This research investigates sensory-somatic awareness based approaches to the conditioning, training and performance of Odissi dance in India. Through a multidisciplinary and embodied methodology it analyses the practices of three contemporary Odissi dance institutes and a selection of individual dancers in India, who are moving beyond the traditional methodology. Drawing from ethnographic fieldwork in India, this research explores how sensory-somatic approaches incorporated by these dancers generate meaning-making and in what ways this enriches the dancers’ experience of dancing Odissi. As an outcome of the fieldwork, the term sensory-somatic is proposed and analysed in line with the dancers’ embodied experience of dancing Odissi. The analysis entails a paradigm that embraces the corporeal, sentient and socio-cultural bodymind, and the sensory aspects of senses, sensation, perception, sensibility and sensuality. These form two layers: the somatic and sensory which merge together as the sensory-somatic awareness. It takes into consideration the sensory perception and awareness leading to an agentic, enactive and embodied meaning-making and emotional engagement of the dancers. It also examines how the changing socio-cultural situation has been continuously affecting the Odissi dance embodiment. This thesis does not address the religious aspect and the experience of the audience in Odissi performance. The main focus remains the dancers’ individual experience of learning and performing Odissi dance. Moving away from the study of Odissi dance just as a reflection of the state, regional culture and representation of mythologies, this thesis is an investigation of the Odissi dancer’s meaningful, embodied and lived experience of Odissi dancing. It contributes to the debates on body-mind relationship, emotional engagement, place of the ‘self’, the student-oriented learning, psychophysical training and performance, and rasa-bhāva aesthetics. This study reveals that the sensory-somatic awareness is based upon reflexivity, independent enquiry, psychophysical health, bodymind awareness and leads to empowerment, agency, autonomy, plurality, confidence and responsibility, a level of relief from gender biases, and an inclusive approach to learning and performing.

Darbe tyrimo objektu pasirinkti šie šokėjų patirties aspektai susiję su tapatybės formavimusi, iniciatyvumu, bendraisiais gebėjimai, gebėjimai dirbti komandoje, tarpasmeniniai santykiai, bendravimas su suaugusiais, o taip pat trenerio bei kitų sportininkų neigiama įtaka. Tyrimo tikslas – išsiaiškinti sportiniuose šokiuose įgytos patirties ypatumus. Tyrimo uždaviniai: 1. Išsiaiškinti teigiamus sportiniuos šokiuose įgytos patirties ypatumus pagal lytį. 2. Išsiaiškinti teigiamus sportiniuose šokiuose įgytos patirties ypatumus pagal šokėjų sportinę patirtį. 3. Išsiaiškinti teigiamus sportiniuose šokiuose įgytos patirties ypatumus pagal šokėjų amžių 4. Išsiaiškinti neigiamus sportiniuose šokiuose įgytos patirties ypatumus lyties, sportinės patirties ir amžiaus aspektu. Tyrime dalyvavo 63 sportinius šokius kultivuojantys asmenys. Tarp jų buvo 33 merginos ir 30 vaikinų. Vidutinis apklaustų šokėjų amžius – 14,2 metai, o sportinius šokius šoka vidutiniškai 10,66 metus. Apklausai parinkti šokėjai, kurie yra įtraukti į Lietuvos sportinių šokių federacijos skelbiamą reitingų lentelę (B, C ir D meistriškumo klasės). Sportiniuose šokiuose įgyta patirtis buvo tiriama naudojant Jaunimo Patirties Skalę (Youth Experience Scale). Joje buvo pateikti 78 teiginiai. Klausime pateikti teiginiai apėmė šešis faktorius: tapatybės formavimasis, iniciatyvumas, bendrieji gebėjimai, komandinis darbas ir gebėjimas bendrauti, tarpasmeniniai santykiai, o taip pat neigiama patirti. kiekvieną faktorių sudarė... [toliau žr. visą tekstą] / In this paper as an investigative object various aspects of dancers' experience were chosen.They are associated with formation of personality, initiative, general abilities, abilities of working in a team, interpersonal relationships, communication with adults, as well as negative influence of trainers and other dancers. Aim of the research is to find peculiarities of experience in sport dances. Tasks of the research are to: 1. Find out positive peculiarities of experience in sport dances according to sex. 2. Find out positive peculiarities of experience in sport dances according to the dancers' experience in sports. 3. Find out positive peculiarities of experience in sport dances according to dancers' age. 4. Find out negative peculiarities of experience in sport dances according to sex, age and experience in sports. There were 63 participants in the research, who practice sport dance regularly. There were 33 girls and 30 boys. The average age of the dancers is 14,2 , and the everage length of practice of sport dances is 10,66 years. For this research the dancers who are involved into rankings of Lithuanian dance sport federation(B, C and D skills classes) were chosen. The experience of sport dance was investigated using the Youth Experience Scale. There were given 78 propositions in that scale. The propositions in the question comprised six factors: formation of personality, initiative, general abilities, abilities working in a team, interpersonal relationships... [to full text]