Overview:

Recipient of the Richard K. Lublin Distinguished Teaching Award for 2012-13. Scholarship focuses on Asian Dance-theatre; ritual performance; Gender in Performance; postcolonial implications on traditional dance and theatre performance; role-playing and expressive elements in Indian dance-theatre, and Indian dance in the diaspora.

Teaching (Spring 2020):

• Dance 665s.01, Contemporary dance history Synopsis

  Rubenstein 230, MW 11:45 AM-01:00 PM

Education:

Ph.D., University of Wisconsin at Madison, 2000

Ph.D. Performance Studies and Ethnography, University of Wisconsin, Madison, 2000

MA in Dance Ethnology, University of California, Los Angeles, 1992

M.A., University of California at 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

  (More Professional Work and Scholarship)   Books

• Shah, Purnima, Documentary film, Dancing with the Goddess: the Ras-Garba Traditions of Gujarat. (2012)  [author's comments].
• Shah, P, Bhakti Andolana Prerita Natya ane Nrtya Prakaromam Bhaktirasa ane Madhuryabhava = The Concept of Bhaktirasa and Madhurabhava in the Bhakti Genre of Indian Dance-Theatre. (2010), B. J. Institue of Learning and Research .
• 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) .

• Shah, P, Performing Migration: the Journeys of Indian Dance in America, Attendance: the Dance Annual of India, vol. 15 (2013), pp. 54-61 .
• Shah, P, “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, P, Physio-Spiritual Transcendence through the Practice of Devotional Dance-Theatre in India, Repertorio: Teatro & Danca, University of Bahia, vol. 15 no. 18 (2012), pp. 43-48  [abs].
• Shah, P, 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, C; Polit, K (2011), New Delhi: Routledge. .
• Shah, P, Innovative Approaches in Contemporary Kathak Dance: a Choreographic Appreciation, Nartanam, a Quarterly Journal of Indian Dance, vol. XI no. 3 (September, 2011), pp. 66-77 .
• Shah, P, 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 .
• Shah, P, Negotiating Gender in Contemporary Kathak Dance Choreography, Samipya Journal of Indology, vol. XXV no. 1-2 (April, 2008), pp. 1-15 .

• Choreography, Duke University, April 19, 2003
• Dashavatar, April 19, 2003
• Choreography, June 05, 2001
• Solo Kathak dance, June 5, 2001
• Choreography, University of California, Riverside, April 28, 2001
• Kathak dance, April 28, 2001

• Purmina Shah: Performances, 2001 - 2010, 2010

• 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

• Garba: Dancing for the Goddess, 2009

• Guest Lecture, Department of Mass Communication and Journalism, Gujarat University, India, July 13, 2013
• Guest Lecture, Gujarat Vishwakosh, Ahmedabad, India, June 26, 2013
• Dancing with the Goddess - film screening and discussion, Franklin Institute of Humanities, Duke University, September 24, 2012
• Dancing with the Goddess - film screening and discussion, World Music and Independent Film Festival, Washington DC, August 24, 2012
• Garba Dance – the making of the documentary film, Bhavnagar University, India, June 11, 2012
• Dancing with the Goddess - film screening and discussion, Asian Studies Conference, Toronto, March 15, 2012
• “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

• Paper, "Social Transformation of Garba Dances of Gujarat.”, Society of Dance History Scholars, Norwegian Univerity of Science and Technology, Trondheim, Norway, June 11, 2013
• Panelist, "The Future of Kathak Dance in a Global Context.", Swarthmore College, PA, April 13, 2013
• Panel Chair, “ Social Transformation: The Legacy of Pauli Murray.”, Across the Threshold: Creativity, Being, Healing Conference, Duke University, March 02, 2013
• Panel Chair, “Arts as a Means of Social Transformation.”, Across the Threshold: Creativity, Being, Healing Conference, Duke University, March 2, 2013
• Paper, “Dancing with the Goddess: Survival of Traditions.”, Across the Threshold: Creativity, Being, Healing Conference, Duke University, March 01, 2013
• 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 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

• 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

• Kalinga Nartana, April, 2017
• Oh, Shakti!, March, 2015