Purnima Shah

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

"Dancing with the Goddess: the Ras-Garba Traditions of Gujarat, India" - Screening/Lecture · July 16, 2013 Exhibition, Screening, or Performance Department of Mass Communication and Journalism, Gujarat University at Ahmedabad

"Dancing with the Goddess: the Ras-Garba Traditions of Gujarat, India" - Screening/Lecture · July 11, 2013 Exhibition, Screening, or Performance Meghani Center for Folk Literature, University of Saurashtra at Rajkot

"Dancing with the Goddess: the Ras-Garba Traditions of Gujarat, India" - Screening/Discussion · July 9, 2013 Exhibition, Screening, or Performance Gujarat Vishwakosh, Ahmedabad

"Dancing with the Goddess: the Ras-Garba Traditions of Gujarat, India" - Screening/Discussion · June 26, 2013 Exhibition, Screening, or Performance Gujarat Vishwakosh, Ahmedabad

"Dancing with the Goddess: the Ras-Garba Traditions of Gujarat, India" - Screening/Discussion · June 11, 2013 Exhibition, Screening, or Performance University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, Norway

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

Dancing with the Goddess: the Ras-Garba Traditions of Gujarat, India - Screening/Discussion · March 25, 2013 Exhibition, Screening, or Performance North Carolina Center for South Asia Faculty Colloquium, Durham

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

"Dancing with the Goddess: the Ras-Garba Traditions of Gujarat, India" - Screening/Discussion · October 14, 2012 Exhibition, Screening, or Performance Annual South Asia Conference, University of Wisconsin-Madison

"Dancing with the Goddess: the Ras-Garba Traditions of Gujarat, India" - Screening/Discussion · September 26, 2012 Exhibition, Screening, or Performance Wednesdays at the Center. John Hope Franklin Humanities Center, Duke University

Dancing with the Goddess: the Ras-Garba Traditions of Gujarat, India - Screening · August 14, 2012 - August 19, 2012 Exhibition, Screening, or Performance Association of Asian Studies Conference, Toronto (selection of best documentaries on Asia, 2012, Asian Educational Media Service, University of Illinois Urbana-Champagne) http://www.aems.illinois.edu/overview/index.html
Review: http://www.aems.illinois.edu/publications/filmreviews/dancinggoddess.html

"Dancing with the Goddess: the Ras-Garba Traditions of Gujarat, India" - Screening · August 14, 2012 - August 19, 2012 Exhibition, Screening, or Performance World Music and International Film Festival, Washington, DC Nominated Best Documentary Music and Best Director

Purmina Shah: Performances, 2001 - 2010 - November Dances · November 10, 2010 - November 21, 2010 Exhibition, Screening, or Performance Reynolds Theatre, Duke University Dancer for the Odissi piece, "Shankarabharana Pallavi" originally choreographed by 'Padmavibhushana' Guru Kelucharan Mohapatra and staged by visiting artist Sujata Mohapatra.

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

Purmina Shah: Performances, 2001 - 2010 - November Dances · November 21, 2003 - November 22, 2003 Exhibition, Screening, or Performance Duke University Dancer performer for Ms. Kumudini Lakhia's Kathak (Indian classical) dance choreography, "Arambh," performed for the November Dances hosted by the Duke Dance Program, 2003

Dashavatar · April 19, 2003 Exhibition, Screening, or Performance Duke University Dashavatar

Purmina Shah: Performances, 2001 - 2010 - December Dances · December 1, 2001 Exhibition, Screening, or Performance Reynolds Theatre, Duke University. Solo Kathak dance performance

Purmina Shah: Performances, 2001 - 2010 · May 11, 2001 Exhibition, Screening, or Performance niversity of California, Riverside Solo Kathak dance choreographed and performed at the inauguration of the new Fine Arts Building, Univerisity of California, Riverside

Kathak dance - Asian Indian Culture Show · April 28, 2001 Exhibition, Screening, or Performance University of California, Riverside

Service to the Profession

Reviewer Theatre Journal · November 27, 2013 Other

Reviewer : Czech Society for Science Research funding · 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 Administration Duke University

Planning Committee, Across the Threshold: Creativity, Being and Healing Symposium · April 3, 2010 Event Participation Duke University

Planning Committee, Across the Threshold: Creativity, Being, Healing Symposium · April 3, 2010 Administration Duke University

Planning Committee, Call for Papers and Conference Program Co-coordinator : Across the Threshold: Creativity, Being, Healing Conference · March 1, 2009 Administration Duke University

Planning Committee : Across the Threshold: Creativity, Being, Healing Symposium · December 30, 2008 Administration

Chair, Nominations Committee : Society of Dance History Scholars · November 27, 2008 Other

Service to Duke

Instructor, DukeEngage in India - Ahmedabad · 2017 Service Learning SAATH, Ahmedabad India

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.

Leadership & Clinical Positions

Director, Duke Dance Program, 2014-2020
Program Director, DukeEngage International Summer Program in India, 2017-continuing