Personality in dance, an important aspect

Subashini PATHMANATHAN

In any dance form, personality plays an important role. For dance, body and personality are two important aspects required of an artiste. In other words, the above mentioned aspects are the part and parts of the art. In any dance form, body is an instrument. A dancer must have a basic figure which must be suitable to dance. It is natural that the audience expects that a performing artiste must possess a suitable figure.

A folk dance performance

Basically a dancer shouldn’t be too tall or too short, similarly a dancer shouldn’t be too fat or too thin. It is also natural that a performing artiste shouldn’t be too dark. It is naturally believed that with the aid of makeup artist one’s personality could be changed or could be enhanced, but whatever it is the basic figure of the artiste could not be changed. Even if a dancer possess any inborn talents in his or her selective dance field, these would be considered secondary as compared to the figure.

Hence maintaining the figure is an important factor for dance. Each dance form has its unique makeup, and distinctive costumes. Most oriental classical dance forms, folk dance forms and ritual dance forms have their old age links with traditions, historical background and religious affiliations. To enhance the personality of the dancers the artistes are expected to put suitable makeup to some extent, in spite of their natural beautiful features. It is very much needed for classical dance artistes. Any performing artiste, whether she is a dancer, drama artiste, or teledrama artiste, or silver screen artiste, to certain extent the personality of the artiste plays an important role.

Nevertheless, for the oriental classical dances, folk dances and ritual dance forms have selective and distinctive makeup of their own. The folk dance forms and the ritual dance forms, belong to Desi dance forms. That means it is confined to a particular limited Pradesh or area. Yet, most of these dance forms do not gain the worldwide recognition.

The folk dances and ritual dances are mostly performed in open-air theatres. Whatever, in these folk and ritual dance forms the personality of the artistes are not taken into account much. But on the other hand, any classical dance form despite of its distinctive makeup, and selective costumes, there are certain basic personal qualities are needed for a classical dancer. The classical dance form is much more polished by numerous factors than other dance forms. And these dance forms are sophisticated and polished by numerous techniques. These dance forms normally gain worldwide recognition.

Basic attraction for these classical dance forms are the dancers’ personality. Numerous ancient dance scripts describe and provide the aesthetic values, and guidelines, to classical dance forms. Among the instructions given in the ancient scripts the quality and the duties of the teachers, the nature and the personality of the students are well defined. Today the professional performers are quite lesser than yesterdays. Today the students are the most and maximum stage performers. Hence, the stage performers must have appropriate figure and suitable features for dance.

The type and the nature of the personality of the dance students are given in the ancient dance scripts. Ancient oriental dance scripts clearly indicate the defined modes of the dance. According to the ancient scripts dancer must be fair in complexion, and the face must be beautiful like a lotus flower. Intelligently the dancer should be so sharp. Further, she is expected to have a thorough knowledge in theory and practical.

The dancer should be very obedient and able to interpret the meaning smoothly through the hand gestures, body movements and facial expressions. According to ancient oriental dance scripts, the dancer must cultivate and inherit good qualities, within herself. The first appearance of the dancer should be very attractive to the audience. One cannot expect all the qualities and guide lines given in the old aged scripts. It is necessary that a dancer or those who involve in the classical dance forms must maintain their figure, throughout their life despite of all challenges. Personality maintenance is a part and parcel of the classical dance.