e.motion: Expressive Robotics in Indian Classical Dance

Kathak, one of the 9 classical dance forms of India, is facing a fate similar to other classical art forms; it is losing younger audiences due to a lack of awareness and interest in the art forms. The reason for this could be because of the trained eye that is required to appreciate  the art form. Audiences with a basic understanding of the language of the performance or  an understanding of the vocabulary of the classical art form can understand the dance  being performed. However, to get to this level, one should have exposure to Indian culture  or have training in the techniques of the dance. After the advent of social media and the  prevalence of remote learning after the pandemic, the exposure that the art form can get  has increased from the small circle of dance connoisseurs to viewers around the world. To cater to new audiences, dancers have used adaptive technologies like subtitles, fusion  choreographies with prevalent dance forms. Including robotics and immersive technology  can reduce the barrier to entry for new audiences into appreciating the art form and in  order to incorporate such technologies into a stage performance, it is imperative to  understand how a dancer might respond to such a collaborator. This thesis aims to study  the effect of a robot on the dancer and the roles that both entities might play by answering  this research question: How can a robot that aims to enhance the expressive and narrative  structure of a traditional Indian dance performance interact with a  classically trained dancer to create seamless communication during  performance?