Seen & Heard by Lakshmi Viswanathan - Etiquette for dancers

A rather unusual lecture was presented by Shanta Rati Mishra at the recent Dance India Asia Pacific conference. She raised interesting points about general etiquette, quoting some well known experts of the west, like Emily Post, and then spoke of dancers and their need to follow etiquette. It was an interesting session, particularly for the young aspirants present. I am giving my own small take on this subject.   
                                        
Most dancers today are well educated and learn early on, to conduct their careers suitably. From writing letters to organisations to applying for scholarships to meeting aficionados, they know pretty much what to do. One need not emphasise elementary stuff like being polite, thanking people, and showing respect to elders and gurus. I truly appreciate the fact that many gurus have done a great job of instilling the idea of respect in their students. They greet senior dancers and teachers with namaste, touching the feet when it is an elder guru, seeking blessings, and so on in a very sweet way. The glaring converse among young musicians is something I find rather curious. Perhaps it is because most of the singers have no guidance from gurus (they are virtually pirates, learning each song from a different stalwart's recording!) and things go to their head rather fast when they take the stage. 

Read the article in the site