About
Meduri is a Reader and Programme Convener of the MA in South Asian Dance
Studies, which functions as part of the MA Cluster Programme at University of Roehampton. She is a graduate of the Tisch School of Arts,
New York University, where she obtained her PhD in Performance Studies,
with a thesis on the transnational traditions of Bharatanatyam. She has
carried out archival and ethnographic fieldwork in India, the US and the
UK, examining dance from cross-cultural, and interdisciplinary
perspectives. Recipient of several national and international awards and
fellowships, she has published in many academic journals and regularly
contributes to international conferences. As a Ford Fellow, and Academic
Director of the Centre for Contemporary Culture, New Delhi, Meduri
curated the Rukmini Devi Arundale (1904-1986) photo-archive and
presented it in India, Sri Lanka, Malaysia, Singapore, Australia, Japan
and the UK (2003-2004). Trained in Bharatanatyam and Kuchipudi, two
classical forms of India, she works with theatrical and choreographic
projects that explore the intersections between academic theory and
practice, and locates her performance work within the intellectual
framework of what is known as 'practice as research' in higher
education.
South Asian Dance Studies: A New Pedagogy
What is special about the new South Asian Dance MA offered at
Roehampton? How does the new education offered in this programme equip
students to engage with the many new issues emerging on the world dance
scene today? I could provide a scholarly answer to these two overlapped
questions. But I refrain from doing this because such a narrative would
fail to communicate the exciting story of the constitution of what is
known as the MA Cluster Programme, comprising a suite of five MAs,
including South Asian Dance. I provide instead a brief narrative that
describes the creation of the South Asian Dance MA, evolving out of both
my academic and ‘practice as research’ explorations realized in India,
US, and the UK. I sketch this travel story to describe the global
world-view of the new programme and the myriad ways in which 'you' the
prospective student/researcher can chart your own intellectual
trajectory within the transnational programme.
Dr. Meduri first saw exposure to 'Dance' as a young woman in South
India. In her teens, she learnt Bharatanatyam and Kuchipudi, two major
schools of the classical genre, from traditional gurus and teachers in
her native country. This was the base, the practice ground on which she
stood, and from which in later years she evolved a global South Asian
arts pedagogy to facilitate the study of world classical forms including
Bharatanatyam, Kathak, Odissi, Kuchipudi, and Kathakali, and popular
forms such as Bangra, Bollywood and World Music.
Meduri sought this intellectual expansion in the celebrated Tisch
School of the Arts, New York University. The issues that mattered to
her, when she left India in the late 1980s, were themes revolving round
home, woman, nation, and tradition. In this spirit, Dr. Meduri's
doctoral thesis, an expansive investigation of post-colonial
historiography, focussed specifically on the transnational traditions of
Bharatanatyam, and described how dancers travelling in the global
pathways of dance migration re-imagined ’home’ and ’tradition’ in New
York, Chicago and California.
Following her academic completion in 1996, Meduri received a
national grant from the India Foundation for the Arts to adapt and stage
her doctoral thesis, dealing with historical themes of hybridization
and interculturalism, as a bilingual post-colonial theatre-performance.
The performance was staged in twenty-four cities across India, within
mainstream and experimental forums and also in schools and colleges
across India.
The critical reception to this concrete experiment in 'Practice as
Research.' had a seminal impact on Meduri's understanding of the future
direction of her life and work. It transformed Meduri from a classical
dancer into a post-colonial dancer-scholar and historian who could talk
and perform post colonial dance history and theory both in the
classroom, and outside in the wider world. This accumulated articulation
took Meduri across the United States, to the teaching halls and
research programmes of three major Universities: The University of
California at Los Angeles; the Department of Dance at Riverside; and
Northwestern University, Evanston, Chicago. It was within the portals of
higher education, and within the everyday domain of the ordinary
classroom that Meduri combined creative practice with academic theory
and developed her new ’practice as research’ global arts pedagogy for
Indian and Asian dance theatre forms.
