The role of Indian dance reality shows in defining meanings of Contemporary dance among Indian dancers / Aparajita Burjwal (2021)

Dance reality shows are extremely popular in India. They attract massive audiences who love to sit in front of their television screens and watch dancers from diverse backgrounds enthrall everyone with their moves. They also feature contemporary dance prominently, albeit in a way very different from the genre of Indian contemporary, that developed pre and post Indian independence. Owing to their popularity, reality shows inevitably share an important relationship with dancers. This research aims to gain a deeper understanding of the role of dance reality shows in defining meanings of contemporary dance among Indian dancers using a qualitative approach. Fourteen participants consented to participate in focus group interviews, while two in-depth interviews were carried out. The data was analyzed using thematic analysis as prescribed by Braun & Clarke (2013). Autoethnography was also used to situate the researcher’s personal experiences in the larger context. The results reveal a strong relationship between the participants and the shows, albeit a critical one. While most participants reject the depiction of contemporary dance on the shows, they admit to being attracted to them initially as they offered new and different dance styles. The recommendation of this study is to diversify dance education in India, and dance content on reality shows to promote collaboration and critical engagement between the two.