What is this Fusion Dance?
In any society dance is divided into two varieties. One is classical
form and other folk dance form. Both the Classical dance and folk dance
reflect the culture, tradition, religion, and regional social practises
and social background of the concerned selective society.
Classical dance and folk dance have certain norms, and both provide
equal opportunity for creativity, within the limited frame work. Every
classical and folk dance has certain defined and clarified items. Each
item of the classical dance and Folk dance has its own defined order,
and repertoire.
The dancers use certain ornaments, and welldesigned costumes and
selective make up. Similarly every Classical and Folk dance is based on
certain selective music. Some are accompanied with vocal and
instrumental music together, and some are only accompanied with vocal
music, and some are only accompanied with instrumental music alone.
Hence all the classical and folk dances have their own historical
background, and historical development. Some of the folk dances are
practised only for certain festivals, and certain occasions.
But unfortunately today there is a new trend which has emerged among
the society and among the teachers, who introduce a new face of dance
form to attract the students, and the audience. One particular dance
form is mixed-up with numerous other classical dances together, without
any base.
Many of times the choreographers insert and introduce certain of
their own creativity into the dances without any limitations. At the end
all the dance forms lose the total essence and purity of the art and
their own identity. Even for these dances no proper music is adopted.
Numerous outside techniques are adopted to attract the audience.
Some of the dance teachers try to introduce dance for the light music
as background music. They choreograph and introduce dances for thrilling
cinema songs. All these dances are carried out and labeled under the
name of fusion dance.
These fusion dances are carried out and promoted by certain
individual dance teachers, as well as by certain organisations for the
business purposes, popularity, and for entertainment and enjoyment
purposes.
Most of the dancers are using classical dance costumes and ornaments
for these vivid dances. Sometimes the choreographers modify the costumes
to attract the public. These types of baseless dances won't last long,
but for the time being these dances damage the real image of the
classical and folk dances, and destroy and give a wrong impression about
the classical and folk dances for the future generation.
Earlier music was divided into classical music, folk music, and light
music. Some years back, like the present fusion dances, pop music was
quite popular among the public.
This particular music lost its popularity with the passage of time,
because it hadn't have any proper firm base. Similarly any art form
which is introduced without any proper firm base won't last for long.
Promoting these types of fusion dance forms for the personal gains, and
for business purposes, will have a bad impact on these valuable art in
future.
Subashini Pathmanathan |
