As part of my program, students are encouraged to take an “Expressive Cultures” class in addition to their regular coursework. There are a variety of classes offered, ranging from lessons on the Veena (Indian guitar), Henna art, Silambam (Indian stick fighting), to classes on Indian cooking and yoga. I like the idea of integrating classes like this into my experience abroad because it really allows for me to engage with some of the broader cultural concepts I am learning about in my academic coursework. I also think the act of attending these classes pushes you to be more present rather than constantly being occupied by concerns regarding upcoming assignments and just generally being too preoccupied with future tasks.
For my Expressive Cultures class, I have elected to take a beginner’s Bollywood Dance class. Naturally I shy away from activities that require me to have any sense of rhythm or strategic coordination of my arms and legs. Typically, my favorite (and only) kind of dancing may affectionately be described as “enthusiastic” (or more accurately enthusiastically spastic).
However, I decided that if there was ever a time to try new things it was definitely during my semester abroad. I also take the class with some other students in my program which definitely allows for a lot of good laughs and bonding over our “unique” dancing. Bollywood as a dance style is incredibly upbeat and requires a level of engagement and connection not only with yourself but with your “audience.” There is a use of facial expression that sort of tells a story to the audience, which is actually a popular device in a number of traditional Indian dance styles and something I find really intriguing to watch. We dance to some popular Bollywood songs as well as a number of popular Tamil songs, all of which I find to be incredibly catchy! Without the music I find some of the dance moves to be nearly impossible, but once the music starts playing I feel like a pro but am actually just doing a “variation” of the choreography with unbridled enthusiasm (much to the dismay of my patient teacher).
I would say some of the more challenging choreography has involved rhythmic shimmying and spontaneous body rolls. I have had some of my heartiest laughs watching myself and other classmates attempt some of these moves (at the mercy of the all knowing full length mirrors in the dance studio). However, taking the dance class has been especially interesting in connection with my Myth, Religions, and Art course. Many of the deities and renderings of them that we study have distinct positions in which they are traditionally or most popularly depicted, and some of the hand gestures and general bodily positions in my dance class strongly mimic those I’ve seen in my textbook. Seeing ideas from each of these disciplines intersect was super exciting because it means that I am beginning to ground my knowledge of this new place through recognizing recurring themes.
Overall, I’ve had a ton of fun in the class and who knows? Maybe I will pick up some hip dance moves to take home with me once the semester has ended. However, my biggest takeaway from my few weeks of class has been that being a little uncomfortable and looking beyond what you already know can be one of the best approaches to studying a foreign culture, and discovering this has made my time in Madurai thus far all the more meaningful.