Serenading Nature: Nature Motifs in Modern Dance (Examples from India and the West)

Nature and its many constituents seemingly frame the background of our lives. We are often deceived by the supposed passive nature of this ‘nature’. Our surrounding environment that comprises a wide array of living and non-living beings is often a recurring theme in our lives. The word is bandied about in our regular conversations. Nature implies potted plants in our garden and the trees in the forests and everything in between. Nature is flora and fauna. Nature is the sky above and the earth below, the subtle processes and phenomena, and the forces that interlace with one another to sustain life on this big green orb. So ubiquitous is this presence, that both Indian folk and classical lore is replete with references to nature. Nature references abound in our literature and ancient texts. The ancient vedic texts of India celebrate nature and its many aspects in great depth and detail. This same literature has been adapted to classical dance forms over the years in different ways. Being an Indian classical dancer and having studied western forms at University in the states I have the unique advantage of familiarity with both worlds.