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Male dancers provoke extreme reactions Who wants to watch hairy sweaty men dance half-naked? or Oh, they are so effeminate. Must be gay! or They would not find a job anywhere, thats why they have come to this field. The author, who learnt dance at a very young age, could never reconcile this prejudice with the dignified image of her handsome guru Dhananjayan, recognized as a manly and powerful Bharatanatyam dancer. Curious about the boys from low-income families who followed their heart and dedicated themselves to dance, in a field where money and fame are not always guaranteed, the author presents their struggles to make their mark in this field. Weaving the story around her guru, and recounting the romantic story of how Dhananjayan met his wife Shanta, it considers whether his success depended on his being one half of a dancing couple. It also narrates the stories of many other male dancers like Navtej, Satyajit Dhananjayan and Anand, each of whom brought their unique perspective to this dance
Interesting Facts :
A unique work of narrative non-fiction set in the world of classical dance.
It talks about the Male contribution to Bharata Natyam, a dance that evolved out of the devadasi tradition and was therefore seen as primarily female
It describes the problems faced by this traditional dance form in its attempt to stay contemporary and relevant
Apart from the Dhananjayans the author also speaks to younger male dancers and describes the problems they face
ISBN - 9789350095843
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Pages : 312
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