The Unfading Rhythm of the Relentless Dancer
As she stands with her eyes shut and fist clenched, there is not one soul in the crowd that dares to speak. With every eye on her slender silhouette, her heart races faster than ever before and a thousand thoughts run in the back of her head. And as the spotlight falls on her and the music begins to play, the sound of ghungroos fill the air. The dim lights disappear and the stage brightens. The pink on her cheek begins to show even more, as she, clad in blue, brings life to every rhythm that reaches her ear, tapping her alta-covered feet to every beat and swaying her thin little hands, effortlessly, in the air. With bold, kohl-lined eyes, hair swept back into a neat bun, and an evergreen smile, this 22-year-old is nothing less than an image of grace, poise and elegance.
Suparna Singh is a college-going Kathak dancer from Delhi who believes that dancing is what defines her. “Classical dance is like a religion, rather that’s the only religion I feel I belong to and follow generously,” she says. According to her, classical dance is not only the quintessence of beauty, grace, and power of our eternal culture but, it is also a prayer and a form of meditation that attracts divine blessings, happiness, and peace of mind. She believes that Indian dance forms work as a powerful element that not only soothes one’s mind but also disciplines one’s lifestyle and enhances creativity and concentration. It enriches one’s personality, makes one more confident and helps one understand one’s own body. It is accepting yourself the way you are.
With hours of practice every day, dancing has become a major part of her daily routine. She has been undergoing training since she was 11-years-old. “You are never considered the most learned in this field. There’s no end to learning. Even at the age of thirty, you haven’t learned all the raags, thumris, and taals. You can just go on and on with the learning. When I practice, I feel like I’m in direct contact with the divine being. If I am frustrated, I try a lot of foot movements to get rid of my frustration, instead of yelling at someone or crying. It helps me physically as well as mentally,” she says.
She is currently pursuing her Masters in Sociology from Delhi University but she is perhaps one of those rare youngsters who want to continue dancing & pursue it as a career. On being asked why she thinks classical dance forms are not valued in India, anymore, she goes on to say, “There is nothing to prevent an Indian from admiring or learning a foreign dance form. But what is annoying is that they disrespect classical dance forms and consider them old school. Surprisingly, people from outside our culture are more interested in learning Indian Classical dance forms. The youngsters in India are provided with it on a platter and that is why they don’t really value it. They want to be the jack of all trades but are masters of none. They learn for three to four months and then leave. What they don’t understand is that this is not just a hobby. It’s an art that needs to be studied and one can never fully learn it.”
Like any other dedicated classical dancer, she believes in bringing back the world where people respect this dance form. She believes in bringing an end to the chaos everywhere with mere dancing. “It is the duty of the dancer to create an atmosphere of peace through her dance and the deep spiritual dedication that accompanies any performer. After all, Brahma created this audio-visual art form to check the moral deterioration in the world,” she says, with an unfading smile on her face.
