Dancing through the constraints the negotiations and navigations of a woman classical dancer within Bangladeshi society

Abstract

Dance, especially classical dance, is an integral part of cultural expression as it ties to a region’s history and cultural heritage. Yet, it is the dancers who often face questions and criticisms along the lines of respectability. This study explores the negotiations and navigations by women classical dancers within Bangladeshi society to look into how they exist within a very distinct and contested space of respectability. This research seeks to understand the questions of morality, gender norms, and social expectations that these women navigate through and continue to pursue their passion. Drawing on theories and concepts of performance, class, capital and taste, intersectionality, and respectability, the study investigates the ways these dancers balance their roles on stage and in their personal lives. Through ethnographic fieldwork the dancers’ lived experiences highlight how they assert respectability in their pursuits, tackling issues of gender, class, religion and familial and social expectations. The study focuses on women dancers specifically as that is the majority demographic within the field in Bangladesh. By situating these experiences within broader sociopolitical narratives, the research reveals the paradoxical position of dance as a celebrated art form while simultaneously contesting notions of respectability that exists within their society. This research is an exploratory work that contributes to the understanding of how women performers negotiate the intersection of personal agency and societal expectations. It sheds light on the nuanced experiences surrounding respectability for Women Classical Dancers in Bangladesh.