In 2001, Meduri returned to India on a Ford Foundation postdoctoral
fellowship with desire to disseminate this new practice-based model of
research in India. To realize this vision, Meduri founded the Centre for
Contemporary Culture, New Delhi, and curated a Photo Exhibition of the
life and work of the pioneering dancer and innovator, Rukmini Devi
Arundale (1904-1986). This travelling exhibition was presented across
many countries including India, Sri Lanka, Malaysia, Singapore,
Australia, Japan, and the UK. To provide an intellectual framework to
Rukmini Devi's Centenary Celebrations, Meduri adapted her international
biography into a theatrical performance. Entitled "Birds of the Banyan
Tree,” this second ‘practice as research' performance was staged in
India, the US, and the UK.
Meduri relocated to London in 2005, joined the dance team at
Roehampton, and helped in the conceptualization of the MA Cluster
Program. How does one, for instance, internationalize British Dance
Studies, and put this in conversation with Indian and South Asian Dance?
Meduri articulated this global vision by drawing on her 'practice as
research' explorations, and on archival and ethnographic research
conducted in three global cities including, London, Chennai and New
York. The new pedagogy helped build a vibrant academic learning
community as students could now think about the social re-production of
South Asian Dance from within the history of dance migrations, and its
re-staging in three global cities including London, New York, and
Chennai.
In Fall 2005, the Dance Department launched its MA cluster program,
and incorporated the South Asian Dance MA into the larger international
vision of the Department. While the South Asian MA is part of the
Cluster vision it also has its own separate identity and has attracted
national and international student recruitment. Students from India,
America and Sri Lanka have enrolled in the program. Milap Foundation, a
leading arts organization in the UK, has come forward to provide a
graduate fellowship and travel grant for students interested to pursue
South Asian dance studies at Roehampton.
Conceived broadly, the South Asian Dance MA is designed for students
interested to explore the socio-cultural dimensions of globalization
and its impact on contemporary art production in the world at large. The
program takes as inspiration the work and vision of contemporary Indian
and Asian choreographers and their different engagement with dance
making, politics, identity production, history, memory and aesthetics,
re-presented theatrically on global stages in Chennai, New York, and
London. Meduri would like to believe that the new programme, linking
professional dance practice with the work of reputed international
organizations including Akademi, Kadam, and Milap, would create new
possibilities for 'South Asian Dance Studies' and 'practice as research'
explorations in higher education.
Role and Responsibilites
Meduri teaches on the BA and MA portfolios of the Dance Department,
and serves on undergraduate and postgraduate dissertation committees.
She also supervizes MPhil and PhD research projects in dance history,
theory and practice.
Research Projects Undertaken
Previous Research Experience
As a Dance and Performance Studies scholar, Meduri's research is
situated broadly in the interdisciplinary fields of dance and
performance studies; dance and cultural studies; dance and transnational
studies; dance and South Asian studies, dance and diaspora studies;
dance and postcolonial studies; dance, and migration studies, dance and
anthropology, dance ethnic and multicultural studies;
Specifically, Meduri's research interests focusses on comparative
studies of dance classisism(s); dance modernisim(s); dance
postmodernism(s); investigations into gender representations in dance
and dance in popular culture. Her reseach interests include Western
theatrical dance history, theory,and practice; American modern and
postmodern dance history, theory and practice, intercultural and
Oriental dance history, theory and practice; Gernamn dance-theatre
history, theory and practice; and classical and contemporary South Asian
dance history, theory and practice as produced and taught within three
geographical contexts of India, the US, and the UK.
As a South Asia scholar, Meduri's research focuses on comparative
studies of Western/Indian/Asian modernisim (s); Asian and Euro-American
nationalism(s) sublatern studies, area studies, postcolonial studies,
South Asian diaspra and ethnic studies,dance migration and comparative
multicultural studies.
As dance and performance practitioenr, with professional level
training in two classcial dance styles including Bharatanatyam and
Kuchipudi, Meduri works broadly in dance theatre, community arts, and
dance in higher education. She is interested in practice as research
projects that explore the intersections between dance history, theory
and practice; dance historiography and performance; dance, memory and
body; gender, history and embodiment; autobiography and performance; and
performance art projects.
