Turning pointe: See how a ballet set in India has been reimagined
A Fresh Perspective on a Colonial-Era Ballet
Bharatmorningnews.com – La Bayadere, known in English as The Temple Dancer, stands among the most visually stunning yet culturally complicated classical ballets. For approximately 150 years, this masterpiece choreographed by French artist Marius Petipa for the Russian Ballet has narrated a romance between a warrior and a temple dancer within Indian soil.
However, this Indian setting carries colonial baggage. White performers donning blackface portray half-naked sadhus circling flames, while scheming royalty and religious figures populate the narrative. The elaborate stage designs blend indistinguishable domed and arched structures into a somewhat generic backdrop.
The choreography remains magnificent, complemented by powerful music and dramatic intensity. The challenge lies in addressing a work from 1877 that proves simultaneously indispensable and troubling.
Reimagining Through Historical Lens
Rather than simply preserving the traditional fantasy or discarding the problematic elements, a new production chose a middle path. This reimagined La Bayadere premiered earlier this year, modifying the storyline, reshaping certain characters, and relocating the narrative to authentic locations within Dutch colonial India.
This approach gently encourages predominantly European viewers to confront their own complicated heritage.
The current production features co-direction from Dutch-Indian dancer and anthropologist Kalpana Raghuraman alongside Australian-Indian choreographer Priya Srinivasan. Working together with DNB director Ted Brandsen and associate artistic director Rachel Beaujean, they have transplanted the story to 17th-century Sadras, a fortified Dutch East India Company settlement along the Tamil Nadu coast.
While maintaining much of Petipa's original choreography, this version acknowledges overlooked Indian musicians and dancers. A montage of photographs and brief video clips honors these artists, bringing them into historical recognition. Tenma, a Chennai-based musician and visual artist who co-founded Casteless Collective, orchestrated this component by selecting images of Dalit, Bahujan, and Adivasi performers spanning multiple decades.
"We wanted to turn the colonial mirror the other way, and imagine what La Bayadere could have looked like if it was created with all of the information and awareness available today," says Srinivasan.
Character Transformations
The traditional narrative centers on Solor, a warrior, and Nikiya, a temple dancer, whose romance faces inevitable tragedy. Initially, a priest called the High Brahmin harbors feelings for Nikiya. Subsequently, the raja of Golconda orders Solor to wed his daughter Gamzatti, and he complies.
During wedding preparations, the High Brahmin reveals Nikiya and Solor's relationship to the king. Gamzatti attempts through begging, bribery, and intimidation to end the affair. Nikiya receives a commission to perform at the festivities, where Gamzatti has secretly placed a venomous snake that ultimately kills her. Overwhelmed by sorrow, Solor dreams of joining Nikiya in the afterlife. Just as the wedding ceremony approaches, celestial powers ignite the entire kingdom.
Raghuraman notes that over recent decades, many ballet companies avoided the work due to controversies surrounding exoticized Indian portrayals.
"When DNB reached out, they asked whether I thought it should be cancelled or could be reimagined in some way. I roped in Priya, and together we started discussing a decolonised approach that would reimagine the piece as something more equitable, based on historical evidence."
Srinivasan's research at Fort Sadras uncovered graves belonging to Dutch colonial officers and soldiers, enabling the use of genuine historical figures as creative inspiration.
Within this revitalized production, Solor becomes a Dutch army captain, while the high priest transforms into a corrupt Dutch merchant. The raja now represents a half-Japanese, half-Dutch governor. Given the cosmopolitan nature of 17th-century South India, the casting reflects diverse racial and national backgrounds. Nikiya, for example, appears as a mixed-race dancer who was abandoned as a child and raised by temple performers.
The traditional opening sequence featuring blackface sadhus dancing around fire has been replaced with tributes to marginalized classical and folk artists. These include Karagattam dancers S Thanganila, S Poovizhi, and Priyadharshni, Devarattam dancer Mukesh Amaran, and yazh player Tharun Sekar. Some performers appear in action; others simply gaze directly at the audience. Tenma explains that S Thanganila's direct stare creates a haunting effect, representing the ghost of dancers and musicians who never received recognition for their contributions.
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