A Bharatanatyam Dancer Challenging Racial Stereotypes: Charles Ma
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- Опубліковано 29 тра 2019
- Part-Nepalese, part-Chinese, along with Northeastern roots, Charles Ma grew up in a Tamil community in Bengaluru. Mystified by Bharatanatyam, he decided to dedicate his life to Nataraj.
However, the journey wasn’t easy for him. His physical features were not in alignment with what is generally accepted in the realm of classical dance - beautiful women with lustrous hair, big almond eyes lined with kohl, adorning temple jewellery. And that led to incidents of racial discrimination, when he was categorically told that he not the right fit in the world of classical dance.
Charles broke the mould and chipped away at the stereotype, to become one of the few male Bharatanatyam dancers in India.
In this episode of VICE Meets, Charles talks to us about what it means to be a classical dancer with distinctive facial features in a society that remains rooted in racism and discrimination.
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If he feels Indian and he says he is Indian, then he is Indian. Indians are racially diverse. I love his confidence and his personality. He is certainly an excellent Bharatanatyam dancer, anyone would be fortunate to learn from him.
Then why are people calling Ollie London racist when he says he is Korean?????????
@@btsimagine8186 no idea who that is. Ask him
@@btsimagine8186 that's called being a fking moron he doesn't givr a shit about Korean culture,he just wants to stir shit up to be revelant.dont ever compare that guy to this dancer.
@@btsimagine8186 because he can't speak the language and doesn't respect the culture either. He's from England and altering his features with plastic surgery "to look more Korean". It's pretty obvious that his situation isn't really the same as the guy in the video.
@@btsimagine8186 Well, this guy was born and raised in India, so even if he wanted to be more "Chinese" (which he's only half), he'd still have a very long way to go.
A small correction at 0:31. Bharatanatyam didn't originate 200 years ago. The first recorded instance of Bharatanatyam is at 200CE in the Tamil epic "Silappatikaram". So, it originated around 2000 years ago.
No that was not bharathanatyam its old form ! Watch tamil pokkisham's video
That was sadir 2000 years ago..i
Yes sathir is a root form of bharatham it emerged in pallavas kingdom
@@logumohan1250 no it was there since the beginning of the Chola empire
There is too much confusion about this topic nobody really knows it seems. "And so I start the internet wars."
I loved how confident he was. The way he explained was beautifully done.
ua-cam.com/video/BYJmcXkI8a4/v-deo.html look how confident we can be since Bhartnatyam is a Bharat Natyam aka Dance in India ! Not a gender specific dance
@@oneforallah Yes, exactly! It's a beautiful art form.
@Darkhorse I'm not quite sure, haha. But, that's informative.
Hey that's a proud desi boi.
I am so proud of him, masculinity and grace at its finest!
I don't know about masculinity tho.. Bharatnatyam seems pretty feminine to me!
I'm not looking down on any male bharatnatyam dancers, I'm just saying it's a very feminine dance form!
@@adarsh65kumar lol masculinity doesn’t mean mustache / staring at woman / rape etc.
@@adarsh65kumar Weird. Bharatnatyam is very angular, hard, and dramatically expressive in the eyes to me. Among Indian dances, if anything, it’s the most “masculine”. Other forms, like kathak immediately strike me as more “feminine”.
@@adarsh65kumar dance never have any gender, it's just that bollywood have made this stereotypes if boy is classical dancer than he would be gay. I really love duo dancer it's very expressive and good 🙌🙌
@@adarsh65kumar no, rather, it is an extremely masculine art form. The lord of Bharatanatyam is Thillai Natarajar, Shiva himself. It seems feminine to you because most performers today are female and they have infused their own vasanas (tendencies) into the art. There was a time when men and only men were allowed to study and perform Indian dances.
he's got a great personality..love the way he expresses his ambitions ..such n optimistic n confident man..all the best charles ma..i'm sure u'll reach great success n achieve beyond your dreams❤
So glad to see see Charlie. Was his student back in college. Sure he will be the best soloist in India. Good luck. God bless.
I had the privilege of witnessing one of his dance performances about 2 years ago! Amazingly talented and graceful, yet not effiminate...He will definitely become one of India's best dance teachers and performers!
I loved this!! I personally have always been a little intimidated by trying to learn bharatnatym, either cuz i feel like 21 years old is quite late, and also my gender tbh. I mean I can watch classicial dance like kathak and bharatnatym for hours just to admire the footwork. But this was quite inspiring.
Do it! 21 is not that late, I started at 30 and am very much not going to be a soloist, but just for the love of it it's worth it. Also, I think the video may be exaggerating about the no male dancers aspect, there are many well regarded male solo artists, and I am currently studying short-term in Chennai, and about half the class is male.
