Talk / Tools of change
Indian Classical Dance: The Foundational Element in My Practice of Ethnography
Vyjayanthi Vadrevu
Where did your experience design experience come from? It’s not always so obvious- and in this talk,
I talk about how two seemingly disparate disciplines actually converged into a great deal of parallel
inspiration.
In this talk, I go through a re-discovery of the links between my lifelong training in Indian classical dance and the elements this has instilled in my current practice of ethnography. In dance, we are trained to keenly observe every physical and emotional nuance of an item. Furthermore, we are taught symbolism and theory to deepen our interpretation of dance. This dance foundation has shaped my connection to every aspect of ethnography: from practice to analysis to presentation.
About the speaker
Vyjayanthi Vadrevu
I am an ethnographer and consultant under my brand, Rasa (www.rasa.nyc), in New York City. I combine my anthropology, business development, and non-profit administration experience to serve clients in industries ranging from fintech to fashion. Most recently, I am applying my ethnography skills at the Lab at Capital One, helping product owners, designers, and engineers use customer experiences as fodder for product innovation in the banking and credit card space. I am also an adjunct professor of Applied Anthropology at the City University of New York.
I have primarily been a dancer for 25+ years, trained in Indian classical dance (Bharatanatyam, Odissi, Kathak). More recently, I’ve been building on the art of expression (abhinaya) and the art of studying what it means to be human (anthropology) to explore fictional writing and performance, particularly in the observational comedy space. As an actress, I am part of the Kalakars group of South Asian writers, actors, and directors.