M.A.D - Dance Matters: Column by Ashish Mohan Khokar

While many learn dance as an art form, practice it for long to become adept or skilful - even famous - a very few are mad about it. Some are born to it, others often cajoled by their mothers or others around to acquire some art. Some with means and money even make a career out of it. Some succeed big time, others don't. Some talk of dance being a passion (when they were young) but when passion runs out, then what's left? No one talks of that. It is only when madness remains that it remains for long and good. Mad About Dance = M.A.D.

For long (and good measures), I've been observing dance from childhood. That's like 60 years now! I have seen 5 generation of dancers first hand. A generation is 12 years. Not twenty as we used to think forty years ago! I've seen arangetrams and antims. Start of careers and end of careers. Awards and awards wapsi (return). Padma Shris and Shrimatis! The struggle and the surrender. Joy and sorrow. Sparkle and stars and their downfall too, like star dust. So when I see possessed people, who carry on regardless and have this keedda (bug) of dance in their being, then even I sit up from my Bangalore boredom and take notice. I grit my teeth for the first mad about dance (M.A.D) is a dentist.

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