Astad Deboo | The man who imbued modern dance with narrative form of treatment Updated: Updated: His socio-political concepts stirred their conscience and kept them rooted to the ground realities Share Article His socio-political concepts stirred their conscience and kept them rooted to the ground realities When Astad Deboo took the stage, it was difficult to fathom when Kathak merged into Kathakali and when Martha Graham dance technique made its presence felt. Holistic in comprehending the Indian and Western dance aesthetics, Deboo imbued modern dance with a narrative form of treatment and blended facial expressions with body movements to tell tales of contemporary India.