Swarnamalya Instagram – We are honoured to welcome Dr. Swarnamalya– eminent dance historian, performer, and educator – to #baaridancefestival2025 for a special session titled “Courting Cultures.”
A scholar-practitioner whose work seamlessly weaves together research and performance, Dr. Swarnamalya has trained extensively under hereditary artistes of Sadir. Her practice is rooted in the revival of forgotten and marginalised repertoires, restoring Sadir (Bharatanatyam) to its richly multicultural past. With a Ph.D. in Dance History and Performance Studies, she leads wide-ranging archival and field research on South Indian performance cultures across regions and communities.
In “Courting Cultures,” Dr. Swarnamalya unfolds the cosmopolitan past of early modern South India—tracing the multicultural imprints within Sadir shaped by trade, travel, and the movement of diverse communities. Drawing from interactions with Islamic lineages, and Persian, Dakhni, Marathi, West Asian, and European influences, this discourse reframes South India’s artistic traditions as deeply interconnected and collectively inherited.
Dr. Swarnamalya currently serves as the Director of Ranga Mandira Academy of World Dance/Performance and Indic Studies, is a Fulbright Fellow, and Associate Professor of Global Arts at Krea University.
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🗓️14 Dec 2025
⏰ 10 am
📍 Baari – The Culture Space
#baaridancefestival #baaritheculturespace #bharatanatyam #sadir #workshop #courtingcultures #dancecommunity #chennai | Posted on 06/Dec/2025 18:43:04
