Beyond Bollywood Audio Exhibition
Dancing Ganesha, circa 800–900, India; probably Madhya Pradesh, sandstone, Nelson Atkins Museum, Purchase: William Rockhill Nelson Trust, 70-45
Hello, my name is Julie Desai. I am a community partner of the Cincinnati Art Museum. I will be reading the Celebration section for Beyond Bollywood: 2000 Years of Dance in Art.
While dance is rarely an uncomplicated expression, there are instances where exuberance and joy prevail. In these moments, motives such as power, hierarchy, ego, fear, devotion, and more may still be evident, but the present instant—one of movement, music, experience, and connection—is at the forefront and can be considered the dominant element. Ganesha dances with abandon, in emulation of Shiva, often alongside his ganas (attendants), but also with great wisdom communicated in every step. The boy Krishna clutches a butterball and dances joyously before his mother. His energetic, youthful nature is reflected through his reaching limbs as he is depicted mid-step, even as his position as a god is conveyed through the same dance.
Paintings and decorative arts depicting isolated dancing figures, often female, explore how divine love, romance, music, poetry, literature, and dance can meld into one expression. These objects underline how dance is infinitely recognizable—and infinitely linked. Music, dance, and drama permeate all forms of cultural and artistic expressions. This visceral connection between exuberance and dance is echoed in many disparate artworks showing gods or human beings dancing. Depicted with and for various motives, from sparking romance and seduction to celebrating weddings and other rites of passage, these figures are dancing first and foremost.