Try! 21 isn't that young ; a lot of people just start very early. You can do it 😊
I believe in you! I’m a Bharatanatyam as well and as long as you put in the effort and enjoy the art, then I say go for it!
There is no caste creed religion gender or any other consideration for learning and performing this divine art of Bharata natyam.its beyond all this .I see the only criteria sincere love and dedication to learn and inbibe this art. You are really good you have inborn talent in you .rest comes with sincere hard and dedicated practise and above all a good teacher , a devoted Guru to guide and show you the right path to achieve your goal.The Lord will bless you to reach greater heights. My Good wishes and Blessings.Vasantasena artiste from Mumbai ,Maharashtra.
if you know, Bharatanatyam has its roots with lord Shiva. who is a very well known to be a robust muscular divinity. hence being male and also being tough and strong, he is the one who is the starting of this wonderful form. ofcourse, maa Parvati being the feminine strength in her. just proves that ur body and gender doesnt matter as long as u love the dance and want to learn it
Where is Charles Ma’s UA-cam channel ? He is fascinating to watch. Such a skilled dancer and so beautiful in his cultural fluidity 👍😉💪🇺🇸
with the first word he spoke i was like Ah. that's a south indian dude right there. awesome to see him challenging gender norms as well as racial assumptions.
"...originated 200 years ago?" Does this prove Vice can't count...Having said that, great work Charles! Bharatanatyam is not easy; the fluidity is an achievement all by itself! (Bow!)
I just saw Rocket Boys and immediately realized that the Bharathanatyam guru was Charles because I had seen this video 2 years ago. I am a Bharathanatyam dancer too and I loved how it was presented in the series. So proud of you, Charles!
❤️❤️🙏 means a lot samrudhi
I came here after watching rocket boys
I loved his passion for dance
What you mean small eyes? He is really good looking, awesome with the make up.
Bcz eyes are important in indian classical dance it emits feeling ....
You are a fantastic artist Charles Ma......I remember many years ago seeing you in a youtube video, probably was a Ted talk video or may be something else...you danced like Shiva, you talked about your understanding of Indian classical dance...some singers/ dancers can somehow give the audience a spiritual experience through their work...I felt that when I saw you dance, the moves were so sharp, clean, accurate and yet so soulful, soft and emotional.....our classical dances demand a kind of gender fluidity which is very difficult to achieve given the binary society we grow up in....very few women and even fewer men can walk that thin line and potray both Shiva and Shakti with equal comfort and grace....you had that magic in you...I felt happy to see younger generation embrace classical art forms like this and at the same time I felt so ashamed at the unfathomable ignorance and parochial nature of our society and what you had to face...good to see you again here...may your dreams come true :)
Salut your dedication !!!
omg i love this! i love that you embrace the south culture and that you are so passionate about bharathanatyam! you are such an inspiration. kudos!
His determination and drive is absolutely powerful and inspiring!!!
I admire your passion and your confidence. All the best towards achieving your dreams and ambitions.
Excellent. Passion, education and vocation.
What an awesome message that has been embedded in this video and this man's journey 👏👏👏
I’m trimix also my Paternal grandmother is Tamil Muslim Indian, my Paternal Grandfather is a Malay Javanese and my Mum is a Singaporean Malay Chinese. I’m mix also and I relate more to my grandmothers mix Indian side to research and relearn back my mix Indian roots. It doesn’t matter what colour and race you are, most important if you choose more to the Indian Way of Culture and Living you are Indian
Amazing dancer and goals! Kudos to Charles !
Can't believe that he was my teacher once😂
So determined so confident I hope all his hardwork pays off well all the best
500% Indian.
No doubt ❤️
Lots of passion, bhavam, and confidence.
Story like dis gave positive vibes
Good luck Charles. You definitely broke the barriers and you are a gorgeous dancer. Wish you all the best. The younger generation is very open.. Thank God for that. Yoh have talent.. You are fearless.. You will do well.
Dude you're definitely South Indian just from the way you said fabulous 2:57 👌🏾👌🏾👌🏾
Beautiful! Keep going!
The dance is beautiful!😍
Indian classical dances are absolutely beautiful. I always wanted to learn kuchipudi . Hope I can do that before I die 😧
Hindu culture has always been racially inclusive. If a sincere person wants to practice, things like skin color and ethnic/national origin are irrelevant.
Mr. Ma is a fine person.
This video says otherwise.
@@ragamuffin1588 it's because most people come to make fun they ll lie at first then make a video and make fun of culture so people always see some other person they think the same.
@Zyphern 2.0 so true
@Zyphern 2.0
Nope, it's both. The religion and the people.
@@abcxyz- hinduism is a liberal religion. It accepts many pathways to God. Unlike certain religions that say that they are the only way to salvation.
