Chennai dancer clinches gold at international championship

It was a dream come true for 18-year-old Jaswanth, representing India and performing in front of thousands of viewers in Vancouver, and defeating some of the best dancers from across the world at this year’s Dance World Cup. 

“The win was really important for us. We missed getting into the semi-final round of Hip Hop International in Las Vegas last year by a whisker. The 14 months that followed were all about rehearsals, day and night. We toiled really hard for this,” says Jaswanth who was selected in the team after rounds of auditions, and the only participant from Tamil Nadu. The young visual communication student must be quite a hero in his college after the win. 

“In a way, yes. But my professors are not happy with my poor attendance,” he laughs. Surprisingly, Jaswanth, who turns 19 this Saturday, says he never grew up wanting to be a dancer. “I was a little on the heavier side in my early teens, thanks to my pizza addiction. 

After a point, my mother wouldn’t let me have any unless I joined a dance class. She thought I’d lose weight in the process. Although I joined the class half-heartedly, over time, I not only ended up becoming fit but also developed a passion for dance. I can go without pizza for months together now,” he adds with a smile. While Chennai continues to be a hub for classical dance and music, Jaswanth, who also teaches hip hop, feels the dance form is thriving. 

“There are a lot of dance schools that offer specialised classes in this genre. We even have the Chennai Hip Hop Championship, the standard of which has been growing,” he muses. 

“Apart from being an art form, it is a powerful form of protest medium that can also help spread awareness on why people are frustrated and raise issues that affect people on a daily basis. Also, we need to Indianise hip hop. Once you try and relate it to your local context, you not only own it but also create a bigger impact among the audience. Further, it is perhaps the only medium of dance that has the power to break down class barriers for the language is at its simplest,” adds Jaswanth. 

At the end of the day, he says hip hop helps him “feel empowered and heard. It gives me a chance to criticise and question authority without feeling intimidated.”