How does gender differentiate access to dance at a young age?
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Women are encouraged to learn classical forms, while men rely on informal sources.
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How does gender differentiate access to dance at a young age?
Women are encouraged to learn classical forms, while men rely on informal sources.
How did Hari describe his dance training?
He had no formal training; he learned by imitating what he saw on television.
How does the queer gesture differ from the diva gesture?
The queer gesture emphasizes the quotidian nature of being a desiring subject, while the diva gesture is linked to women's agency.
What critique does Muñoz offer regarding gay male circuit party culture?
Muñoz critiques it for its normative gender paradigms and exclusionary practices towards those who do not fit its often white and masculine standards.
What music do DJs prefer at gay parties in Bangalore?
They prefer American pop and Goa trance over old-school Bollywood.
Who is Kevin Aviance and what role does he play in the context of dance and emotions?
Kevin Aviance is a New York nightlife personality who uses gestures to allow dancers to experience emotions they typically suppress, acting as a beacon for those feelings.
What is 'garba' and how is it related to the performance discussed?
Garba is a Gujarati folk dance performed at festivals and community events; the song used in the performance connects to this cultural practice, enriching its meaning.
What societal norms are reflected in the portrayal of women's bodies in Bollywood dance?
Brahmanical, domestic femininity is upheld through dance discourses.
How do queer viewers engage with Bollywood dance?
They interpret gender transgression and homosocial interaction as routes of pleasure.
Who is mentioned as a significant influence for Vishal in his dance journey?
Madhuri Dixit.
What is the significance of returning to diva choreographies in adulthood?
It raises questions about when and where these gestures can be performed for pleasure rather than discipline.
What does Muñoz find utopia in?
In the doorway between a queer bar and a punk club, highlighting the dance moves of nightlife personalities.
What significance does the performance of 'Main Teri Dushman' hold in the context of queer and cultural identity?
The performance inscribes queer significance into a heteronormative ritual, allowing the gay club and religious festival to intersect and create a reparative cultural experience.
What does the term 'queer gesture' refer to in the context of the essay?
It refers to gestures that are contagious and transformative, denaturalizing gender in communal settings.
How do some gay men express their devotion to divas?
Through imitation and embodied tribute, regardless of formal training.
What is notable about Sridevi's performance in 'Main Teri Dushman'?
It showcases her captivating vigor and intense expressions, embodying a fierce cobra.
What inspired the interviewee to start dancing?
Watching the movie Nagina.
What is the significance of the parties mentioned in the text?
They were spaces where hijras and gay men danced for each other, contrasting with more respectable gay gatherings.
What types of gestures are identified as distinctly Bollywood?
Verbal, sonic, and bodily gestures, such as 'Bachao!', 'Dishoom!', and specific dance moves.
What concept does Lauren Berlant's formulation of 'diva citizenship' relate to?
It relates to divahood as contextual and relevant to specific times, places, and political conditions.
What controversy surrounded the song 'Choli Ke Peeche Kya Hai'?
There were appeals to excise the song from the film due to its bawdy lyrics, reflecting contestation over proper national morality.
How does Saroj Khan's choreography incorporate elements from other dance forms?
It includes hip and shoulder articulations from belly dance and hand gestures from bharatanatyam.
What moment of connection occurs between the author and Alok at the gay party?
They bond over the infectious pulsing of chests to the refrain of 'Choli Ke Peeche Kya Hai.'
Who is Shazad and what is his significance in the queer South Asian community?
He is a Pakistani go-go boy and a prominent figure in Toronto's queer South Asian events.
What does the author mean by 'queer gesture' in the context of dance?
A queer gesture allows the body to become a site of encounter between different emotional and cultural experiences, merging various sentiments and identities.
How are male characters' movements portrayed in Bollywood until the 1990s?
Highly improvisatory and closely bound to the actor's own body.
What does Bollywood diva worship offer to consumers of popular culture?
Liberatory possibilities for those constrained by normative paradigms.
How did Madhuri Dixit's chest pulse gesture become iconic?
It was widely repeated and associated with her performances, particularly in 'Choli Ke Peeche Kya Hai'.
What technological advancements changed dance pedagogy for Hari?
The introduction of satellite television and VCR/VCP systems.
Who are the two actresses frequently referenced as diva inspirations in gay nightlife in India?
Sridevi and Madhuri Dixit.
How does dance in Bollywood relate to social contexts?
It provides insight into the relationships between film and the body.
What challenges do young women face regarding dance classes?
They often endure forced dance classes due to upper-caste respectabilities.
What does José Esteban Muñoz reflect on regarding queer and racial identities?
He marvels at how queer children of color navigate a homophobic and white supremacist culture.
What significant change occurred in the recognition of dance directors in the Filmfare Awards?
Dance directors were not recognized until 1989, when Saroj Khan choreographed Madhuri Dixit for 'Tezaab'.
How does Ehmad's relationship with dance change over time?
He stopped dancing due to family pressure but resumed after coming out.
