Purnima Shah, Associate Professor of the Practice
Overview:
Scholarship focuses on Indian dance and Religion; Gender performance; postcolonial implications on traditional dance; role-playing and expressive elements in Indian dance theatre, and Indian dance in the diaspora. |
- Education:
- Ph.D. Performance Studies and Ethnography, University of Wisconsin, Madison, 2000
- MA in Dance Ethnology, University of California, Los Angeles, 1992
- Specialties:
-
Performance Studies
Technique
- Research Interests:
- Performance Studies, Asian Dance and Theatre Performance, Dance Ethnography, Dance History and Theory, Gender in Performance, Dance and Religion, Asian dance Diaspora
Professional Work and Scholarship (More Professional Work and Scholarship)
Books
- Shah, Purnima, Documentary film, Dancing with the Goddess
(2012) [author's comments].
- Shah, Purnima, Editor, South Asia and South-east Asia Volume,,
Encyclopedia of World Dance
(2006-09) [author's comments].
- Shah, Purnima, Garba Dance and Goddess Worship in Gujarat, India (in-progress)
(2013) [author's comments].
Papers Published
- Shah, Purnima, “Dance: 1200-1900 CE” Cultural Sociology of West, Central and South Asia.,
in Cultural Sociology of the Middle East, Asia and Africa Encyclopedia. Sage Reference, vol. IV, part II
(2012) .
- Shah, Purnima, Randala Ritual: Women's Heritage and Identity in Gujarat, India,
in Ritual, Heritage and Identity: The Politics of Culture and Performance in a Globalized World, edited by Brosius, Christiane and Karin Polit
(2011), New Delhi: Routledge .
- Shah, Purnima, Innovative Approaches in Contemporary Kathak Dance: a Choreographic Appreciation,
Nartanam Journal of Indian Dance, vol. XI no. 3
(September, 2011),
pp. 66-77 .
- Shah, Purnima, Some Issues on Gender Politics in the Bhakti Genre of Dance-Theatre Performance,
Samipya Journal of Indology, vol. XXV no. 3-4
(October, 2009),
pp. 1-33 .
Choreography:
- Choreography, Duke University, April 19, 2003
- Choreography, June 05, 2001
- Choreography, University of California, Riverside, April 28, 2001
Performance:
- Odissi dance, November Dances, Reynolds Theatre, Duke University, November 20, 2010 - November 21, 2010
- Performance, Duke University, November 21, 2003 - November 22, 2003
- Performance, Renolds Theatre, Duke University, December 01, 2001
- Performance, University of California, Riverside, May 11, 2001
Guest Lecture:
- “Representation of Shaivism and Vaishnavism in Indian classical Dance”, J.G School of Performing Arts (India)., August 21, 2010
- “Bhaktirasa and Madhurabhava in the Bhakti Genre of Indian Dance-Theatre”, B. J. Institute of Learning and Research (India)., August 12, 2010
- “Notions of femininity in the role of the Onnagata in Kabuki dance-theatre”, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, Department of Ethnomusicology, November 13, 2009
- “Devadasi Traditions in India and the Impact of Colonization”, J. G. School of Performing Arts (India), July 16, 2009
- “Research Methods in Dance”, Gujarat Vidyapith (India), December 05, 2008
- “Fieldwork research for Garba Dance”, Mansa Arts and Science College, Mansa (India), September 11, 2008
- “Dance and Music of South Asia”, World View Seminar for Teachers, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, March 16, 2006
- “Korean Shamanism and Buddhist ritual performance”, University of North Carolina, Greensboro, March 16, 2004
- “Temple Dancers of India: Tradition and Reform”, University of North Carolina, Greensboro, March 14, 2004
- “Roots of Hinduism in the Vedic Religion”, Hindu Students Association, Duke University, September 9, 2003
- “Abhinaya in Kathak dance”, World View Seminar for Teachers, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, March 10, 2003
- “Gender Ideologies in the Epics”, Indian-American Student Association at Duke University, November 15, 2002
- “Intercultural Translation: the Adaptation of Asian performance Disciplines in the West”, Center for Global Studies, Duke University, March 14, 2002
- “Bureaucracy and the Classical Dance in India”, University of California, Santa Barbara, March 07, 2002
Conferences:
- Keynote address, Contemporary Choreography in Indian Dance. Kalanidhi Dance Festival and Conference., Toronto, Canada, March 17, 2011
- Interviewer, Dr. Richard Schechner (New York University). Erasing Borders: Festival of Indian Dance, Indo-American Arts Council and Asia Society,, New York, June 5, 2010
