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Journal of Undergraduate Research

Keywords

dance, India, Visakhapatnam, gender relations, family, Indian identity

College

Family, Home, and Social Sciences

Department

Anthropology

Abstract

I went to India to study gender relations in the family, but as I spent more time there I came to know a group of striking individuals and instead focused my research on a similar topic, film as a mediator of culture, but in this case a mediator for the deaf. The Omkar and Lions School for the Deaf (OLSD) looks out onto the bright blue bay of Visakhapatnam, India. Despite the beautiful view, the students rarely spend time in the water; their time is consumed with other things. They have school to go to, homework to complete, temple to attend, and plenty of cricket to play. As research began with these students, especially in getting to know the older male students who would function as informants for the project, I was introduced to one more activity: dancing. Initial introductions were stilted by the learning curve I faced with gaining proficiency in Indian Sign Language, but rather than give up or lose interest the students were more dedicated to learning about me and introducing themselves. When one branch of conversation ended, they simply found another and when conversation was winding down, I was suddenly asked if I could dance. As someone still new to India and to the students themselves, this question was surprising. That first interview concluded with dancing, not from the researcher as I cannot dance with any sort of skill, but from the students. Why did this topic come up? Why were the students so eager, not just to know if I could dance, but to show that they could dance? Dancing is an important aspect of the greater Indian identity; it is found in homes, children’s schools, parties, clubs, and always present in Indian film.

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