Modern dance pioneer Astad Deboo passes away at 73; know more about his legacy
"He left us in the early hours of December 10, at his home in Mumbai, after a brief illness, bravely borne," the family announced on social media
Deboo defied attempts to pigeonhole his practice. Taking dance beyond the proscenium space and extending the vocabulary to many others, he created collaborators for his work. (Express Photo by Vasant Prabhu) Indian contemporary dancer Astad Deboo passed away in the early hours of Thursday, in Mumbai. Deboo, 73, trained in Kathak as well as Kathakali and went on to combine the two classical dance forms to create a unique fusion dance form, earning the tag of ‘pioneer of modern dance in India’.
“He left us in the early hours of December 10, at his home in Mumbai, after a brief illness, bravely borne,” the family announced on social media.
“He leaves behind a formidable legacy of unforgettable performances combined with an unswerving dedication to his art, matched only by his huge, loving heart that gained him thousands of friends and a vast, number of admirers,” it read. The announcement said, “The loss to the family, friends, fraternity of dancers, both classical and modern, Indian and international, is inestimable. May he rest in peace. We will miss him.” Deboo is noted for creating a modern dance vocabulary that was uniquely Indian.
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