- Discussant, "Moving Traditions in Indian Dance", Erasing Borders Conference. Indo-American Arts Council and Asia Society, New York, June 04, 2010
- Planning Committee, Across the Threshold: Creativity, Being and Healing Symposium, Duke University, April 03, 2010
- Paper presentation, "Kathak Dance: Practice, Philosophy and Identity", International Kathak Dance Conference, University of Chicago, October 23 - 25, 2009
- Moderator, The State of Contemporary Dance in India and the Diaspora, Indian Classical Dance and Music Conference, North Carolina Central University, September 27, 2009
- Panelist, Digital Asia: Video Documentary, Association for Asian Studies Conference, Chicago, March 26-29 2009
- Panel Chair, Actor/Performer as Shaman., Across the Threshold: Creativity, Being, Healing Conference, Duke University, Durham, March 19-22, 2009
- Panel Chair, Ethnographic Issues in Dance., Society of Dance History Scholars Conference, Skidmore College, Saratoga Springs, June 23-25, 2008
- Moderator, Across the Threshold: Exploring Transformative Paths to Creativity and Healing, Across the Threshold: Creativity, Being, Healing Symposium, Duke University, Durham, February 23, 2008
- Conference on Gujarati Literature, Sayla, Gujarat, India, November 3-4, 2007
- Paper presentation, "Randala: Women's Ritual Performance in Gujarat, India.", Ritual, Heritage and Identity Conference, University of Heidelberg, Germany, June 14-17, 2007
- Panel Chair and Discussant, Dance as a Tool of Political Negotiation., Society of Dance History Scholars Conference, Banff Centre, British Columbia, Canada, June 16-18, 2006
- Society of Dance History Scholars Conference Board Meeting, American Council for Learned Societies, New York, October 19-21, 2006
- Paper presentation, :Performance of the Thumri in Kathak dance", Kathak at Crossroads Conference, San Francisco, Sept. 28 - 30, 2006
- Panelist, Global Identity and Indian Dance Traditions., Dance India: Choreographing Traditions International Conference, Columbia College, Chicago, September 08-10, 2006
- Panel Chair and Moderator, Kpanlogo and Dancing from the Center., Society of Dance History Scholars Conference, Northwestern University, June 9-12 2005
- Society of Dance History Scholars Conference Board Meeting, American Council for Learned Societies, New York, October 19-21, 2005
- Moderator, The Word on Music, Ethnomusicology Symposium Celebrating Duke University Press, Duke University, September 5, 2005
- paper presentation, "Crossing Borders: Performance of the "Asian" and "American" Identities among the Youth in the USA, Performance Studies International Conference, Brown University, March 31 - April 2, 2005
- Paper presentation, "New Directions in Indian Dance Diaspora.", Society of Dance History Scholars Conference, Duke University, June 18-20, 2004
- Society of Dance History Scholars Board meeting, American Council for Learned Societies, New York, November 19, 2004 - November 21, 2004
- Conferences, North Carolina Dance Alliance, Duke University, November 06, 2004
- Panelist and Moderator, Dancing the Legacy., North Carolina Dance Alliance Conference, Duke University, November 6, 2004
- Conferences, University of Chicago, October 08, 2004 - October 10, 2004
- Conferences, Society of Dance Histor Scholars, Duke University, June 18, 2004
- Conference - Panel Chair, Duke University, June 17, 2004 - June 20, 2004
- Conferences - Local Arrangements Chair, Duke University, June 17, 2004 - June 20, 2004
- Paper presentation: Conference on South Asia, University of Wisconsin-Madison, October, 2003
- Society for Dance History Scholars, New York, October 10, 2003 - October 12, 2003
- Conference on South Asia., University of Wisconsin-Madison, October 10-13, 2002
- Society for Dance History Scholars Conference, Temple University, Philadelphia, June 20, 2002
Master Classes:
- Master Class, Kathak dance, North Carolina Dance Alliance, Duke University, November 6, 2004
- Master class, Kathak dance technique, University of North Carolina, Greensboro, March 17, 2004
- Master Class, Kathak dance, Dept. of Exercise and Sport Science, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, January 31, 2004
Workshops:
- Odissi Dance Repertory, Duke University, August 30, 2010 - December 10, 2010
- Kathak dance workshop, Kumudini Lakhia, Duke University, September 25, 2003 - October 8, 2003
- Kathak Dance Repertory, Duke University, September 1 - December 5, 2003
- Workshops, UNC Chapel-Hill, March 13, 2003
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