How has the role of choreographers changed in Hindi cinema since the early 1990s?
Choreographers have gained prominence, with some directing their own movies and appearing as judges on reality-TV dance competitions.
What does Sunita Mukhi's study reveal about a young girl's interpretation of 'Choli Ke Peeche'?
The girl substitutes semiclassical steps for suggestive movements to navigate caste and respectability pressures.
What does Hari's practice of fandom involve?
Embodied rehearsal and a commitment to Sridevi's style and steps.
How does the author relate their performance as Madhuri Dixit to audience responses?
The author’s lip-sync performance of 'Hawa Hawai' evoked nostalgic memories in an audience member, highlighting the connection between performance and personal history.
How is Bollywood dance described in terms of familiarity and alienation?
It feels both familiar and alien to those who come to it anew.
What role do opera divas play for gay men according to the text?
They become objects of fascination, providing solace, desire, and identification.
What does the effeminate gesture signify in the context of the text?
It reflects the 'male rendered not male' and the discipline of gender norms.
What is the significance of Shiamak Davar in Hindi film dance?
He recalibrated the aesthetics and regimens of Hindi film dance, choreographing for films like 'Dil To Pagal Hai' and 'Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi.'
What performance style did the interviewee adopt to please effeminate boys?
He butched up his performance.
How is Anjali's character in 'Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham' portrayed?
She is clumsy and effusive, apologizing for being too 'filmi', which reflects her lack of taste and grace.
How does Bollywood influence its audience according to the text?
Bollywood infects its audience with 'filmi' tendencies, making them more theatrical and feminine.
What is the focus of queer approaches to Bollywood studies?
Analyses of gay, lesbian, and transgender characters in Hindi film.
What does Madhuri Dixit's performance in 'Choli Ke Peeche Kya Hai' symbolize?
It epitomizes the dilemmas of shifting choreographic conventions and the contestation of national morality over women's bodies.
What does Ehmad's performance at Jai Ho! parties represent?
His intimate relationship with music and reclaiming his identity through dance.
What impact have item numbers had on the portrayal of dancers in Bollywood?
Dancers have become a commodity fetish, featuring cameos of women and muscular men skilled in dance.
Which two divas are mentioned as significant influences in the interviewee's narrative?
Sridevi and Madhuri.
What does 'filmi-ness' signify in the context of the characters?
It represents excess theatricality that is often read as vulgar and ornamental, and is associated with femininity.
What role do gestures play in the context of Bollywood according to Juana Maria Rodriguez?
Gestures emphasize the mobile spaces of interpretation and form connections between different parts of our bodies.
What happens to the naive Hindu woman in Bollywood narratives?
She is saved from her life as a dancer by the hero.
What does 'diva citizenship' signify according to Berlant?
A moment of emergence that marks unrealized potentials for subaltern political activity.
What characterizes Meenakshi in 'Aiyyaa'?
She is a goofy protagonist obsessed with Hindi film actresses of the 1980s and 1990s, making her a poor candidate for marriage.
What transformation does Anjali undergo by the end of 'Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham'?
She is stripped of her 'filmi-ness' to become an upper-class, sari-wearing woman who respects her husband.
What role does dance play in achieving film stardom for actresses in Hindi cinema?
Dance is a significant means for an actress to achieve virtuosity.
What challenges does Ehmad face regarding his dance and family?
His father was physically abusive towards his dance expression.
What character did Sridevi portray in the film 'Nagina'?
A snake that can transform into a woman.
What themes are explored in Sridevi's various dance performances?
Themes of revenge, love, and fantasy, often with a humorous or campy twist.
How does the narrative of possession relate to Sridevi and Madhuri?
Many gay men express a deep, almost spiritual connection to these divas, feeling they embody their essence.
What styles have Hindi film choreographers appropriated in Bollywood dance?
Bhangra, salsa, disco, hip hop, and jazz.
How did Sridevi and Madhuri Dixit challenge traditional roles of women in Hindi films?
They danced in both Western and Indian styles, performing both cabaret and folk numbers, embodying both sexy and moral attributes.
What does Vishal's experience of dancing to Madhuri Dixit numbers illustrate?
The home as a space for experimenting with dance and gender.
What awards did Saroj Khan win for her choreography?
Filmfare Awards in 1991, 1993, and again in 1994 for 'Choli Ke Peeche Kya Hai.'
What is the significance of 'diva gestures' in the essay?
They are explored through dance and film analysis to contextualize the repertoires of actresses like Sridevi and Madhuri Dixit.
What changes occurred in male dance performances in Bollywood since the 2000s?
More rigorous training and complex choreography became requirements.
What does David Gere's analysis suggest about gender learning?
Gender is learned through example, instruction, and discipline.
What does Anna Morcom refer to as the 'embourgeoisement of Bollywood dance'?
The rise of Bollywood dance studios opened by industry professionals catering to the new middle classes.
How has Saroj Khan's work been commoditized in recent years?
Her choreography is featured in TV programs like 'Nach Le Ve' and in overpriced master classes worldwide.
