Master Of Arts

Tulsi Badrinath

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, that's 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

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