IMPACT OF DANCE DRAMA IN MANIPURI PERFORMING ARTS

Abstract

Dance Drama is a form of performing Art narrating a story wherein music is prominent, dialogues in prose and poetry are also added. Dance Drama is of Indian origin and it is known as Nritya Natya. Nritya means Dance and Natya means Drama and this term was coined by the famous Nobel Laureate Gurudev Rabindranath Tagore. On the other hand Ballet is a classical dance form of the west performed only with orchestral music. Dance drama is a performance narrating a story wherein music is prominent, dialogues in prose and poetry are also added. Ballet is popular in western Countries. The term Dance drama is more suitable in Indian context in place of Ballet. Society changes with time unaware. A society will progress quicker only when they have contact with the outside world. Culture on the other hand lacks behind because of its dos and don’ts, its religious inclinations. Society moves forward and what remains is a Vacuum in culture. But since there cannot be any Vacuum in culture, it will be filled and reinforced by other cultures. Even in dance, like Gouraleela, Gosthaleela(Sanshenba), Rasleela remained stagnant. They were based on a context and there was no change in the performance. Thus, these dance forms which were known to be admirable reduced its audience. Hence, the vacuum being created and in this vacuum came in minor theaters which were performed in localities around.  Now, when it comes to dance-drama, the trend seen here is a continual progress on top of safeguarding one’s tradition and aesthetic values, it moves forward. They go with the change in time giving in to the needs of the audience. So, dance dramas were the first step in the history of Manipur towards filling in the cultural vacuum. On the other hand, Dance drama not only entertains but it also conveys messages to the society as a whole like Theatre does. So, the impact of dance drama is huge as it has come in the form of an art which sustains the culture without creating the space, with its contemporary styles and an indigenous, traditional backdrop. Thus, based on the present context of the study, Dance dramas of Manipur can be classified conveniently in this manner as:

l). Role of dance drama in the society.  

ll). Some of the well known Manipuri Dance dramas and its messages.