ABSTRACT
In the move from feudal empire to British colony to independent nation in less than 300 years, India’s traditions have needed to constantly adapt to changing politics, patronage, and philosophies. The trajectory of change through the first half of the twentieth century combined re-invention with rediscovery, as multiple facets of Indian culture met each other in the heady environment surrounding the struggle for and achievement of independence in 1947. During the years leading up to independence, a flowering of interest in music and dance led to a period described as a “Renaissance” or the “Neo-Classical” period of Indian music and dance. These terms, which suggest a reclaiming of ancient or lost traditions after a period of decline, underline the crucial role that the reclamation of the performing arts as the rich and worthy cultural inheritance of an independent people played in the raising of national consciousness and pride during the struggle against the colonial Raj.
