ABSTRACT
Vinyāsa is a technical term in the practice of “movement” in theatre and dance that originates in the classical Sanskrit language, in which it appears as the noun vinyāsah (विन्यास:). The word has multiple meanings at its root and may refer variously to such actions or processes as “flow, arrangement, assemblage, integration, coordination, embellishment, and exhibition” (Apte 1998). These denotations are general and abstract and can become more concrete only in specific contexts in the performing arts. Compared to the meanings of other terms in the Indian performing arts with →classical origins, however, the significations of vinyāsa undergo unique historical transmutations that deeply affect its relationship to artistic practices in the post-classical and modern periods. This distinctive trajectory becomes essential for an understanding of the role of vinyāsa in the training of actors and dancers in modern and contemporary times.
