City gymnasts hope for change of fortune post Rio

Thanks to Dipa Karmakar, the country finally knows what is Produno va. The 23-year-old from Tripura has put the spotlight on a sport that nobody cared much about in our country. To say that we do not have the muscle for the gravity-defying sport would be wrong. Many dancers perform stunts to hip-hop numbers and youngsters from remote parts of the country have done gravity-defying moves across dance reality shows on television. 

Chennai too has a host of B-boying dance troupes and almost every member in it started with gymnastics. P Chandran is a choreographer and performer, who has worked with almost every top star in Kollywood including Rajinikath. He started as a gymnast but eventually moved to the film industry as a choreographer. “My father was a gymnast and I’d often watch him practise at the beach. Though I knew my father loved what he did, he worked as a full-time fish-monger,” says Chandran. 

He further adds, “When I was introduced to B-Boying, I began seeing gymnastics as a dance form and practised it on the beach with my other gymnast buddies. When people would watch us, we felt happy. Then a passer-by offered us a show and offered us decent money for it. It was much more than I would have made as a gymnast at that time.” 

A national level gymnast (doesn’t wish to be named), who is now part of a popular dance troupe in the city says, “When I started a career as a gymnast, the challenges were many. The facilities were limited and the opportunities were few. I took admission in a good college through the sports quota. Here, I came across a few dancers who took me in the team. It gave me a lot of attention and money. Now I am a full-time dancer.” S. Raja, who teaches gymnastics at Marina beach says, “Most youngsters want to learn it to perform ‘stunts’ on the dance floor.” 

But things are about to change. With all the attention to gymnastics, thanks to Dipa Karmakar’s performance in Rio, youngsters can see it as a career opportunity. Prabhu P, President of Tamil Nadu Gymnastics Association says, “Gymnastics has to be learnt at a very young age. A gymnast has to be consistent and focussed. The facilities and the opportunities are at their disposal. After Dipa’s success, I am sure that the younger generation will pursue the sport seriously.”