North oh south oh nee namma Indian paiyyan okva pa... God bless n keep spreading art n love... Cheers
wowwww congrats charles ma, continue to break boundaries and elevate your art
You ARE indian bro. And kinda good looking too 😅. You ooze confidence and positivity. Keep staying true to yourself 😊
You are one of the best inspiring people to me. Keep growing.
Mst lage raho , one day you will give performance in national event in front of prime Minister and president .
Your my brother and you are one graceful dancer... Migavum nandraga irukindrathu.... Vazhga vazhamudan🙏
Best wishes for ever 😘😘😘 exemple for self confidence.
Great Charles.My blessings for u to reach the pinnacle.Yr Confidence is mind blowing.
Best of luck! Love you passion and determination.
This man is such an inspiration ❤
That's a master in making.
He’s amazing 💙
I'm proud of you man !
I admire your dedication and perseverance. I'm sure you'll succeed.
Amazing a glimpse of land I will never view thank you were fascinating.
I love this man and his dance bruh AWESOMEEE
Super yaar. Best wishes to you, my dear friend 😍
If anyone is showing interest in our culture and religion he's already hindu and indian 🥰. We are kind and welcoming. Bharatnatyam is spiritual and religious dance form. We should take inspiration from him
Awesome!!!!!
So talented👌
So graceful and sharp with moves👏👏👏👏🤩🤩
Thank u ajay
Very impressive, Mr. Ma. Wish you could teach in Chicago. 🥰
Very good Sir. Inspiring!
Love your pieces... powerful and statuesque yet sensual
just fabulous the way his aura changes while performing
Kudos Anna! I want to learn from you!
Oh wow . I actually saw one of his performances when I was in Bangalore.. so happy that vice chose to make this video. Dancers come in many shapes and forms, he is a great example of breaking stereotypes .. much love 💜
Am I the only one who catches asmr vibes from this video?
yes.
What all I could see that a beautiful human being doing bharatnatyam dance in the most graceful and perfect manner ❤😊🙏👌🙌
I would like to spend the rest of the days of my life learning Indian Classical dance (Kathak and Bharatanatyam). I'm rubbish at any other forms and styles of dance
How is your learning going? Did you get started?
He's amazing
Wow! That guys so awesome
Very proud of you Sir🙌
Come to Durban, South Africa, Krish Swamivel is a teacher has been doing this for over 40 years. Bharathanatyam is a popular dance form among local Tamils there.
God Bless you with Abundance, Bash on Regardless
Good luck with making you dream come true Charles Ma!
Great..hats off...💞💞🥰🥰
So proud of him 😍😍😍
Kudos to you Mr.Charles Ma. Thank you for sharing your knowledge and devine skills. 👏👏👏
🙏🙂🙂
I'm so proud of you !
I AM SO FUCKING EXCITED!!
Very much impressed with you sir ❤
inspiring and also some mutual facts about society
As a Bharatnatyam dancer myself I am proud to this man doing it so gracefully.
He is a very nice dancer. I have watched many of his dancing videos
God bless u❤
Coming from Dehradun, there are so many Nepali and Tibetan people around. I generally assume anyone to be from these two groups. Once I mistook an actual Chinese teacher at my college for one. 😂
God bless you. 🙏
Yes everything will be good and u are Sure about ur future that is most important😊😊
All best
May your dreams come true
Bharatnatyam training is very tough.. it takes dedicated practise like martial arts.. but there is the artistic component too.. I'm so glad it survived British colonisation and is still preserved somewhat. There have always been male classical dancers, you can see Michael reference them in his duet with an Odissi dancer in Black or white, and you can see the influence of Indian classical dance on his future choreographies, especially in dangerous
And I think you are amazing! ❤️
Till now I have curiosity what hands sign mean in bharatnatyam ..
Jai Hind !! Proud of u bro!!
Bless you ....!!🙏🙏
Ur great Charles ma sir, keep doing ur best😀
We love you we are indians no matter your roots even some Egyptians who settled here call them Egyptian were as Chinese and Indian culture devoloped together
i live in the same exact place ! looking forward to learn bharathanatyam! :)
You re awesome, and The Dance does not need an identity, just a disciplined person with love and skill, i think someone from Mars could be a honorable Bharat Natyam dancer, it really does not matter.
I love this man's ambition. I'm a Christian Indian whose family immigrated from India and I would so love to have had the opportunity to do what this amazing man has done.
This man is 😎 as ice
He is soooooooo much more sorted in life... than I can ever imagine to be!
Lovely personality...
... and I assume... just as talented in the performing art forms too.1🤍💙👌🏽
And yes you will get there Charles! Godspeed!
Charles you WILL soar like an eagle. Don't let anything or anyone stop you.
I like his spirit
He is soooo cute. I would love to have him as my bharatnatayam teacher