Field Research
2001-2002. Archival and Ethnographic Field Research in Chennai, Benaras, and New Delhi, India.
1990-1992. Archival and Ethnographic Field work in five cities in
India including, Chennai, New Delhi, Mumbai, Baorda and Kolkotta.
LANGUAGES: Fluent in Tamil, Telugu, and Hindi. Foreign Language: German and Sanskrit
Major Research Awards
2000-2004. Post-Doctoral Research Fellowship from the Ford
Foundation to develop transnational and contemporary research initiative
for Indian performing arts.
2000-2001. Ford Fellow in Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi, India
2000-2005. Academic and Artistic Director, Center for Contemporary
Culture, New Delhi. Curated Rukmini Devi photo archive and featured it
in New Delhi, Calcutta, Singapore, Penang, Malaysia, Sri Lanka,
Australia, Japan and London.
1997-1998. Government of India dissemination grant to adapt
doctoral thesis into postcolonial theatre-performance featuring
devadasis (temple dancers). The postcolonial play entitled God Has Changed His Name was staged in twenty-four cities in India and also featured in educational institutions.
1996-1997. Collaboration grant from the India Foundation for the
Arts to adapt doctoral thesis into postcolonial play and theatrical
preformance entitled GHCHN.
1992-1993. National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) choreography and
collaboration award for development of Matsya (Fish) as theatre project.
1992-1993. Rockefeller, doctoral fellowship, awarded through Asian Cultural Council, New York.
1990-1992. American Institute of Indian Studies Fellowship to pursue doctoral (fieldwork and archival) research in India.
1989-1990. Asian Cultural Council doctoral fellowship to pursue South Asia Area studies research at the University of Chicago.
1986-1988. Asian Cultural Council Supplementary Grant to pursue
doctoral study in the Department of Performance Studies, Tisch School of
the Arts, New York University.
Consultancy Experience
Examining Experience
2006.Served as External Examiner for MPhil student at the University of Kent, Canterbury;
2006-2007.Supervised 1 PhD student to completion in the UK
2008-2009. Currently supervising 1 PhD student.
Administration
BA Convener: Gender, Sexualiteis and Performance; Questioning
Citizenship; Dance, Culture, Society; World Music and Dance; Convener
MA/PGDip in South Asian Dance Studies;
Influence and Recognition
2005. Reviewer/Evaluator for the Arts and Humanities Research Council Fellowship in Performing Arts.
2005. Committee Member for the Gertrude Lippincott Award to award Best Essay/Article written in the field of Dance Studies
2006. Examiner for South Asian Dance at London School Of Contemporary Dance
2005. The Honourable President of India, Shri Abdul Kalam Azad,
released Dr. Meduri’s edited volume featuring the work and vision of
Rukmini Devi Arundale, (1904-1986) a Visionary Architect of Indian
Culture and the Performing Arts at the Presidential House (Rashtrapathi
Bhavan) on March 14.
Consultancy Expertise
Academic and Artistic Director Centre for Contemporary Culture, New Delhi;
Curatorial expertise; organizer of conferences; linking arts with higher education; developing new arts pedagogy
Consultancies Undertaken
Invited International Lectures
2006. Featured Lecture at the International Symposium entitled
“Cultural Identities, Artistic Identities: From Bombay to Tokyo,” Centre
National De La Danse, Paris, January 11-14.
2005. Release of Edited book by Honourable President of India
President, March, 14. Presented Short Lecture on the making of the book
at the Rastrapathi Bhavan, New Delhi.
2005. Invited lecture at Swarthmore College, entitled “Transnationalism in Indian Performing Arts,” March 29.
2005. Conference Paper at PSi conference at Brown University,
Rhode Island, entitled “Performing Disjunctures Seamlessly: The Case
of the Cosmopolitan Bharatanatyam Dancer,” March 29-3rd April.
2005.Invited Paper at “Towards Tomorrow International Conference at Abersytswyth, Wales, entitled “Towards
Tommorow: The Creation of Interdisciplinary Asian Arts Pedagogy, April 7.
