Astad Deboo
Encyclopedia
Astad Deboo is an India
n contemporary
and choreographer, who employs his training in Indian classical dance forms of Kathak
as well as Kathakali
to create a dance form that is unique to him, and become a pioneer of modern dance in India. Through his long and illustrious career, he has worked with various prominent performers such as Pina Bausch
, Alison Chase and Pink Floyd
, and performed in many parts of the world
He has been awarded the Sangeet Natak Akademi Award
in 1996 and Padma Shri
in 2007, awarded by the Government of India
.
till the age of six years. Thereafter the family shifted to Jamshedpur, where father was employed with Tata Steel
. His mother was a homemaker, and he has two sisters, sisters Kamal and Gulshan.
At the age of six, he started learning the Kathak
dance, from the late Indra Kumar Mohanty and late Prahlad Das. He studied at Loyola School, Jamshedpur
, from where he passed out in 1964, after he moved to Mumbai and joined B. com. degree from Podar College, University of Mumbai
, here while pursuing his degree he happened to see the contemporary dance of the American Murray Louis Dance Company, this changed the course of his life irrevocably. Shortly after wards, Uttara Asha Coorlawala who was studying dance in New York visited Bombay, and later help Astad get admitted to Martha Graham Center of Contemporary Dance
. He left Bombay 1969, on board a cargo boat that set sail from Bombay port, and later hitchhiked his way through Europe to eventually reach New York in 1974.
Over the next decade, he went to attend the London School of Contemporary Dance
where he learnt Martha Graham
’s modern dance
technique and learnt José Limón
’s technique in New York
. He also trained with Pina Bausch
in the Wuppertal Dance Company, Germany and with Alison Chase of the Pilobolus Dance Company, and travelled through to Europe, Americas, Japan and Indonesia. On his return in 1977, he studied Kathakali
, under Guru E. Krishna Panikar, in Thiruvalla, Kerala
, where he eventually performed at the famous Guruvayur Temple
. All these explorations lead to the creation a dance style unique to him, an amalgamation of Indian classical dance and western group dance techniques.
commissioned him to choreograph for Maya Plisetskaya
, the prime ballerina of the Bolshoi Theater ballet company. Over the years he has collaborated with people, Pink Floyd
at the Chelsea Town Hall in London, the Gundecha brothers
, with Pina Bausch of the Wuppertal Dance Company, Germany and with the Thang-Ta
the martial art and Pung cholom
dancers of Manipur
. He has also worked for several years, with Tim McCarthy at the Gallaudet University
for the deaf performing arts program in Washington, and the production "Road Signs" toured India in 1995, with a troupe drawn from Gallaudet and Deboo's Indian students.
In January 2005, he along with a troupe of 12 young women with hearing impairment, from the Clarke School for the Deaf
, Chennai
and part of the Deboos Astad Deboo Dance Foundation, performed at the 20th Annual Deaf Olympics, at Melbourne, Australia. He has also choreographed 2004 Hindi film, by painter M.F. Hussain, Meenaxi: A Tale of Three Cities
. In 2009, he performed his production, 'Breaking Boundaries' with fourteen street children from Salaam Baalak Trust
, an NGO, who had trained with his troupe for six months
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
n contemporary
Contemporary dance
Contemporary dance is a genre of concert dance that employs compositional philosophy, rather than choreography, to guide unchoreographed movement...
and choreographer, who employs his training in Indian classical dance forms of Kathak
Kathak
Kathak is one of the eight forms of Indian classical dances, originated from Uttar Pradesh, India. This dance form traces its origins to the nomadic bards of ancient northern India, known as Kathaks, or storytellers...
as well as Kathakali
Kathakali
Kathakali is a highly stylized classical Indian dance-drama noted for the attractive make-up of characters, elaborate costumes, detailed gestures and well-defined body movements presented in tune with the anchor playback music and complementary percussion...
to create a dance form that is unique to him, and become a pioneer of modern dance in India. Through his long and illustrious career, he has worked with various prominent performers such as Pina Bausch
Pina Bausch
Philippina "Pina" Bausch was a German performer of modern dance, choreographer, dance teacher and ballet director...
, Alison Chase and Pink Floyd
Pink Floyd
Pink Floyd were an English rock band that achieved worldwide success with their progressive and psychedelic rock music. Their work is marked by the use of philosophical lyrics, sonic experimentation, innovative album art, and elaborate live shows. Pink Floyd are one of the most commercially...
, and performed in many parts of the world
He has been awarded the Sangeet Natak Akademi Award
Sangeet Natak Akademi Award
Sangeet Natak Akademi Puraskar is an award given by the Sangeet Natak Akademi, India's National Academy of Music, Dance & Drama. It is the highest Indian recognition given to practicing artists. The award consists since 2003 of Rs. 50,000, a citation, an angavastram , and a tamrapatra...
in 1996 and Padma Shri
Padma Shri
Padma Shri is the fourth highest civilian award in the Republic of India, after the Bharat Ratna, the Padma Vibhushan and the Padma Bhushan...
in 2007, awarded by the Government of India
Government of India
The Government of India, officially known as the Union Government, and also known as the Central Government, was established by the Constitution of India, and is the governing authority of the union of 28 states and seven union territories, collectively called the Republic of India...
