its peak in India. Traditional Indian dance had been formed over many decades, and adapting or changing the dance form was greatly frowned upon. Another aspect that contributes to how impactful Uday's work was is that while adapting Indian dance was already frowned upon, India greatly disliked the lifestyle of the Western hemisphere, particularly because the West was known to be innovative and explorative rather than conservative and traditional. Uday took a huge risk when deciding to implement Western techniques from Europe and America to India. Uday understood the potential fate of his community turning against him or seeing him as a disgrace to the dance community, but his passion led him to take the risk and combine classical Indian dance with European theatrical techniques, deeming Uday the leader of a dance revolution. Uday's dance form gave Indians a platform to showcase their cultural heritage to the rest of the world in a way that had not been seen before.
By Amara Torres and Wah Wah Eh
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