Dancers rehearsing through pandemic

Forced away from the stage, they are using this time to learn more and perfect their art

Dance — it is not only the movement of one’s body in rhythm but also of one’s soul. It is powerful and joyful and has the power to express emotions.

For some, it is a passion, while for others it is therapeutic. But, for those who like to perform on the stage, the lockdown has not been an easy time. With coordination, planning and hard work, dancers in the city have been trying to utilise this time to their fullest.

Staying connected

“I love chaos and I wish I was in the midst of it. I wish I could travel and meet people. Dance, in many ways, has a social factor attached to it. Not being surrounded by people can make you feel really overwhelmed but you’ve got to make the best of what you’ve got. You can’t let your life come to a standstill,” says Raktim Thakuria. He has been able to stay connected with his group, thanks to Zoom. They conduct sessions every morning and also host conferences where they discuss future plans and projects. “The lockdown has been very hard on us as we had plans to travel, do shows all over the country and even abroad but could not. We’re going with the flow because this is something we can’t control,” he adds.

Dancing online

Just like most things, dance platforms too shifted online. Aspiring movers learned new dance forms through virtual platforms such as Zoom, Instagram, Google meets etc, while the others used it to entertain their audience. “It is not very convenient to manage everything online. I would any day pick going to an actual class than attending it online,” says Diya Prakash, MCC Western Dance Association member.

The association conducts online dance events and competitions.

They also create easy 30-second dance challenges so even non-dancers can participate in an effort to encourage them to learn.

Most dancers have chosen to look at the bright side during these tough times. “We as a team think about positive things no matter what situation we are facing. Right now, the positive thing is that we are getting a lot of time, unlike when we had to go to college,” says Dilip M, Bboy artiste with CK6.

They are spending the time learning new things, practising more and polishing their art. “The digital world has grown so much that we can learn anything from anywhere,” he adds.