A Bharatanatyam Dancer Challenging Racial Stereotypes: Charles Ma

[@charlesma7989]

Thank you all for so much love and support. God has been kind to me and I hope I can do my part in teaching this beautiful art to the next generation of dancers. It has helped me find divinity and myself. It has made me a better person and that is the true purpose of the arts. Wishing you all much love, light and joy. Hari Om. Om Shri Mathreye Namah.

[@rupaljethwa2545]

incredible to see you knock down these barriers and pursue something you love :) My partner, who is a black man, is inspired by Bharatanatyam and was wondering if men dance it also, seeing this will hearten him, if he wishes to pursue it. Thankyou sir.

[@sashaamsterdam]

All the way from Amsterdam: you are incredibly talented. May you find success in all your endeavors 🙏

[@neelima6460]

Hi, good job brother.. And wish you to get there were you want to.

[@hayan_7]

You're an amazing dancer 💕 I'm an Odishi dancer and I understand the dance language. It doesn't judge you based on your race, colour,gender or anything else.

[@a354681]

Guru!

[@saisnigdhakodali6605]

I loved how confident he was. The way he explained was beautifully done.

[@oneforallah]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/eIqtnpaOoK5rl5Y look how confident we can be since Bhartnatyam is a Bharat Natyam aka Dance in India ! Not a gender specific dance

[@saisnigdhakodali6605]

@@oneforallah Yes, exactly! It's a beautiful art form.

[@saisnigdhakodali6605]

@Darkhorse I'm not quite sure, haha. But, that's informative.

[@prabumuthusamy8290]

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.

[@honeyunnikrishnan]

That was sadir 2000 years ago..i

[@logumohan1250]

Yes sathir is a root form of bharatham it emerged in pallavas kingdom

[@vigneshnehru9822]

@@logumohan1250 no it was there since the beginning of the Chola empire

[@amyth9227]

There is too much confusion about this topic nobody really knows it seems. "And so I start the internet wars."

[@ankeetabose2059]

sorry. it has its roots even before ramayan, which isnt less than 7000 years ago. could be even before

[@manojsattanathan3009]

His style of bharatanatyam does not look feminine, and it doesn't have to be. A male's interpretation of the dance can be masculine and still be bharatanatyam. I say this, having noticed a number of male bharatanatyam dancers who put in a lot of effort to bring in feminine attributes to their movements. The dance is not made for women and his rendition is fabulous.

[@missimagoodlady]

You’re right. Traditionally, male Bharatanatyam is supposed to be a lot more gymnastic and powerful than female renditions. I suppose, given the scarcity of male teachers, the art form has taken on predominantly the female form. Glad to see teachers like him who are bringing back the almost lost male form of the dance!

[@Emma88178]

The dance is for everyone of all genders. And people of any gender can be masculine or feminine.

[@Emma88178]

The dance is for everyone of al genders and anyone can be masculine or feminine.

[@lifeisbeautiful6751]

@@Emma88178 You are right. More often than not female Bharatnatyam artist tend to adapt to the feminine form of the art while male Bharatnatyam artists adapt the masculine variation. But there is no actual bar in who does what.

[@manojsattanathan3009]

@@Emma88178 The distinction is between what is forced and what is natural. Some see a conflict where there is none.

[@waleedelephantboy1796]

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

[@brooklynusa670]

Be Indian & leave at that did you have to bring in religion I e Muslim? Indian:=Hindustan first

[@Reixuria]

@@brooklynusa670Why does that matter? The religion one follows does not denote nationality. I think it’s a pretty interesting mix that OP is.

[@anunrealproduction1438]

a muslim's pride is always his downfall... ego

[@waleedelephantboy1796]

@@anunrealproduction1438 I am not a pridal muslim. I’m not even Madrasanist either

[@anunrealproduction1438]

@@waleedelephantboy1796 no one gives a damn about religion.. keep it personal.. you don't have to announce that you are also a human

[@sweatharanganath6100]

500% Indian. No doubt ❤️ Lots of passion, bhavam, and confidence.

