Indian Dance Groups!: Really Dhool man!

The dance performance I watched last Saturday at my friends’ 21st birthday finally made me scrap my opinions in my blog.

It was a dance performed by one of the famous Indian dance groups in Singapore who were one of the participants in the last Dhool competition. They danced for their typical remixed songs. Those gun blows, robotic voices, etc. It’s very miserable to know that they participate in a tV12 Competition and the only platform that opens up for them to perform is in the community- centre- Indian variety shows, 21st Birthday Parties or perhaps Vasantham central’s countdown at some beach.

So where is their next stage? What are the benefits of all their efforts, spending loads of cash coming up with supposedly unique costumes (more like an improvisation of the uniform road sweepers wear) and countless days’ rehearsals? Would such performances craft them as the best or win them far? Would fame within the small community of Indians, teenagers be sufficient for them?

I did manage to catch a couple of episodes of the last dhool competition and as usual the competitors felt the judges were rude, unfair and not making any sense. But hey the reason they are your judges is because they have many years of experience. They are professionally trained dancers and have gone to other countries to perform and to choreograph. These dance group dancers are just formed within a small scale trying to replica what you watch in television without any theoretical and proper training in dance. No proper concept or theme but funny striking dance costumes, remixes and monkey stunts.

We’re living in the world of Talvin Singh (British DJ and table player), DJ Nasha, A R Rahman, and Yuvan Shankar Raja. Indian Musicians who were chosen as the best. You just install a music software bought in a pirated shop in your Pentium 4 Windows XP and jolly well add in some cool effects and call it remix. Where is the originality?

Why can’t the dancers compete with the intention of being the best in the world? Why only amongst a small population? I have watched competitions in Indian Television and to be frank the Singaporeans have so much more energy compared to them but why not use it with an intelligent and aesthetic approach. Many groups are being formed but quality still remains a question mark. The best part is they have grown to be like Hollywood and Bollywood. I remember the days during my last semester in Poly where my final year project mates would be gossiping about the dancers from various groups and it’s like part of the Indian society in Singapore.

When are they going over to perform in India, in USA, in Europe? With their road sweeper material costumes, dumb remixes and similar moves its not going to take them far. It’s “sometimes” amusing.

I am definitely not discouraging these people (but making fun of them of course). I am a percussionist and have performed in major events in Singapore like Sentosa countdown, National day, etc. I have watched dancers from other countries and also local. They have what it takes, Professionalism!

My advice to these people would be to go ahead expand their passion by enrolling in professional dance classes and properly learning the steps and history of the various genres of dance. I hope to not see the same styles, costumes and songs.

I hope to not laugh during their performances but clap and smile with an appreciation. I hope to see them perform in other parts of the world.

P.S If you’re a dancer in one other dance group and your temperature is rising to beat its limited level after reading this article please stop and think about my message. Thank you!