2005. Invited Paper at SOAS entitled” If the Dance Could Speak”? April 23.
2005. Conference Paper at a symposium on Cross-Cultural,
Intercultural and Post Colonial Theatre at Royal Holloway, entitled
“Interdisciplinarity in Higher Education,” May 13.
2005. Presented Research Seminar at the University of Roehamtpon, May 26.
2004. Presented a keynote lecture at the international Octoberdance
conference in Bergen, Norway entitled “The relevance of Dance in a Broader Political and Social Context,” Bergen October 15-16.
2004.“Transculturation and the Enunciation of Multiple Identities:
An Asian Case-Study.” Summer Institute Organized by the Center for
Global Culture and Communication, Northwestern University, June 27-July
3. Theme: Transnational Flows of Performance: Identity in the Age
of Globalization.
2003. Presented the Sixth Rukmini Devi Memorial Lecture, organized
in collaboration with Asialink, Sidney Meyer Asia Center, Melbourne
Institute of Asian Languages and Societies, Center for Contemporary
Culture and the University of Melbourne, Australia. Venue: Yasuko
Hiraoka Myer Room, Level 1, Sidney Myer Asia Center, University of
Melbourne, Australia, August 26.
2003.Presented the Fifth Rukmini Devi Memorial Lecture, Sophia University, Tokyo, Japan, June 6.
2003.Invited Lecture entitled “New Global Paradigms for South Asian
Dance and Performance,” in the School of English and Performance
Studies, De Montfort University, Leicester, UK, May 19.
2003.Invited Lecture entitled “Annie Besant, Theosophy and
Intercultural Interventions in South India,” in the Department of Drama,
University of Bristol, UK, May 14.
2003.Presented the Fourth Rukmini Devi Memorial Lecture, organized
in collaboration with the Nehru Centre, London. Venue: The Nehru Center,
May 3.
2003. Invited Lecture entitled “Global Flows and Local
Transformations,” Devadasis (Women Storytellers), Translation and Social
Change in Modern India,” co-sponsored by the Department of Middle East
and Asian Languages and Cultures, and the History Department, Columbia
University, Thursday, April 10.
2003. Invited Lecture entitled “Nation, Woman, Representation,” in the Department of Dance, Wesleyan University, April 8.
2003. Invited Lecture “Subaltern Women and Social Change in Modern India,”
sponsored by Asian Studies Program, Mount Holyoke College, April 7.
2003. Presented the Third Rukmini Devi Memorial Lecture, Organized
by the Department of Arts, Peradeniya University, Kandy, February 7.
2003.Presented the Second Rukmini Devi Memorial Lecture, organized by the British Council, Colombo, February 5.
2003.Presented the First Rukmini Devi Memorial Lecture, organized by
International Institute for Ethnic Studies, Colombo, February 3.
2002. Invited Lecture entitled “Arts and Cultures of India,” in the Practice Performing Arts School, Singapore, August 31.
2002.Invited Lecture entitled “Interdisciplinarity: Issues and
Challenges,” in the Women’s Studies Program, Claremont College, Pomona,
September 20
2002.Invited Lecture entitled “The Question of History in Indian
Culture and the Performing Arts,” in the Department of Theatre, Film,
and Television, UCLA, Oct 1.
2002.Invited Lecture entitled “Global Paradigms for Indian Culture
and Performance,” In the Dance Program, Duke University, North Carolina,
February 24.
2002.Invited Lecture entitled “Global Paradigms for Indian Culture
and Performance,” in the Department of Dramatic Art, University of
California, Santa Barbara, February 14.
2002.Invited Lecture entitled “The Global Legacy of Rukmini Devi,”
In the Indira Gandhi Center for the Performing Arts, New Delhi, May 10.
2002.Invited Lecture entitled “Global Institutions in India,” In SpicMackay Silver Jubilee Celebrations, New Delhi, April 27.
2002. Invited Lecture entitled “The Global Legacy of Rukmini Devi,”
In Rukmini Devi Arundale: A Retrospective, organized by Sutra Dance
Theatre, Kuala Lumpur, March 9.
