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Kalpana M. Iyengar Audio Transcript (7 minutes) Dr. Wright

A good topic in what field. I need clarification. In education or in general?
 * Kalpana**: What is your definition of art or how do you define art?
 * Roopa**: I define art as a form of expression. I feel that a lot of what that cannot be said, but can only be felt …this is what art is best described as. That is the form of expression that captures our mind, our soul and which is what brings us closer, one step closer to understand what we feel
 * Kalpana**: Both our daughters are dancers and we have done it too. So, it is moving text. It is something that relates to your culture, your way of life (if I may). So, in that light, how do you find your culture through this dance form?
 * Roopa**: Well, the dance form that I am most familiar with is Baharatanatyam, which is the dance from south India. And I notice that a lot of that form of dance is to do with cultural context because we use the Vedas and lot of spiritual understandings, stories, mythology that are brought into the fore front. So, I feel that it keeps my knowledge of cultural life, my need for spirituality alive and I feel connected on so many different levels.
 * Kalpana**: So, if you ask me about why I want my daughter to learn this art form, it is because I don’t ant her to lose her roots (her parents roots). So, do you have anything to say about this or in other words how would you use this dance form to connect to your roots?
 * Roopa**: Well, yes I also agree that one way that we can stay connected is be informed about it on a daily basis. If you listen to the texts, the songs, the hymns that are used to create a context for dance, then I feel that this will keep that very alive in the mind. You keep those thoughts alive. So, in that sense I feel that dance connects me back to my roots. As far as why I would like for my daughter to learn dance is …the most important reason is a selfish one. It is what I carry me through her because I did not have the opportunity to find expression. Second, I feel that it is a good way to keep her mind occupied with a form of art, which can be used a therapy so that she can lean on it in her times of strife.
 * Kalpana**: So, when we were growing up or when I was growing up in India, I saw this art form to understand the Hindu scriptures, the epics, religious texts. That is why I used this dance form, to form new knowledge because reading those texts were very difficult. So, do you have anything to say about how would you use this dance form to teach yourself or your children about scriptures or other epics?
 * Roopa**: Well, I use scriptures mostly to draw on what to do when I am faced with a difficult situation in life. It is not always to read because as you rightly pointed out a lot of those are philosophical scriptures which are very difficult to understand. The nuances of it are difficult to follopw. However, in the form of dance I find that I am easily able to translate, understand, and realize the connections more easily. One may be because, I like the art form, I like the fact that it has music in it. Second, I like that mostly Bharatantyam is the form of context. So, because everything is contextualized and in a better position to understand the content.
 * Kalpana**: And also, it is a very rich visual text for us to teach our children using different rhetorical modes pf narration, description, persuasion, arguementation, etc. Have you every thought about using the dance form to teach your children or students the writing componenets?
 * Roopa**: No, unfortunately no because I teach Chemistry I am not able to factor it into what I do professionally. But, I use it to understand more about life’ to go back and be more constructive about what I mkight have learned as a child. The form of dance I most enjoy – Bharatanatyam has helped me so many different levels to understand life in general.
 * Kalpana**: One last question is about…I am convinced that this dance form is interdisciplinary because it integrates several different disciplines such as art, kinesiology, mathematics (positions – entry, exit, formations), oral literature, semiotics because the dance is nothing but expressing using the body. So, I tend to purge my emotions and experience catharsis. What is your experience with losing yourself with the dancer?
 * Roopa**: Yes, it is just like a movie. If the dance is done very very well and it is done in such a way that the dancers is able to evoke emotion in me, which is I think is the ultimate form of Bharatantaym. Then, I do feel that you are transcended and gone into the world of the dancer. The dancer captures all those scenes and emotions so beautifully that for those moments you feel you’ve forgotten yourself. She has shown all those scenes and emotions so beautifully that those moments are what are important to me. So, I feel that that is when Bharatanatyam achieves that, then we as an audience has been enriched. We have been transformed. And the dancer has conveyed the message most beautifully.
 * Kalpana**: If you and I were to do a study on this dance form, what would be a good topic? We both seem to have knowledge about this dance because we are cultural insiders and we also use it as our cultural capital to help our children learn about our culture. So, what would be a good topic?
 * Kalpana**: It could be dance education, art integration, sociology, psychology, so it doesn’t have to be education.
 * Roopa**: Well, I would do several studies. One would be about the attitudes and perceptions and behaviours of people with respect to learning Bharatantaym. I might may be intereseted in the topic of how does Bharatantyam transform people’s thinking or critical thinking capacity.
 * Kalpana**: Thank you, Roopa
 * Roopa**: Right on the minute, Kalpana
 * Kalpana ** : Yennaakku theriyum (I am aware)