Exploring the Depths of Dance Research, by Dr. Sumitra
Text By: M.Bharathi
The world of dance research requires meticulous study, structured methodology, and deep analytical insights. On March 15th, 2025, the online workshop Jignyasa, organised by Navya Nataka Samithi in Hyderabad, served as an enlightening platform for aspiring researchers in the field of dance. The session was conducted by Dr. Sumitra Velury, a distinguished professor of Kuchipudi Dance at USA and a faculty member at Veda Samskriti Samithi, Hyderabad.
This well-structured and interactive webinar provided invaluable guidance to dancers and scholars aiming to excel in academic writing, research methodologies, and formulating research proposals.
The primary goal of this workshop was to educate dancers and researchers about the systematic approach to research. The session aimed to introduce participants to research proposals and the importance of a structured framework.
Encourage dancers to explore interdisciplinary approaches in dance research. The coordinators, N. Sudhamala and Madhumathi Kulkarni, meticulously planned the webinar, ensuring smooth execution and an engaging learning experience.
Dr. Sumitra began the session with a PowerPoint presentation, which was not only detailed but also highly informative and impactful. She guided the participants on how to initiate research for writing an article, thesis, or dissertation, whether for postgraduate or Ph.D. studies.
A major focus of her talk was understanding research gaps, a crucial aspect of academic research. She explained the research gap, methodological gap and data gap. She also spoke about the importance of qualitative and quantitative research methods, helping participants understand which approach to adopt based on their research needs.
Dr. Sumitra quoted Natyashastra’s Abhinaya Darpanam, emphasising how classical texts serve as foundational sources for dance research. She also illustrated examples of Nayikas and referred to Annamacharya Keertanas to demonstrate the correlation between literature and dance.
Furthermore, she discussed the legal aspects of research and how dancers can navigate copyright and ethical considerations while conducting academic research. The most engaging part of the webinar was the Q&A session, where many dancers and research enthusiasts actively participated by raising queries. Dr. Sumitra patiently answered each question, ensuring clarity on complex topics. The interactive nature of the session allowed participants to gain insights tailored to their individual research interests.
These kinds of workshops are very useful for the present-day generation of researchers in classical Dance which are not only informative but also very affordable.