[@chestno.1810]

believing in superiority of vedas it formal defenition of hindus , without asking his belief we cannot judge him

[@Mr_faltuji1]

Really? When was the last time we touched those scriptures?

[@chestno.1810]

@@Mr_faltuji1 idk about u idiot idiol worshipers aryans didnt do idol worship

[@Robopi3.14]

@@Mr_faltuji1 doesnt matter, superiority of the vedas is required to be hindu

[@Mr_faltuji1]

@@Robopi3.14 then by your logic 80% of us are already non hindu.

[@siddarthaiyappa6042]

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.

[@ak5258]

I am so proud of him, masculinity and grace at its finest!

[@adarsh65kumar]

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!

[@ak5258]

@@adarsh65kumar lol masculinity doesn’t mean mustache / staring at woman / rape etc.

[@tc2334]

@@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”.

[@sanjana6873]

@@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 🙌🙌

[@aravindsureshthakidayil]

@@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.

[@kaushiknath833]

Hey that's a proud desi boi.

[@Indusxstan]

Definitely his Hindu grandmother's child ❤

[@samrudhik8757]

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!

[@charlesma7989]

❤️❤️🙏 means a lot samrudhi

[@mechdeep87]

I came here after watching rocket boys

[@Shouryavardhansinghtawar-qv4uk]

​@@mechdeep87same here

[@Villivakkam]

@@charlesma7989 Charles, good luck in your endeavors man.

[@sateeshpadmanabhan8939]

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!

[@shwetanayak327]

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❤

[@ace.of.space.]

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.

[@nigelhenriques1893]

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.

[@patricksmith1219]

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.

[@smallsingingelephants]

Try! 21 isn't that young ; a lot of people just start very early. You can do it 😊

[@smeraarkalgud5703]

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!

[@vasanthasenasrinivasan1991]

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.

[@ankeetabose2059]

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

[@krishnanunnimadathil8142]

"...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!)

[@globalcitizenn]

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

[@bradleyf3224]

Where is Charles Ma’s KZbin channel ? He is fascinating to watch. Such a skilled dancer and so beautiful in his cultural fluidity 👍😉💪🇺🇸

[@mohancharlu9153]

Dude you're definitely South Indian just from the way you said fabulous 2:57 👌🏾👌🏾👌🏾

[@1231gsc]

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 :)

[@trusfratedbunny2215]

Our Real Ancient Indian society was never so binary or marked in either black or white but had always concept of deep learning/looking or emphasis of grey in between specially when it comes to gender everything or most of things were genderless & gender fluid.

[@sanez25]

"you danced like Shiva" just sounds too cool. That is probably one of the best compliment

[@shikonseshu]

It's been over two decades since I gave up Bharatanatyam, but seeing his passion makes me want to take up the challenge again. Hope I can find a teacher who can see beyond age, size, and physical limitations.

[@devashreeyumnam7009]

Please follow your passion😊 All the best 😇

[@shikonseshu]

@@devashreeyumnam7009 Thanks for the encouragement!

[@MrALenCar321]

his accent is very south Indian. I love the way her pronounced Tamizh

[@akshithakarun427]

You're such an inspiration brother. You're the epitome of our cultural diversity and of being an Indian :) This is exactly how it ought to be. Sending much love❤

[@deashamitchell5757]

His determination and drive is absolutely powerful and inspiring!!!

[@anoudaniel]

My first memory of Charlie is at SJ PUC. His contemporary style and teaching was amazing and every performance of his students was thought provoking. I am privileged to see him evolve over the years and wish him a great journey ahead. Big shout to my batchmate Nimi, who is in the video. Big hug!!

[@hemanambiar6454]

What a confident, articulate, wonderful dancer you are. Best of luck in your journey to be the best!

