Sandra Schlage
Cosmic Dance in Stillness and Motion: New Insights into the Connection Between Indian Art History and Dance
February 5, 2026, 12:00 pm – 1:00 pm CT
Watch talk Youtube recording here.
Inspired by the Independence Movement leading to the Indian independence in 1947, indigenous art forms experienced a renewed popularity. The artists and thinkers of the revivalist movement rediscovered historical art works and styles in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Popular subjects included Naṭarāja/Naṭeśa, the dancing manifestations of the Hindu god Śiva, and symbolic and spiritual meanings of these icons. Therefore, it is not surprising that this theme played a significant role in the so-called “revival” of classical dance traditions. Temple sculptures of deities in early Tamiḻ dynasty temples, such as those of the Pallavas (6th to 9th century) and Cōḻas (9th to 13th century), were embodied in the danced portrayals of these gods and goddesses. Furthermore, Sanskrit literature and rediscovered treatises on the performing arts enriched dance practices during this period. This talk will examine (academic) writing about dance practices and dance depictions in the visual arts, as well as audiovisual documentation of mid-20th-century dances and contemporary performances of pieces choreographed during that time. Through an analysis of dance pieces about Naṭarāja/Naṭeśa from the Bharatanāṭyam repertoire (a classical dance form from Southeast India), the talk will explore the interconnectedness of the visual and performing arts and scholarship. Today’s academic research often emphasizes the unique aspects of artistic practices during the early and mid-20th century in connection to social and political developments and the general zeitgeist of that period. In contrast, my talk will highlight aspects that I consider to be characteristic of Indian art throughout the centuries.
About the Speaker
Sandra Jasmin Schlage has a multidisciplinary study background, including a BA-degree in “Asian Cultures and Societies – India” and “Cultural Anthropology” (University of Cologne), and a MA-degree in “Asian Studies – Art History of Asia and the Orient” (University of Bonn). She completed her doctoral dissertation, “Elegant Dancers Engraved in Stone. Content, Style, and Symbolism of Dance Reliefs of the Tamiḻ Region” at the Department of Asian and Islamic Art History (University of Bonn), where she works as research assistant and lecturer. Her research interests include Asian dances, South Asian visual arts, and the cultural exchange between South- and Southeast Asia. Throughout her academic education, she has combined her theoretical studies with intensive training in South Asian dances in Germany and India, specializing in Bharatanāṭyam, a classical Indian dance. Sandra Jasmin Schlage is also the head of the Advisory Board of the Indo-German Society, Cologne, and a board member of the European Association for Asian Art and Archaeology, where she promotes South Asian art and performing arts in general.