The Evolution of Tradition | Aranyani Bhargav | TEDxSIBMBengaluru

Join Aranyani Bhargav as she explores the evolving relationship between tradition, innovation, and the enduring legacy of Bharatanatyam. Drawing from the history of the dance form and its journey across communities and generations, she challenges the idea of Bharatanatyam as an unchanged and uninterrupted ancient tradition, revealing how adaptation has always been integral to its survival and growth.
Through historical examples and the work of pioneering practitioners, Aranyani examines how Bharatanatyam has responded to changing social, cultural, and artistic contexts. She explores the transformations that took place from its early roots and hereditary dance communities to its evolution in the modern era, highlighting how practices once considered traditional have themselves emerged through adaptation.
Questioning the belief that preserving a tradition means keeping it untouched, she makes a case for innovation as a means of keeping art forms relevant and alive. Drawing from the work of artists such as Leela Samson, Madhavi Mudgal, Chandralekha, Mallika Sarabhai, and Anusha Lall, as well as her own artistic explorations, she illustrates how new narratives, forms of presentation, and possibilities of expression can emerge when artists engage thoughtfully with inherited traditions.
With insight and conviction, Aranyani reminds us that tradition is not defined by remaining unchanged, but by its ability to evolve while carrying its essence forward. Advocating for curiosity, adaptation, and creative exploration, she invites audiences to rethink what it truly means to preserve an art form and recognize that sometimes, the best way to honour the past is to allow it to grow into the future. This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. A short description of myself - Aranyani is a dancer, choreographer, researcher and educator based in Bangalore. She is the Artistic Director of Vyuti Dance Company, co-founder of academic dance platform 'Re-Cognising Dance' and co-founder, IDGC. This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at https://www.ted.com/tedx