2002.Invited Lecture entitled “Uday Shankar and the Question of the
Modern,” in the Indira Gandhi National Center for the Performing Arts,
New Delhi, Dec 29 What are You," Asian Theatre Journal 5, (no 1): 1-22.
Performance Awards and Grants
1999-2000. Senior Fellowship, from Government of India, for regional
adaptation of post-colonial English language play entitled God Has
Changed His Name.
1998-1999. Staging Grant from the Department of Culture, New Delhi, to stage GHCHN in twenty-four cities across India.
1996-1997. Arts Collaboration Grant from the India Foundation for
the Arts, Bangalore, to develop a performance script and ensemble
theatrical production titled GHGHN. Artistic collaboration with
well-known folk theatre group known as Koothu-p-pattarai, based in
Chennai, South India.
1992-1993. NEA choreography award for development of Matsya (Fish) as theatre project.
1993-1994. TANA (Telugu Association of North Americas award for contribution to the performing arts.
Practice as Research Performances
2005. Presented Practice as Research Project entitled, "Shattering
the Silence," at PSi conference at Brown University," March 29-3rd April
(2005).
2005. Presented Practice as Research Project entitled, "Shattering
the Silence" at Royal Holloway, May 9. 2005. Presented Practice as
Research Project, entitled, "Shattering the Silence" in the Centre for
Post Colonial and Transnational Studies, University of Roehampton, May
10.
2005. Presented Practice as Research Project, entitled "Shattering
the Silence," in the Dance Diary University of Roehampton, May 11.
2005. Presented Practice as Research Project entitled "Shattering
the Silence," at Parip Seminar, University of Bristol, May 12
2005. Presented Practice as Research Project, entitled "What is in a
name," in the Parip international Conference, University of Leeds, July
1.
2004. Presented Practice as Research Project entitled"The Birth Of
Bharatanatyam, in the Theatre Arts Center, Second Stage Theatre, UC
Santa Cruz, June 3
2003. Presented Practice As Research Project entitled "Shattering
the Silence: The Three Women of The Theosophical Society" in the Theatre
Arts Center, Second Stage, UC Santa Cruz March 7-8.
2002. Presented Staged Reading of Performance Script dealing with
the life of Rukmini Devi entitled Birds of The Banyan Tree presented at
the New Delhi Public School on the occasion of the celebration of World
Dance Day, April 30.
2002. Staged Reading of Performance Script dealing with the life of
Rukmini Devi entitled Birds of The Banyan Tree presented at the New
Delhi Public School on the occasion of the celebration of World Dance
Day, April 30.
2001. Staged Reading of Performance Script dealing with the life of Rukmini Devi at the Indian Museum, Kolkotta, April 26.
1999. Peformed Tamil version of English language postcolonial play
entitled GHCHN in Women's Christian College, Chennai, April 30.
1997. Scripted and performed post-colonial, bilingual play titled
God Has Changed His Name. The play, an adapatation of my doctoral
research on devadasis *temple dancers, undertook an Indian national tour
between August and Dec 1997. It was staged in twenty-four cities and
presented the play in mainstream theatre venues, experimental forums,
and in schools and colleges across India.
Solo Classical Dance Performance in Mainstream Venues
2003. Thematic Classical Indian Dance Performance in Kuchipudi style
of dancing in the Performing Arts Center, Monash University, Melbourne,
Australia, August 20.
2003. Thematic Classical Indian Dance Performance in Kuchipudi style
of dancing in Myogi Hurusato Art Museum, Gumma Prefecture, Maebashi,
Japan, May 26.
2003. Thematic Classical Indian Dance Performance in Kuchipudi style of dancing, Nehru Center, London, April 28th.
2003. Thematic Classical Indian Dance Performance in Kuchipudi style
of dancing, Indian Cultural Centre, Colombo, Sri Lanka, February 6.
2003. Thematic Classical Indian Dance Performance in Kuchipudi style
of dancing, Katiresan Hall, Colombo, Sri Lanka, February
4.1969--present.