.
Early life and education
Astad Deboo was born in Navsari, though he grew up in KolkataKolkata
Kolkata , formerly known as Calcutta, is the capital of the Indian state of West Bengal. Located on the east bank of the Hooghly River, it was the commercial capital of East India...
till the age of six years. Thereafter the family shifted to Jamshedpur, where father was employed with Tata Steel
Tata Steel
Tata Steel is a multinational steel company headquartered in Jamshedpur, India and part of Tata Group. It is the world's seventh-largest steel company, with an annual crude steel capacity of 31 million tonnes, and the largest private-sector steel company in India measured by domestic production...
. His mother was a homemaker, and he has two sisters, sisters Kamal and Gulshan.
At the age of six, he started learning the Kathak
Kathak
Kathak is one of the eight forms of Indian classical dances, originated from Uttar Pradesh, India. This dance form traces its origins to the nomadic bards of ancient northern India, known as Kathaks, or storytellers...
dance, from the late Indra Kumar Mohanty and late Prahlad Das. He studied at Loyola School, Jamshedpur
Loyola School, Jamshedpur
Loyola School of Jamshedpur was established in 1947 by the Society of Jesus , a Roman Catholic religious order founded by St. Ignatius Loyola in 1540...
, from where he passed out in 1964, after he moved to Mumbai and joined B. com. degree from Podar College, University of Mumbai
University of Mumbai
The University of Mumbai , is a state university located in Mumbai, Maharashtra, India. It was known as the University of Bombay until 1996 when the city of Bombay was renamed as Mumbai. The affiliated colleges of the university are spread throughout the city of Mumbai and four coastal districts in...
, here while pursuing his degree he happened to see the contemporary dance of the American Murray Louis Dance Company, this changed the course of his life irrevocably. Shortly after wards, Uttara Asha Coorlawala who was studying dance in New York visited Bombay, and later help Astad get admitted to Martha Graham Center of Contemporary Dance
Martha Graham Center of Contemporary Dance
Martha Graham Center of Contemporary Dance is located in New York City and is the headquarter to the Martha Graham School of Contemporary Dance and the Martha Graham Dance Company, which is the oldest continually performing dance company in the world....
. He left Bombay 1969, on board a cargo boat that set sail from Bombay port, and later hitchhiked his way through Europe to eventually reach New York in 1974.
Over the next decade, he went to attend the London School of Contemporary Dance
London School of Contemporary Dance
London Contemporary Dance School is a contemporary dance school located in London, United Kingdom. LCDS was founded by Robin Howard in 1966 in order to train new dancers for his company, London Contemporary Dance Theatre....
where he learnt Martha Graham
Martha Graham
Martha Graham was an American modern dancer and choreographer whose influence on dance has been compared with the influence Picasso had on modern visual arts, Stravinsky had on music, or Frank Lloyd Wright had on architecture.She danced and choreographed for over seventy years...
’s modern dance
Modern dance
Modern dance is a dance form developed in the early 20th century. Although the term Modern dance has also been applied to a category of 20th Century ballroom dances, Modern dance as a term usually refers to 20th century concert dance.-Intro:...
technique and learnt José Limón
José Limón
José Arcadio Limón was a pioneer in the field of modern dance and choreography. In 1928, at age 20, he moved to New York City where he studied under Doris Humphrey and Charles Weidman. In 1946, Limón founded the José Limón Dance Company...
’s technique in New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
. He also trained with Pina Bausch
Pina Bausch
Philippina "Pina" Bausch was a German performer of modern dance, choreographer, dance teacher and ballet director...
in the Wuppertal Dance Company, Germany and with Alison Chase of the Pilobolus Dance Company, and travelled through to Europe, Americas, Japan and Indonesia. On his return in 1977, he studied Kathakali
Kathakali
Kathakali is a highly stylized classical Indian dance-drama noted for the attractive make-up of characters, elaborate costumes, detailed gestures and well-defined body movements presented in tune with the anchor playback music and complementary percussion...
, under Guru E. Krishna Panikar, in Thiruvalla, Kerala
Kerala
or Keralam is an Indian state located on the Malabar coast of south-west India. It was created on 1 November 1956 by the States Reorganisation Act by combining various Malayalam speaking regions....
, where he eventually performed at the famous Guruvayur Temple
Guruvayur Temple
Guruvayur Sree Krishna Temple is a Hindu temple dedicated to Krishna, located in the town of Guruvayur in Kerala, India. It is one of the most important places of worship for Hindus and is often referred to as "Bhooloka Vaikuntam" which translates to the holy abode of Vishnu on Earth...