[@CrazyXpertor]

Can't believe that he was my teacher once😂

[@ajaymishra616]

North oh south oh nee namma Indian paiyyan okva pa... God bless n keep spreading art n love... Cheers

[@akachan4341]

What you mean small eyes? He is really good looking, awesome with the make up.

[@prathappoojary3618]

Bcz eyes are important in indian classical dance it emits feeling ....

[@striker44]

Do you mean to say he is not awesome without makeup? Choose your words carefully.

[@edgardocarrasquillo9]

Excellent. Passion, education and vocation.

[@princessprsh7761]

Indian classical dances are absolutely beautiful. I always wanted to learn kuchipudi . Hope I can do that before I die 😧

[@himanshusharma524]

I loved his passion for dance

[@cheetavontiebolt9971]

He is a very good dancer

[@shivs7079]

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!

[@devilish-angel-10]

he reminds me of my male bharatnatyam dance teacher ..... i learnt classical dance from yamini krishnamurti dance institute there 2 teachers taught us the main teacher was a male and the other teacher was a female ..... this guy reminded me of my dance teacher cause males learning classical dance and confidently teaching it is not something common in india atlest no where i live i cant say abt other regions ...... . thanks for remonding me of these memories charles .

[@sum3204]

When he talks his hands also do mudras. That is the passion. Thanks for gracing us with your gracious dance.

[@sumanath1]

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.

[@shubhamj7278]

Salut your dedication !!!

[@__seeker__]

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.

[@ragamuffin1588]

This video says otherwise.

[@Rockzzzv]

@@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.

[@tanishanaik7053]

@Zyphern 2.0 so true

[@abcxyz-]

@Zyphern 2.0 Nope, it's both. The religion and the people.

[@VanaeCavae]

@@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.

[@SACHI2805]

KZbin recommend this after 5 years 😢but I really appreciate you 😊

[@sanhitaguin9683]

Inspired me to question the stereotypes I may harbour. I am a huge proponent of inclusion and yet, this video gave me goosebumps as one truth after another that he said hit home. I feel pride in the conviction he displayed and made me challenge my beliefs.

[@lakhiirai7410]

Story like dis gave positive vibes

[@sustainability4all]

Amazing dancer and goals! Kudos to Charles !

[@deepakraghunathan4052]

I admire your passion and your confidence. All the best towards achieving your dreams and ambitions.

[@mirrorflame1988]

Amazing! Belonging starts in the heart and he is one of us! Well done! Looking forward to more of your wonderful performances!!

[@Kakohoguya5768]

Am I the only one who catches asmr vibes from this video?

[@deepeshjain9073]

Mst lage raho , one day you will give performance in national event in front of prime Minister and president .

[@madhurima2454]

This Dude is giving such chill vibes and his dance skills magnificent... How I wish to learn bharatnatyam from him

[@PKP-vp3xq]

Ran into him in Gold’s gym Indiranagar a decade ago. This guy had a ton of confidence and his personality was infectious. Glad to see him here.

[@mesomavalikpe5004]

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

[@abcxyz-]

How is your learning going? Did you get started?

[@beyond8320]

The dance is beautiful!😍

[@ThatLegendaryBerry]

You ARE indian bro. And kinda good looking too 😅. You ooze confidence and positivity. Keep staying true to yourself 😊

[@SinghSabha22]

You are part of Mother India. Please always remember this is your land 🇮🇳❤️

[@summergram]

wowwww congrats charles ma, continue to break boundaries and elevate your art

[@thiruvetti]

WOw am from Tamilnadu and proud of Charles Ma. Awesome to see him perform this way

[@aasthabairagi3113]

As a Bharatnatyam dancer myself I am proud to this man doing it so gracefully.

[@vaishnavnegi9640]

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. 😂

[@louvendran7273]

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.

[@AditiKaushiva]

Beautiful! Keep going!

