Skip to content
1981
Volume 8, Issue 1
  • ISSN: 2059-0660
  • E-ISSN: 2059-0679

Abstract

The article explores the sociocultural construction of aesthetic identities and the ways in which the dominant ideologies have perpetuated specific narratives of the development of Mohiniyattam. Drawing on Michel Foucault’s concept of ‘episteme’ and Judith Butler’s theory of gender performativity, the study examines the femininity embodied in Mohiniyattam and argues that the dance form has been a tool for patriarchal ideologies, transmitted through generations of dancers manifested in their performance practice. The analysis extends to the contemporary scope of Mohiniyattam, questioning the rigid notion of femininity that has defined the dance form through erotic expressions of the dancer and exploring how innovative choreographies and performative interpretations can challenge such norms. The study uses oral histories and case studies to present a multifaceted view of Mohiniyattam’s historical evolution as a dance form. The revival of Mohiniyattam at different times reflects the dominant epistemes, marked by an embedded male gaze on the female dancing body. The performers’ own initiatives reframed the concept of femininity and its portrayal by exploring the potential of the trained dancing body.

Loading

Article metrics loading...

/content/journals/10.1386/itj_00038_1
2024-10-28
2025-04-22
Loading full text...

Full text loading...

References

  1. Butler, Judith (1988), ‘Performative acts and gender constitution: An essay in phenomenology and feminist theory’, Theatre Journal, 40:4, pp. 51939, http://bibliotheek.ehb.be:2089/stable/3207893. Accessed 14 May 2023.
    [Google Scholar]
  2. Butler, Judith (1990), Gender Trouble: Feminism and Subversion of Identity, New York: Routledge, https://bibliotheek.ehb.be:2102/10.2307/20444589.
    [Google Scholar]
  3. Chandrika, Kalamandalam (2014), in-person interview with S. Mangalath, Thrissur, 12 August.
  4. Clara, Kalamandalam (2014), in-person interview with S. Mangalath, Thrissur, 23 August.
  5. Devika, Methil (2021), ‘The rhetoric of choreography in Mohiniyattam’, International Journal of Multidisciplinary Educational Research, 10:11, pp. 3842, http://ijmer.in.doi./2021/10.11.108. Accessed 4 May 2023.
    [Google Scholar]
  6. Foucault, Michel (1972), The Archaeology of Knowledge, New York: Pantheon Books.
    [Google Scholar]
  7. Foucault, Michel (1977), Discipline and Punish: The Birth of the Prison, New York: Pantheon Books.
    [Google Scholar]
  8. Foucault, Michel (1980), Power/Knowledge: Selected Interviews and Other Writings, 1972–1977 (ed. C. Gordon), New York: Pantheon Books.
    [Google Scholar]
  9. Hymavathy Gopal, Kalamandalam (2012), in-person interview with S. Mangalath, Thrissur, 22 September.
  10. Kalyanikkuttiyamma, Kalamandalam (1992), Mohiniyattam Charithravum Attaprakaravum, Kottayam: DC Books.
    [Google Scholar]
  11. Krishna, K. R. Kavya (2016), ‘Gender and performance: The reinvention of Mohiniyattam in early twentieth century Kerala’, in S. Bhaduri and I. Mukherjee (eds), Transcultural Negotiations of Gender, New Delhi: Springer, pp. 12333.
    [Google Scholar]
  12. Krishnan Nambuthirippadu, Kanjur (2012), in-person interview with S. Mangalath, 22 May.
  13. Leelamma, Kalamandalam (2010), personal communication with S. Mangalath, 29 June.
  14. Leelamma, Kalamandalam (2011), ‘Mohiniyattathinte Lokam’, seminar delivered at Doordarshan Kendra, Thrissur, 21 March.
  15. Lemos, Justine (2012), ‘Radical recreation: Non-iconic movements of tradition in Keralite classical dance’, Semiotic Inquiry, 32:1–2–3, pp. 4782, https://bibliotheek.ehb.be:2102/10.7202/1027772ar.
    [Google Scholar]
  16. Lemos, Justine (2022), Tradition and Transformation in Mohiniyattam Dance: An Ethnographic History, London: Lexington Books.
    [Google Scholar]
  17. Meduri, Avanthi (2004), ‘Bharatanatyam as a global dance: Some issues in research, teaching and practice’, Dance Research Journal, 36:2, pp. 1129.
    [Google Scholar]
  18. Nambuthirippadu, Killimangalam Vasudevan (2012), in-person interview with S. Mangalath, Thrissur, 29 September.
  19. Nambutiripadu, Chithran (2014), in-person interview with S. Mangalath, Thrissur, 6 August.
  20. Radhika, Kalamandalam (2004), Mohiniyattam: The Lyrical Dance of Kerala, Kozhikode: Mathrubhumi.
    [Google Scholar]
  21. Rele, Kanak (1992), Mohiniyattam: The Lyrical Dance, Bombay: Nalanda Dance Research Centre.
    [Google Scholar]
  22. Sathyabhama, Kalamandalam (2011), in-person interview with S. Mangalath, Thrissur, 21 March.
  23. Sathyabhama, Kalamandalam and Lathika, Kalamandalam (2014), Mohiniyattam Charithram Sidhantham Prayogam, Kozhikode: Mathrubhumi.
    [Google Scholar]
  24. Shivaji, Bharati Vijayalakshmi (2004), Mohiniyattam, New Delhi: Wisdom Tree.
    [Google Scholar]
  25. Sugandhi, Kalamandalam (2011), in-person interview with S. Mangalath, Thrissur, 21 March.
  26. Surendran, Shyamala (2014), in-person interview with S. Mangalath, Thrissur, 2 March.
  27. Venu, G. and Paniker, Nirmala (1995), Mohiniyattam: The Lasya Dance, Irinjalakuda: Natanakairali.
    [Google Scholar]
  28. Kothari, Sunil (2011), Institutionalization of Classical Dances of India: Kalakshetra: The Principal Case Study, New Delhi: Routledge India.
    [Google Scholar]
  29. Lemos, Justine (2016), ‘Unraveling Mohiniyattam’s outlaw’, in M. M. Anoop and V. Gulati (eds), Scripting Dance in Contemporary India, London: Lexington Books, pp. 2959.
    [Google Scholar]
/content/journals/10.1386/itj_00038_1
Loading
/content/journals/10.1386/itj_00038_1
Loading

Data & Media loading...

This is a required field
Please enter a valid email address
Approval was a success
Invalid data
An error occurred
Approval was partially successful, following selected items could not be processed due to error
Please enter a valid_number test