Guru Purnima special: How Gen Z is redefining the rules of learning in classical arts
This year’s Guru Purnima felt markedly different. Coming in the wake of a major student-led protest and an unusual moment of collective introspection, it highlighted a generational shift with young people demanding to be heard and asserting their agency. That impulse is also reshaping the guru-sishya parampara in Indian classical arts, where the teacher-disciple relationship is becoming less hierarchical and more interactive. Social media has accelerated this change, much like it recently helped build the narrative around Gen-Z nationwide. Yet, not every guru sees technology as central to this transformation. Bharatanatyam natyacharyas Shantha and V.P. Dhananjayan point to the enduring value of personal connections. “Training in dance is not limited to teaching technique; it’s also about emotional mentorship. The trust that develops between teacher and student over the years is more valuable than technical accomplishment or stage success. I witnessed this during the workshop we conducted in Virginia, U.S., for 25 years. I looked forward to those sessions as much as the participants did,” says Dhananjayan. For the veteran natyacharyas, such experiences embody the essence …
