Tuesday, April 22, 2025 – 4:30pm, The Joseph Regenstein Library 270
Sarah Morelli, Professor and Chair, Departments of Musicology and Ethnomusicology, University of Denver
Kathak’s storytelling tradition enables dancers to embody multiple, often contrasting gendered roles, offering a pathway for artistic growth and personal insight. This talk, based on Morelli’s essay in Music and Dance as Everyday South Asia, examines the distinctive ways gender is conceived and created in kathak performance. Drawing on fieldwork and performance with the US-based Leela Dance Collective, Morelli considers how dancers navigate complex archetypal roles using techniques such as observation, introspection, and kinesthetic exploration. These practices not only refine artistic expression but also serve as a vital means of cultivating a more gender-expansive sense of self.
Proudly co-sponsored by COSAS and the Department of Music