1969--Trained in Indian classical dance, music and drama since age
six. Over sixteen years continuous training in the performing arts of
South India. Given over 200 performances in India, West Germany, Europe
and the United States. Professional career as Indian classical dancer
available on request.
Previous Administrative Experience
2001-2004. Ford Scholar and Academic and Artistic Director, Center for Contemporary Culture, New Delhi.
1999-2000. Developed conceptual vision and proposal for Cross-School
initiative at Northwestern University and proposed the founding of a
Transnational Performance and Asian Arts Institute at Northwestern
University.
1995-1997.Founder-Member, Indians in American Media (IAM), Los Angeles.
1995-1997. Founder Member Federation of Indo-Americans. (FIA), Los Angeles.
Travelling Exhibitions:
Meduri curated the Rukmini
Devi Arundale Photo Exhibition and presented in New Delhi, Calcutta,
Singapore, Malaysia, Penang, Columbo, Kandy, London, Melbourne, Sydney
and Tokyo
2003. Curator, Re-presenting Rukmini Devi Arundale (1904-1986): A
Retrospective Photo-Exhibition, Yasuko Hiraoka Myer Room, Level 1,
Sidney Myer Asia Center, University of Melbourne, Australia, August
25-29 Exhibition sponsored in collaboration with the Center for
Contemporary Culture, New Delhi, Asialink, Sidney Meyer Asia Center,
Melbourne Institute of Asian Languages and Societies, and University of
Melbourne, Australia.
2003. Curator, Re-presenting Rukmini Devi Arundale (1904-1986): A
Retrospective Photo-Exhibition, the Drama, Theatre, and Performing
Arts Center, Monash University, Melbourne, Australia, August 18-22.
2003. Curator, Re-presenting Rukmini Devi Arundale (1904-1986): A
Retrospective Photo-Exhibition, Myogi Hurusato Art Museum, Gumma
Prefecture, Maebashi, Japan, May 26-30.
2003. Curator, Re-presenting Rukmini Devi Arundale (1904-1986): A
Retrospective Photo-Exhibition, Kudan Shakai Kyoiku Kaikan, Tokyo, June
3-8. Exhibition organized in collaboration with Indo-Japan Association, and Embassy of India.
2003. Curator, Re-presenting Rukmini Devi Arundale (1904-1986): A
Retrospective Photo-Exhibition, the Nehru Centre, London, April 28-May 6
2003. Curator, Re-presenting Rukmini Devi Arundale (1904-1986): A
Retrospective Photo-Exhibition, Alliance Francaise, Kandy, February 8- 12.
2003. Curator, Re-presenting Rukmini Devi Arundale (1904-1986): A
Retrospective Photo-Exhibition, Indian Cultural Center, Colombo,
February1-6.
2002. Curator, Re-presenting Rukmini Devi Arundale (1904-1986): A
Retrospective, Photo-Exhibition, Sutra Dance Gallery, Kuala Lumpur,
Malaysia, March 10-15.
2002. Curator, Re-presenting Rukmini Devi Arundale (1904-1986): A
Retrospective, Photo-Exhibition, Substation Art Gallery, Singapore,
April 10-15.
2002. Curator, Re-presenting Rukmini Devi Arundale (1904-1986): A
Retrospective, Photo-Exhibition, organized by Center for Contemporary
Culture, In SpickMacay, New Delhi, April 17-24.
2002. Curator, Re-presenting Rukmini Devi Arundale (1904-1986): A
Retrospective, Photo-Exhibition, organized by Center for Contemporary
Culture, Sutra Dance Gallery, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, March 10-15.
2001.Curator, Re-presenting Rukmini Devi Arundale (1904-1986): A
Retrospective, Photo-Exhibition, organized by Center for Contemporary
Culture, Indian Museum, Kolkotta, April 26 -May 1.
2001.Curator, Re-presenting Rukmini Devi Arundale (1904-1986): A
Retrospective. Photo-Exhibition, organized in collaboration with Rukmini
Devi Arundale Trust, Chennai, and the Center for Contemporary Culture,
New Delhi. Venue: India International Center, Art Gallery, Annexe, New
Delhi. March 1-5.
