Striving for excellence, doing away with mediocrity, exploring themes beyond the usual dynamics of dance and keeping it minimal, headlined dance trends in 2012. From delving into in-depth classical dance productions to exchanging ideas with global contemporary dancers, the Indian dance scene certainly came out of the closet.

It was a year of beautiful imageries, experimental productions and international collaborations. While not all was ho-hum among dancers, ex-Kalakshetra chairperson Leela Samson was embroiled in a controversy involving her retirement age. To practically everyone in the dance fraternity, the news came as a shock and dancers across sections stood united in support of Samson. We look at some of the most eventful moments of 2012.

Masterclass

The concept of conducting a masterclass was a hit among dancers. Nrityagram’s masterclass at the NCPA in August saw an overwhelming response with dancers from all styles participating in the class. For many, it was simply a chance to experience the “Nrityagram” technique, and for many it was honing their method. Bharatnatyam danseuse Malvika Sarukkai also conducted another masterclass for Bharatnatyam students. Across many dance festivals this year, the idea of masterclass struck a chord with dance lovers.
Contemporary dance festivals

The contemporary dance scene received a boost as many contemporary dance festivals saw raw and organic innovations. The Ignite Dance Festival by the Gati Dance Forum had masterclass, workshops, interactive sessions and some outstanding performances by various contemporary dancers including Padmini Chettur, Mandeep Raikhy, Sanjukta Wagh and many more. NCPA’s contemporary dance festival too had an interesting mix of performances with leading contemporary dancers Jayachandran Palazhy and Daksha Sheth presenting visually spectacular and innovative choreographies. The Narendra Sharma Dance Festival, which brought out some creative performances, went quite unnoticed, but nonetheless offered another platform for contemporary dancers.

3D Dance Films

In another eventful moment of 2012, Mohiniyattam danseuse Vijayalakshmi agreed to be a part of Carmen, a 3D feature film on dance. It was one of those rare opportunities for an Indian dancer to be featured in a 3D film on dance. While we will see A.B.C.D, another 3D film by Bollywood’s Remo D’Souza on dance, Carmen set the ball rolling for 3D innovation in dance. The surge of dance films in India following the success of Hollywood dance films like the Step Up series is a vision in the making.

International influx

From Akram Khan to Susanne Linke, the Indian dance scene saw many leading international dancers enthrall the Indian audiences. Susanne also conducted a workshop and shared her invaluable tips with dancers. The sensational “Bad Boys of Dance” from the US also regaled the audiences across the metros in the country. From Korean, Japanese and Chinese forms of Martial Arts to jazz, hip hop, ballet and tap, the “Bad Boys of Dance” knew it all. Apart from the British charm and American spunk, there was also Scottish funk, with the Scottish dance Theatre setting the stage on fire during their four-city tour. The British dance company Protein also took the audience in Mumbai by storm with their production “LOL”, which looked into the web of relationships and rendition of love in today’s Internet Age.