Ableism and South Asian Dance

"South Asian Dance Equity (SADE): The Arts British South Asian Dance Ignores" is an AHRC-funded project that examines systemic inequities within British South Asian dance. The project, led by Prarthana Purkayastha (Royal Holloway, University of London), Royona Mitra (Brunel University London), and Anusha Kedhar (University of California Riverside), seeks to build a more equitable dance sector through exchanges between artists and scholars from South Asia, its diasporas, and the UK.

In November 2024, Balbir Singh Dance Company (BSDC) had the opportunity to host the fourth in-person workshop at Yorkshire Dance, Leeds, co-led by Prarthana Purkayastha and Hannah Robertshaw (Yorkshire Dance).

2024 to 2025

Ableism in the context of South Asian Dance—like in many other fields—manifests through a combination of physical, social and systemic barriers that exclude or limit the participation of disabled people. These barriers can be subtle or overt, and they often arise from long standing societal perceptions about disability and what is considered "normal" or "acceptable" in artistic expression.

The day cultivated really interesting conversations on ableism that hold relevance for South Asian dance and dance more broadly. We talked about challenging capitalist structures that so often reinforce ideas of productivity and centre ableist approaches on time, space and progress. The group explored alternative ways to do things and what would happen if we took radically different approaches to training dancers and creating more flexible and bespoke ways of producing and touring dance. We talked about tradition, hierarchy, form and the dividing lines between professional and community dance practice. It felt like the start of a conversation, with many possible ways to grow and evolve.

Morning Session

The morning session began with a warm welcome, followed by tea and coffee, allowing participants to settle in and network informally. "Mapping Ableism in South Asian Dance," commenced with a brief introduction from Balbir Singh, Hannah Robertshaw and Prarthana Purkayastha.

The Participants then split into groups of 4, where they then explored and discussed what privileges, practices, and ideologies define ableism, and how these issues manifest within South Asian dance and its diasporas.

Group 1

Focused on breaking down social biases of ideal bodies and using non-traditional teaching methods, like video demonstrations, to make dance more inclusive. They emphasised treating disabled artists equally and deepening audience engagement.

Group 2

Discussed accessibility for all, including those with sensory impairments, and the need to bridge cultural and technical gaps in dance training. They stressed the importance of networking for inclusion.

Group 3

Addressed practical barriers like cost, time, and space, and the need to redefine what it means to be a dancer. They advocated for critical thinking and flexible, inclusive opportunities.

Group 4

Proposed creating supportive communities and safe spaces for disabled artists, emphasising the importance of self-confidence and balance in overcoming barriers.

Afternoon Session

The afternoon session started with shared experiences on how dance can foster healing and inclusivity for disabled artists. Mansi discussed Love & Spice and its impact on participants, while Gavin shared his creative process, using cameras to engage patients in documenting workshops. Emma highlighted the journey of dancer Kali Chandrasegaram in the Unmasking Pain project, which emphasised the need for physical and mental support, especially for chronic pain, and how dance can help individuals reconnect with their bodies.

“

The good thing I found about BSDC is that they don’t treat you differently as such. Them choosing me for any work is irrespective of my ability. We always found alternate ways of doing things. I can still feel my best.

- Mansi Dabral ”

Splitting back into groups, the participants discussed how to implement change. A key focus was exploring what dance could look like if access were at its foundation, and how creative practices could center access in dance-making. Group A raised questions about adapting training for young disabled dancers and creating a new language for teaching and dance. Group B imagined a utopia where dance training is person-centered, and deeply connected to collective care.

Impact

The session concluded with a robust group discussion, emphasising the need for tangible, practical interventions that can lead to more inclusive and accessible practices in the South Asian dance sector. The importance of time, resources, and a supportive framework to make dance opportunities accessible to all was highlighted.

The event welcomed an esteemed group of stakeholders, including dancer and choreographer Bisakha Sarker MBE, Kristian Pellissier (Arts Council England Relationship Manager), Shambik Ghose (Choreographer and Researcher at Rhythmosaic), Mansi Dabral (BSDC Dancer), Tara Ladwa Balfour (Dance Moves Minds Co. and BSDC Resilient Dancer Programme), Gavin Joynt (Photographer) and Yamana Jaman-Browne (Trainee Producer at SAA-UK). Additionally, Shuyuan Kang and Baiyi Zhao (MA students under placement at BSDC, University of Leeds) participated, alongside the BSDC team.

“

It’s important to think of connected ways where research and disability starts to filter in advocacy programmes which gets reflected in further conversations actually fuelling practice, and practice fuelling research. Through this networking grant we are trying to create material change. Maybe Leeds is the home for that work.

- Prarthana Purkayastha ”

Photographers

Minh Nguyen
Elia Tomé

Illustrations

Morgan Girvin