Dancing My Way Out
When I was small, I was named ‘Black Beauty’ as I did not have a fair complexion and did not fit into the beauty standards that the society had created. Ever since, I knew that things are not going to be easy for me. I live in a small town Wani which falls in the Yavatmal district of Maharashtra. I loved dancing since I was six but living in a small town became one hell of a hurdle as we did not have many opportunities.
“Dance me koi career nai hota. Dance karke kya karegi?” a close relative told my parents. Coming from an orthodox background, my surroundings were not quite supportive of me since the very start. This affected me a lot, and I had started breaking down, and I remember crying for hours, but I had made my mind not to give in.
On my way to my dance classes, a group of boys once had eve-teased me. It had become an everyday thing for me until I told my parents about it, and they started accompanying me to my classes. I am asthmatic, and dancing for long hours is something that I cannot endure due to my health condition, but as they say, ‘Where there is a will, there is a way!’ Yes, I had figured my way out amidst the heavy college lectures, practicals, health conditions, and the societal pressure to quit dancing.
With the support of my parents and the support of my mentor, Jatin Raut I surpassed that phase in my life. My hostel friends were very supportive to help me come out of it. The dance club I am in, RCOEM Dance Club are a bunch of people who have always believed in me and got the best out of me. I have become very much comfortable in my skin because of all these people who never left my side.
Even today, people pass comments about me wearing short clothes and having short hair and even question my character, but I have promised myself not to let small minds convince me that my dreams are too big.