The tough truth of being a male dancer

There’s a reason why male professional dancers are rarely found on the stages of India. Navtej Johar, Akram Khan and Narthaki Natraj explain the scene

The life of a dancer is quite amusing when you come to think of it. More so, if you are a male dancer. Some instances and experiences leave you not only bemused and entertained but also wondering if ‘Sharmaji ka beta’ was right all along! That you should have chosen a less intriguing career. That you should have run after that coveted MBA degree from an Ivy League university. That you should have settled down with that iconic 9-5 corporate job and a big fat cheque at the end of each month.

The writer of the story seen in his getup as a Odissi dancer

Navtej Johar, who started dancing at age 21, was a bearded Sikh boy and had no idea he stuck out

British-Bangladeshi choreographer Akram Khan faced bullying, but ended up choreographing the 2012 London Olympics; Bharatanatyam practitioner Narthaki Nataraj was the first transgender person to be awarded the Padma Shri

Quick questions with the three dancers