‘CLASSICAL DANCE MAKES FOUNDATION STRONG’

The actor says today the dance numbers are different, more Western, because of the generational shift

The Dhak Dhak Girl of Bollywood, Madhuri Dixit Nene, still rules the hearts of movie-buffs with her mesmerising smile, acting skills and, of course, her dance moves.

And the actor says that classical dance strengthens a person’s foundation in the art form. “For eight years as a kid, I only learnt Kathak and practised it for several hours. After that, when I started trying out different styles of dancing, my body movements flowed in a certain manner, making the dance look graceful, effortless and everything that people talk about. What I am trying to say is that if you want to look effortless while dancing, you have to learn that grace through the discipline of practice.”

With a generation change, Bollywood rarely gets to see a classical dance number in films these days. Asked if there is a dearth of trained dancers, Madhuri says, “Bollywood films are about dance, music and narration. We still get to see dance in our films like Baaghi (2016) and Tiger Zinda Hai (2017), but these dances are different, because the generation is different. They are so well-exposed to Western dancing. So the young audience who are watching films relate to such dancing. I think, it is a natural change.”

Asked why youngsters are leaning more towards learning Western dancing instead of Indian classical dance forms, she says, “I think one of the reasons why Western dance is getting much popular than our traditional Indian dance among the mass is that you have to learn Kathak or Bharatanatyam under the guidance of a guru. Whereas in Western dance, you can copy [imitate or learn] from a video. There is a difference. Having said that, I think Bollywood dance is a melting pot of every dance form.”

The multiple awardwinning actors, adding that there is also a difference in the way dance sequences are shot today. She shares, “Cuts are faster, picturisation is different. As a dancer, before finishing an expression, the next shot appears... but I think the generation wants things faster.”

Madhuri Dixit Nene, who is shooting Kalank these days, says that for eight years as a kid, she only learnt and practised Kathak