Challenging Masculine Norms: A Psychological Study of Stereotypical Gender Conflicts in Classical Dance and the Positive Transformation through Dance in Anmol Arora's Novel, the Last Dance

Abstract

In India, classical dance is often identified as a woman-centered profession. Society often criticizes men who choose classical dance and then name them effeminate and gay. Dance is so far considered as entertainment, but Anmol Arora's The Last Dance mainly explores creative approaches to Indian classical dance in treating the psychological pain of men for being a classical dancer. The novel depicts the impacts of conventional masculine traits in India and the mode of resistance in Indian classical dance through the leading character, Chandrasekar. The protagonist, Chandrasekar, strives to revamp the stereotypes and sustains in his profession despite all the humiliation and psychological pain in his life. Eventually, he breaks stereotypical gender ideas of society on Indian classical dance and attains the pinnacle of success as a male classical dancer with the help of dance. The purpose of this study is to manifest the therapeutic value of Indian classical dance and to understand the diplomatic public notion that dancing is viewed as an "effeminate and suspect activity for a male body" (Migdalek, 2015, p.76) and how Chandrasekar changes this view. Based on the thematic analysis, the Masculinity of Chandrasekar is analysed through the lens of psychology.