. All these explorations lead to the creation a dance style unique to him, an amalgamation of Indian classical dance and western group dance techniques.
Career
A turning point in his career came in 1986, when in 1986, when Pierre CardinPierre Cardin
Pierre Cardin Cardin was known for his avant-garde style and his Space Age designs. He prefers geometric shapes and motifs, often ignoring the female form. He advanced into unisex fashions, sometimes experimental, and not always practical...
commissioned him to choreograph for Maya Plisetskaya
Maya Plisetskaya
Maya Mikhailovna Plisetskaya , born is a Russian ballet dancer, frequently cited as one of the greatest ballerinas of the 20th century. Maya danced during the Soviet era at the same time as the great Galina Ulanova, and took over from her as prima ballerina assoluta of the Bolshoi in 1960...
, the prime ballerina of the Bolshoi Theater ballet company. Over the years he has collaborated with people, Pink Floyd
Pink Floyd
Pink Floyd were an English rock band that achieved worldwide success with their progressive and psychedelic rock music. Their work is marked by the use of philosophical lyrics, sonic experimentation, innovative album art, and elaborate live shows. Pink Floyd are one of the most commercially...
at the Chelsea Town Hall in London, the Gundecha brothers
Gundecha Brothers
Umakant Gundecha and Ramakant Gundecha, known as the Gundecha Brothers, are leading Dagarvani dhrupad singers. They always sing together.-Early life and background:Gundecha Brothers were born in Ujjain into a Jain family....
, with Pina Bausch of the Wuppertal Dance Company, Germany and with the Thang-Ta
Thang-Ta
Thang-ta or huyen lallong is a weapon-based Indian martial art created by the Meitei of Manipur. In the Manipuri language, thang means sword and ta means spear. As its name implies, the sword and spear are the primary weapons in thang-ta. The spear can be used in its non-missile form while in close...
the martial art and Pung cholom
Pung cholom
The Pung cholom is a Manipuri dance. It is the soul of Manipuri Sankirtana music and Classical Manipuri dance. The Pung Cholom is a unique classical dance of Manipur. This dance may be performed by men or women and is usually a prelude to the Ras Lila. In this style, the dancers play the pung ...
dancers of Manipur
Manipur
Manipur is a state in northeastern India, with the city of Imphal as its capital. Manipur is bounded by the Indian states of Nagaland to the north, Mizoram to the south and Assam to the west; it also borders Burma to the east. It covers an area of...
. He has also worked for several years, with Tim McCarthy at the Gallaudet University
Gallaudet University
Gallaudet University is a federally-chartered university for the education of the deaf and hard of hearing, located in the District of Columbia, U.S...
for the deaf performing arts program in Washington, and the production "Road Signs" toured India in 1995, with a troupe drawn from Gallaudet and Deboo's Indian students.
In January 2005, he along with a troupe of 12 young women with hearing impairment, from the Clarke School for the Deaf
Clarke School for the Deaf
Clarke Schools for Hearing and Speech, formerly Clarke School for the Deaf, is a private school located in Northampton, Massachusetts that specializes in educating deaf children using the oral method through the assistance of hearing aids and cochlear implants...
, Chennai
Chennai
Chennai , formerly known as Madras or Madarasapatinam , is the capital city of the Indian state of Tamil Nadu, located on the Coromandel Coast off the Bay of Bengal. Chennai is the fourth most populous metropolitan area and the sixth most populous city in India...
and part of the Deboos Astad Deboo Dance Foundation, performed at the 20th Annual Deaf Olympics, at Melbourne, Australia. He has also choreographed 2004 Hindi film, by painter M.F. Hussain, Meenaxi: A Tale of Three Cities
Meenaxi: A Tale of Three Cities
Meenaxi: A Tale of Three Cities is a 2004 Hindi film directed by M.F. Husain and starring Tabu, Kunal Kapoor and Raghuvir Yadav. The film centers on Hyderabad novelist Nawab, , who is suffering from writers block. After five years and no stories, Nawab comes across an unconventional muse, Meenaxi...
. In 2009, he performed his production, 'Breaking Boundaries' with fourteen street children from Salaam Baalak Trust
Salaam Baalak Trust
Salaam Baalak Trust is an Indian Non-profit and Non-governmental organization, established in 1988 with the proceeds from the film "Salaam Bombay!" made on street children by noted film director, Mira Nair , which provides support for street and working children in inner cities of New Delhi,...
, an NGO, who had trained with his troupe for six months
External links
- Photo feature- Astad Deboo Rediff.comRediff.comRediff.com India is a news, information, entertainment, and shopping portal. It was founded in 1996 as "Rediff On The NeT" and is headquartered in Mumbai, India with offices in New Delhi and New York City, USA....
- Astad Deboo Interview and Profile