CHENNAI: At 82, nothing stops Prof CV Chandrasekhar from dancing. When we describe him as one of the prominent ‘male’ dancers we have today, he corrects us gently, “Don’t call me a ‘male’ dancer. I prefer addressing as ‘men dancers’...it gives us more dignity.” After speaking at The Artist’s Soul, Wandering Artist, recently, the Padma Bhushan awardee spoke to us about his 70-plus years of dancing, different changes in the art form and what keeps him going. Excerpts follow.
Dance and music has always been a part of your life. Nothing seems to have changed since...
Yes. I came to Kalakshetra when I was 10. My father was keen I learn music. We lived in Shimla then and I was trained by the paattu vadhiyars who was brought in by government servants. It was after a year that Rukmini Devi thought I should learn dance and she got permission from my father. I was like clay in her hand — she moulded me. She also decided that I should have an arangetram. 1945-54 were nine special years in my life.
Could you tell us about your first stage performance?
I took part in many of Rukmini Devi’s productions. But when I was pursuing MSc Botany at Benaras University, I took part in the first inter-university festival at Delhi (1954). I didn’t have anyone to sing for me; we did not have recorded songs then. Incidentally, I heard a friend singing and asked him if he would sing for me and he accepted. I also found another boy in the university who played mridangam. Then I needed a teacher and we found one, miles away from our university. That’s how I put together my first solo act. I won the first place for Bharatanatyam...but the certificate still says male (laughs). My first international performance was for the Indian University Student-Teacher Delegation in China in 1955. CP Ramaswamy Iyer, who was the then vice chancellor of Benaras University, chose me to represent India. This event opened my interest in dance.
Your journey as a teacher...
My first job was as a teacher at Kalakshetra in 1956 for three months, where I was paid `100 a month. After that I went back to the hills, Mussoorie, where I taught all subjects at a school. That was again a turning point and I wanted to become a dancer. In the 80s, I was appointed as a professor at Baroda University, which is the first university to have dance as a subject. I was the first dean of the department and I taught there till 1997. Even now I teach for joy. But I have certain rules. If someone wants to learn only a few pieces from me, then I am not up for it. During the course of the sessions you will learn a few items, but that shouldn’t be someone’s motive. I don’t sell my pieces because I want my students to be better dancers.
More men are taking up Bharatanatyam but there’s still there is a bias. Comment.
Gender has nothing to do with dance. At some point in time, it became stamped that dance is for women. In shringara padham, nowhere it says it’s for men or women. As a dancer, we have to see to it that it is not too masculine or too effeminate. Thankfully, a lot more boys are learning this art form. During our time, all dance forms were filled with men — Kathak, Kathakali, Odissi et al. It is only Bharatanatyam and Mohiniattam that have become a dance form for women. Even our ancient nattuvanars were all men; they were teachers and they had amazing body movements and abinaya. It was because of societal pressure that they never really could dance in public.
Are you open to experiments?
Choreography and experimentation are all new words. I have nothing against anyone doing something with Bharatanatyam, but the base should be strong. I also enjoy watching the grammar of new way of dance. But that is not Bharatanatyam, but just a new style.
What keeps you going?
I really don’t know. I have a passion to continue dancing and I don’t know when I will get a chance. But when I get an opportunity I don’t want to say no. I believe it is my lifestyle, devotion to art and the ashirwadam of my parents and mentor that keeps me going.
In a league of his own
Chandrasekhar doesn’t follow a particular style of dancing. He believes that he has formed his own idea about performing arts. He says that these past 20 years have been the best years in his life as he gave a lot of performances and got to travel the world. “These years gave me a satisfaction that I have done what I always wanted to do. I am happy my train is still moving...it has slowed down a little, but I am happy.”