Rehumanizing clinical language through classical Indian dance

Abstract

Members of communities of color have long experienced structural marginalization and biases that have measurable health consequences. When a group of medical students choreograph and perform Kuchipudi and Bharatanatyam forms of Indian classical dance, they illuminate a collaborative, narrative approach to interrogating ethnic and racial biases in clinical jargon. In these video recordings of “Bagalamukhi’s Words,” performers interpret a patient’s embodied, visceral responses to language-induced dehumanization during a clinical encounter. The accompanying commentary helps viewers consider how traditional dance, such as classical Indian dance, is useful as a narrative approach to ethics in health care documentation and communication practices.