Motives refer to inner impulses that cause somebody to act in a particular way, according to Oxford English Dictionary. In book Dramaturgy in Motion, Katherine Profeta describes motives as “including what assumptions are being made about what the other members of the collaboration represent within the conversation” (189). It is the reason why people choose a certain way of creating and practicing dance, especially in a multicultural context.
In the book, Profeta talks about the conflict between a desire to preserve the traditional, the orthodox, and the need to present the evolved and more contemporary version of dance. She speaks about an error called “The Curator’s Exhibitionism” (190). It implies an intention to place a performer or a piece of performance into some certain anthropological position that existed in the past and has remained static ever since. This tendency of showing what people from other cultures conceive this culture’s “authentic” art to be reveals dramaturgs’ and theatre workers’ motive to please the audience. However, oversimplification disrespects and distorts the natural growth of culture and art, and it leaves a false impression on the spectators.
I find this discussion of motives meaningful because it echoes with what Aakash shared with us today about his choreographic style. He has leant the very old school feminine and masculine Kathak dance. However, in order to create more expressive energies and to satisfy his personal aesthetics, he has stepped away from the very gendered rules. His motive to bring Kathak alive to himself and a broader audience invites challenges, but it is a way to let movement carry meaning.
OED Online Oxford University Press, 1 Jun 2017. Web. 8 Jan 2018.