Fusion dance form: A mix and match or a mismatch?

The fusion dance form is becoming increasingly popular across the globe With cultural boundaries slowly disappearing it also leads to a fusion of the same to bring in a new aesthetic Dance is one of the most beautiful forms of expressing oneself and it has styles rooted in various cultures With globalisation people are getting exposed to various cultures and styles and we see dancers experimenting with different dance forms across the globe to create new aestheticsWhile fusion dance form is gaining widespread acceptance it can sometimes also backfire A couple of weeks back a video of a reality show contestant fusing Lavani and twerking went viral on social media It was judge Kirron Kher terming the fusion lsquovulgarrsquo that made the clip go viral She reprimanded the mix of twerking with a culturally rooted dance form like Lavani This led to debate on social media leaving people divided with their opinionsOn International Dance Day middaycom reached out to Mumbaibased choreographers and dancers to better understand the concept of fusion and how one can effectively incorporate different dance styles in one performanceldquoMost dance form is culturally rootedrdquoMelvin Louis a wellknown dancer and choreographer stresses the importance of understanding the culture and origin behind every dance form before experimenting with it ldquoArt and culture are closeknit Often one gives birth to the other When we are attempting to fuse dance styles itrsquos better to study a bit of the history of its evolution A wrong representation could hurt the sentiments of many who perceive it as culturerdquoldquoAs I read and continue to learn more about different dance art forms almost all dance forms have a culture backing them Hence dance to entertain is different dance to dignify culture is different dance to express is different dance as therapy is different dance to have fun is differentrdquoHaving said that Melvin also roots for individual creativity and the wonders it can do ldquoAs an artist one has the right to make mistakes and thatrsquos how a masterpiece is created at times An artist has their individual right to explore their own methods of creativity but if itrsquos rejected by the audience then you get your feedbackrdquoldquoBollywood is a mix of different stylesrdquoSoumita Das a choreographer and assistant director is a fan of fusion dance forms and says that it has been around for a long time ldquoMixing different forms of dance has been prevalent since ancient times There have been fusions happening between different forms of Indian classical itself and with the Western classical as well that is why the concept of fusion exists Bollywood dance form is nothing but a mixture of all the dance forms that are there and has been accepted practised and celebrated since the time Bollywood songs came into existence Till the time each dance form is maintaining its own individuality and respecting the art form it is completely fair and reasonable to mix different dance forms and create something uniquerdquoldquoShould have purpose and themerdquoAlka Lajmi a Navi Mumbaibased creative fusion artist believes that it is a popular trend but should be done with purpose ldquoDance is a creative medium and dancers are always trying to do something new Therefore mixing or rather fusion of dance forms is a popular trend especially with young artists I believe there should not be a mixing of dance forms but a beautiful creative fusion should be done with a particular purpose idea or theme Without any purpose it is simply two forms of dance being presented together The music of the two dance forms or the movements or any other aspect should connectgel with each other and complement each other Only then a beautiful fusion can be createdrdquoTips for a delightful fusion dance formMelvin Louis shares some tips to keep in mind while creating a fusion dance1 A fusion should never feel like a fusion when executed For reference try to visualise some good fashion fusions that appear pleasing to the eyes at the same time be mindful of the distasteful ones If your fusion is supposed to only make heads turn and grab attention the disaster or cringe approach works better2 A fusion always has a ratio are you going 5050 or 9010 Or 982 Be mindful of that perfect recipe for your dish cause it has to also taste good3 A minimal approach can do wonders too A fusion need not be heavy a mix at timesSharing her guidance on creating a good fusion Alka says ldquoFor any fusion it is essential to know the basics of technique of both the styles so that one knows what to blend and how to do it The fusion should highlight the salient features of each of the dance styles while blending with each other I would suggest that before attempting fusion watch a lot of performances of the other dance style so that you get the right perspective for the fusionrdquo