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Purnima Shah

Professor of the Practice of Dance
Dance Program
Box 90686, Durham, NC 27708-0686
2020 Campus Drive, Suite 209, Durham, NC 27708

Selected Presentations & Appearances


Moderator, Conversation with Odissi artist Bijayini Satpathy. · December 6, 2021 Interview Duke Performances, Duke University Rubenstein Arts Center
Paper, “Poetic Expressions in Kathak Dance" · August 4, 2021 International Meeting or Conference Association for Asian Performance Conference, (virtual)
Moderator, “Ballet, Pedagogy, Body Image and Flow States" - Talk by Courtney Liu, In Conversations: Fridays at Noon · March 26, 2021 Interview Duke Arts and Duke Performances, Duke University (virtual)
Panel discussion, “Learn Arts Funding from the Pros" - In Conversations: Fridays at Noon · February 12, 2021 Other Duke Arts, Rubenstein Arts Center, Duke University (virtual)
Panel discussion, “Pedagogy and Parampara, Choreography and Aesthetics in Kathak Dance" - Kathak Dance Symposium / Dance Festival · April 19, 2019 - April 21, 2019 Instructional Course, Workshop, or Symposium New York
Paper, “Feminine Voice: Poetics of Thumri in Kathak Dance" - Suspension: Poetry and Time at the Edge of the Secular Symposium · February 6, 2015 Instructional Course, Workshop, or Symposium Duke University
Plenary Talk, “The Future of Kathak Dance: Where do We Go from Here" - International Kathak Dance Conference · September 12, 2014 - September 14, 2014 International Meeting or Conference University of Chicago / A.S. Foundation, Chicago
Paper, "Dancing with the Goddess: Tradition and Social Transformation of Garba Dances of Gujarat" · June 2013 International Meeting or Conference Society of Dance History Scholars Conference, University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, Norway
Panel discussion, “Kathak Dance in a Global Context” - Arts Weekend · April 2013 International Meeting or Conference Swarthmore College
Panel Chair, “Arts as a Means of Social Transformation" - Across the Threshold: Creativity, Being, Healing Conference · March 2, 2013 International Meeting or Conference Duke University
Panel Chair, “Social Transformation: The Legacy of Pauli Murray - Across the Threshold: Creativity, Being, Healing Conference · March 2, 2013 International Meeting or Conference Duke University
Paper, “Dancing with the Goddess: Survival of Traditions" - Across the Threshold: Creativity, Being, Healing Conference · March 1, 2013 - March 3, 2013 International Meeting or Conference Duke University
Lecture, "Concepts of Shaivism and Vaishnavism in Indian dance and theatre" · August 21, 2010 Lecture J. G. College of the Arts, Ahmedabad (India)
Lecture, “Bhakti Genre of Indian Dance Theatre: Bhaktirasa and Madhurabhava" · August 12, 2010 Lecture B. J. Institute of Learning and Research, Ahmedabad, India
Folk dance forms in Gujarat · January 1, 2010 Lecture B.J. Institute of Learning and Research, Ahmedabad, India
Lecture, “Notions of heightened femininity in the role of the Onnagata in Kabuki dance-theatre" · November 13, 2009 Lecture Department of Ethnomusicology, UNC Chapel Hill
Notes on fieldwork research · August 22, 2009 Lecture Bhavnagar University, Bhavnagar (India)
Devadasi Traditions in India and the impact of Colonization · July 16, 2009 Lecture J. G. College of the Arts, Ahmedabad, India
Research Methods in Dance · December 8, 2008 Lecture Gujarat Vidyapith, Ahmedabad India
Fieldwork for Garba Dance Book Project · September 11, 2008 Lecture Mansa Arts and Science College, Mansa, India

Outreach & Engaged Scholarship


Instructor - DukeEngage in India - Ahmedabad · 2017 Service Learning SAATH, Ahmedabad flag India Students work with the nonprofit organization SAATH, dedicated to freeing deprived children of rural migrant families from the urban labor market, nourishing and educating them; providing profession-based skills to slum dwelling youth; assisting women of very low income families in acquiring financial independence.

Service to the Profession


Reviewer : Czech Society for Science Research funding · November 27, 2013 Other
Reviewer Theatre Journal · November 27, 2013 Other
Chair : Selma Jean Cohen Award Committee, Society of Dance History Scholars · June 1, 2013 Other Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, Norway
Planning Committee, Call for papers and Conference Program Co-coordinator : Across the Threshold: Creativity, Being, Healing · February 28, 2013 - March 3, 2013 Event/Organization Administration Duke University
Planning Committee, Across the Threshold: Creativity, Being, Healing Symposium · April 3, 2010 Event/Organization Administration Duke University
Planning Committee - Across the Threshold: Creativity, Being and Healing Symposium · April 3, 2010 Event Attendance Duke University
Planning Committee, Call for Papers and Conference Program Co-coordinator : Across the Threshold: Creativity, Being, Healing Conference · March 1, 2009 Event/Organization Administration Duke University
Planning Committee : Across the Threshold: Creativity, Being, Healing Symposium · December 30, 2008 Event/Organization Administration
Chair, Nominations Committee : Society of Dance History Scholars · November 27, 2008 Other