Conference Coordinator
2003.Organizer, International Seminar entitled “Rukmini Devi’s
Aesthetic Legacy in the UK,” in collaboration with the Nehru Centre,
London, Society of Dance Research Scholars (SDRS), London, and AHRMB
Cross-Cultural Center for Music and Dance Research, University of
Surrey. Venue: the Nehru Center, London, May 1st.
2002. Organizer, International Seminar entitled “Bharatanatyam in
Multicultural Singapore: Issues and Challenges” in collaboration with
Center for Contemporary Culture and the Indian Fine Arts Society,
Singapore. Venue: the Sub Station Art Gallery, Singapore, April 13.
2002. Organizer, International Seminar entitled “Rukmini Devi: A
Reappraisal in Malaysia,”organized by the Center for Contemporary
Culture and Sutra Dance Gallery, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Venue Sutra
Dance Gallery, March 15.
2001. Organizer, Indian National Seminar entitled “ Rabindranath
Tagore and Rukmini Devi: Visions and Institutions,” in collaboration
with the Center for Contemporary Culture, Viswa Bharati and the Indian
Museum, Kolkotta. Venue: Indian Museum, Kolkotta, May 1.
2001.Organizer, Indian National Seminar entitled “ Rukmini Devi’s
Aesthetic Legacy,” in collaboration with the Center for Contemporary
Culture, Venue: India International Center, Art Gallery, Annexe, New
Delhi. March 1.
Teaching Interests
Previous Appointments
2003-2004.Part-Time Visiting Artist/Scholar in Residence,
Appointment, Department of Theatre Arts, University of California, Santa
Cruz.
2001-2004.Ford Scholar, and Academic Director Center for Contemporary Culture, New Delhi.
2001-2002. Ford Scholar, Associate Fellow, Center for Art and Aesthetics, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi.
1997-2000. Full-Time, Visiting Assistant Professor, Department of Performance Studies, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL.
1995-1996. Part-Time, Visiting Assistant Professor, Department of Dance, University of California, at Riverside
1993-1996. Part-Time, Visiting Assistant Professor in the
Communication Studies Program, Women’s Studies Program, World Arts and
Cultures Program, and the History Department, University of California,
Los Angeles.
Previous Teaching Experience
Meduri has taught in three premier American Universities. These
include the Department of Performance Studies, Northwestern University,
Evanston, Chicago (1997-2000); in the World Arts and Cultures Program,
University of California, Los Angeles (1993-1997); and Department of
Dance at Riverside, Unviersity of California (1993-1996). Dr. Meduri
served as the Academic and Artistic Director of the Centre for
Contemporary Culture, New Delhi (2000-2004) and held an
Artist-in-Residence Appointment at the University of California, Santa
Cruz (2003-2004)
At Northwestern University, Meduri taught graduate seminars in
Aesthetic Principles and Criticism: Post Colonial Theory and Criticism;
Post Colonial Drama, and Performance; and Feminist Theories of the Body.
At the undergraduate level, Meduri taught four required courses:
Culture and Performance; Studies in Gender and Performance; Western and
Asian Perspectives of Drama and Performance; and Towards a Theory for
the Arts. In addition, she also taught special topics courses entitled
Global Flows and Cultural Performances; Third World Nationalisms and
Sexualities and " Asian Diasporas:" "Texts and Performances"; and
"India in the West."
At UCLA, Meduri taught interdisciplinary courses in the World Arts
and Cultures; Communication Studies; and Womens Studies Programs. Course
titles include "Dance of South Asia;" "Centers and Margins: Women and
their Representation in Dance and the Visual Arts,": "Constructing
Identities through Visual Representation; and "Women and their Imaging
in Visual Media: Film and Television"; "Women of Color in the United
States".
In the Department of Dance at Riverside, Meduri taught courses in
early American Modern and Postmodern Dance. Course titles include "Dance
in a Multicultural Context;" "Dance and Modernity;" and " Watching the
Dance Go By".