The world of performing arts is changing and classical dance has been reconstructed and reintroduced, it is time that the same be done with costumes which is second skin for an artist, says SHALINI SAKSENA
Dance and props go hand in hand and if it is classical dance, the costume plays an important role. Even those who have not been initiated into the classical world and no next to nothing about it will tell you that the fan dress is associated with the Bharatnatyam and for Kathak it is churidhar, pyjamas with a dupatta tied across the body.
Today, things have changed and the whole costume that a classical dancer wears has been deconstructed and then reconstructed. Not because times have changed and costume needs to be contemporary, the need stems from the artists’ expression and and the tone of the performance itself. It is no longer the fan dress for a Bharatnatyam performance. What sets the mood is the piece that the artist has chosen to perform on the stage.
One is told that costumes play an important role in adding life to performance. They not only help in expressing the emotion, but they also set the tone of the performance. From the moment the dancer takes the stage, costumes help to grab the attention of the audience and therefore it is imperative to choose the right costume for any dance form.
A workshop held at National Centre for the Performing Arts (NCPA) by costume designer and curator Sandhya Raman on reinterpreting and reimagining costumes in contemporary times gave an insight on how costumes are an integral part in a performer’s art and relevance for reimaging today.
Swapnokalpa Dasgupta, head of dance, NCPA tells you that when classical Indian dances were reconstructed and reintroduced, the costumes worn by dancers were standardised. There was very little room for deviation.
“However, more recently, exponents have been reinterpreting and reimagining costumes to essay different roles and convey their themes visually. This is important because while dancers typically tend to focus more on the content of their performances, the costume is what grabs the attention of the audience. In classical dance text, costumes are actually a part of abhinaya,” Dasgupta says.
Raman tells you that while reconstruction of costumes may have been a strict no-no a few decades back and there was little deviation, today, more and more artists are not only open to it but are embracing it. The need, she tells you behind the reimaging is because there is need in the perfomancing arts for people to recognise the importance of the costuming part of it — the importance of costume, the role it plays in a performance.
“A costume makes or breaks a show. How do you carry your message, the theme and whatever one wants to communicate through the attire one is wearing is the focus of reconstructing costumes,” Raman says. When an artist is dancing, she has a powerful tool in the hand.
“The artist understands and feels that if they are performing a piece on Dandi March, it would appear strange to perform the art wearing a silk sari. This is where I step in. I work closely with the artist, watch the style, what makes her comfortable and what piece is going to be performed. On the basis of that, I design the costume. In case the dance is Bharatnatyam and the theme is Mahatma Gandhi, I will use of khadi, tie and dye and no jewellery instead of the traditional silk. It will be more of a flowing wrap costume. The get up will be shoddy. Not at all; it will only mean that the costume now compliments the performance and in turn resonates with the audience and when people will look at it, they will know it is different,” Raman explains.
She tells you that when an artist steps on the stage, she has 52 minutes to communicate with the audience the theme. “The costume makes all the difference; the way the artist steps on the stage, it conveys things. If one wants to say Lord Krishna, there are certain things associated with him. It is important to build the character whom one is performing. One has to touch upon the element that brings out the role that one is portraying. How does one do that? If someone is doing a performance on Mother Teresa, a simple blue and white band on the head is enough for Bharatnatyam; like just the round-rimmed glasses is enough to convey that the theme or the role is Mahatma Gandhi. While each dance genre has a costume, how does one take that further? One does by combing the theme together. That is what costuming is all about,” Raman says. Taking things further and finding out how to connect with the next generation to the dance form is importance since classical dance is taking a backseat and Bollywood dancing is centrestage.
“If one is updating to dancing, one has to update the costume as well. One can’t have an archaic imagery like earlier, when they were wearing large border sarees and kanchukis. Reimagining is about what goes into making these costumes and how important it is to depict the artist’s theme through it. It is always good to have a costumer designer if one has the budget. But, if not, it is important to up the skills and ask pertinent questions like what I am doing and why,” Raman says.
Dancing is no longer just about passion and performing on stage. “If one wants to take it up professionally, everything else needs to be professional as well. Costume is second skin for the artist. A costume designer needs to look at the artist and the theme; there is no one size fits all. Costume means customisation the minute there is a theme and the tick the boxes. Just because it is Bharatnatyam, doesn’t mean fan costume. People have to understand that spending money on a costume is not an expenditure, it is an investment and every time a particular theme is performed, the costume will come in handy even two decades down the line,” Raman says.
