South Asian Dance Studies Working Group Reading Group

Host: Mihika Banerjee ([email protected])
Date: Friday, July 31st, 2026
Time: 9:00 am PST / 12pm (EST) / 5pm (BST) / 9:30pm (IST)

This inaugural reading session of the DSA South Asian Dance Studies Working Group will examine the key terms “nautch,” “naach,” and “nritya” across their epistemological, historical, political-economic, and social dimensions. The discussion will center on Prarthana Purkayastha’s recent book, The Archives and Afterlives of Nautch Dancers in India (2025), while also engaging related literature, methodologies, and contextual frameworks that illuminate the uses and circulation of these designations. A digital copy of the book can be found here. While participants are encouraged to familiarize themselves with the text, this is not required; we aim to foster a broader conversation on these concepts, and all participation is welcome.We look forward to your participation in what promises to be a rigorous and engaging discussion. 

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