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This book examines modern dance as a form of embodied resistance to political and cultural nationalism in India through the works of five selected modern dance makers: Rabindranath Tagore, Uday Shankar, Shanti Bardhan, Manjusri Chaki Sircar and Ranjabati Sircar.

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Introduction 1. Rabindranath Tagore and Eclecticism in Twentieth Century Indian Dance 2. Uday Shankar and the Performance of Alterity in Indian Dance 3. Shanti Bardhan and Dance as Protest 4. Manjusri Chaki Sircar and Feminist New Dance 5. Ranjabati Sircar and the Politics of Identity in Indian Dance Conclusions Notes References Index

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"The originality of the arguments and the impressive archival material make for a compelling book. This is a commendable and much-needed addition to the scholarship on South Asian performance, dance history, and theories of modernity, and it is certain to be of interest to a wide range of practitioners and scholars." (Anurima Banerji, Dance Researh Journal, Vol. 48 (2), August, 2016)

"This book is a notable endeavour that fills in a significant part of twentieth-century dance history, which, according to Purkayastha, has been written off. ... This book is certainly an important addition not only to dance and performance studies, but also cultural and postcolonial studies, due to its interdisciplinary approach. ... the book raises issues pertinent to dance today, in both contemporary and classical genres." (Sabina Sweta Sen, Studies in Theatre and Performance, Vol. 35 (3), 2015)

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Prarthana Purkayastha is Lecturer in Theatre and Performance at Plymouth University, UK. Her previous publications include articles in journals such as Studies in South Asian Film and Media, Dance Research Journal and South Asia Research.

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