International Dance Day: How Chennai’s youngsters perceive dance today

There is a major misconception that the likes of Bharatanatyam are boring. But we are trying to change that by going to schools, government-aided centres and colleges across the state – especially southern Tamil Nadu – and increasing awareness. Atleast in Chennai, there are recitals and performances year-round. But we target places like Dindugal, Sivagangai, Madurai, and so on and tell kids how to appreciate our ethnicity through dance. In fact, the last generation made the mistake of not passing on the mantle properly and that’s why we are in this state today. Parents really have to step up here to educate their wards but kids also need to have the right attitude to put in the necessary work and training to learn classical dance. If the basic interest is not there, there is no point in forcing them.

Contrary to popular perception, I believe social media has increased awareness of classical dance. Children see Instagram videos of Bharatanatyam set to ‘Shape of You’ or a kathak performance to a rock song. That naturally increases curiosity and they try out the same.  When they take up a classical form, they understand that its versatile and malleable and that it helps them take up other genres more easily. Plus, this is also the ‘yoga generation’ where even youngsters have interest in spirituality and tradition. But it is also true that convenience, locality and how a centre looks plays a huge role in the child’s decision to enrol someplace. 

Chennai is a melting pot of various traditional and folk-art forms. Despite being so strongly rooted to tradition, it has adapted to the western forms quite well. As a teacher, this is an exciting time to be doing what I do. Dancers these days, especially kids, have a great exposure to various styles and forms thanks to social media. Parents who once were a little resistant towards western forms now have more knowledge and there is a shift in how it is perceived. With so many amazing dancers showcasing their work online, it certainly inspires one to better their skills. The future of western dance never looked brighter.

The truth is that culture is changing in every way – be it lifestyle, fashion or activities — youngsters wants a makeover in every format. Jazz, ballet, contemporary, etc all come with international certification that is coveted by students wanting to go abroad via scholarships and study there. The universities also hold extracurricular activities in high regard and recognise such dance courses. These hold more value from this perspective, when compared to the classical certification. But forms like ballet, for instance, are not easy to master at all. It takes years to perfect a pirouette and the kids have to put in all their heart into practise. But the results are incredible as it really helps with body posture and language.