[@valeska973]

This man is such an inspiration ❤

[@srpucsrpuc3509]

Excellent. Keep growing bro.. Much Love and Support to you!😊

[@teresanelson4491]

Charles you WILL soar like an eagle. Don't let anything or anyone stop you.

[@glenngilbert7389]

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.

[@shesdreamin4637]

So determined so confident I hope all his hardwork pays off well all the best

[@valli1955]

Great Charles.My blessings for u to reach the pinnacle.Yr Confidence is mind blowing.

[@DrPurvajasNatyaMandira]

Super yaar. Best wishes to you, my dear friend 😍

[@cait.in.a.comfy.cozzy.corner]

What an awesome message that has been embedded in this video and this man's journey 👏👏👏

[@nan123jishnu]

Look at him when he is visiting south indian temple ❤😍 and his dance . Come on his lover can't ask for more

[@oneforallah]

I'm proud of you man !

[@Indont1567]

Absolutely loved this! Seeing him dance is so divine!

[@abhilashathackur580]

what strength! I wish I had a teacher with such immense maturity and such great knowledge

[@nanthansivapragas6823]

Bharathanatyam is actually more than 2000 years old.It originates from tamilnadu. It vanished as people did not continue dance.It was revived about 200 years ago.Just clarifying

[@edytaczechowska875]

Good luck with making you dream come true Charles Ma!

[@subhabrataray4786]

That's a master in making.

[@ajay_azhakath]

So graceful and sharp with moves👏👏👏👏🤩🤩

[@charlesma7989]

Thank u ajay

[@sharmi9891]

Maybe you should perfom in India's Best Dancer show. I love Bharatanatyam. Teachers like you are rare. Lots of blessings from Nataraj and Sarasvati Mata.

[@priyakalpathy6608]

Go for it Charles 💪. Wishing you the very best in your journey to being recognized as one of the best bharatanatiyam sololist in India.

[@vidb5409]

Doesn't matter how you look. If you know you want to be a dancer, you become a dancer. That's it.

[@Haresh2374]

Best wishes for ever 😘😘😘 exemple for self confidence.

[@joydeepmishra1509]

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

[@anithakamalamma5582]

You are one of the best inspiring people to me. Keep growing.

[@striker44]

Not 200 years but 5000 years old culture.

[@candy-jk7rk]

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

[@smithkaren1387]

Charles Ma!!!❤ Keep dancing! Keep living your dream!

[@harshraj3719]

People Like You Keep the LOST ART alive . Otherwise Nowdays Dance is nothing but Everything except Dance . Keep the good work . 👍🏻

[@2megna]

It is funny how Indian laymen stereotype bharathanatiyam with women and femininity while the symbol of bharathanatiyam is the most masculine God you can think of: Natrajan. I've followed Charles Ma for a while now, truly a positive and proud individual

[@Verisetti]

Amazing a glimpse of land I will never view thank you were fascinating.

[@86c43]

just fabulous the way his aura changes while performing

[@rayfalcone7163]

He is an inspiration to all Indians, and I hope he continues to strive towards excellence, as a shining example of an Indian classical dancer.

[@tracysingh747]

"And I will get there " That's some sparkling confidence , loved it 👍👍👍

[@i_vsen]

So well spoken. Incredible.

[@shreyahr7884]

Well I have seen many guys practicing bharatnatyam and teaching it too. But yes it is far less compared to the number of women who practice or teach the dance form. Love your moves and how you think and feel Indian ❤. I'm a Bangalorian too so love from Bangalore! I used to learn bharatnatyam. Learnt it for years but had to quit because of studies. I hope I can get back to it one day.

[@bestwishesforall]

His true spirit is Indian, who cares how he looks . Outstanding Bharatanatyam performer . ( comments from a former student/ performer)

[@kavya2402]

He’s amazing 💙

[@_Noopy_]

best wishes to you, Charles!! Thanks for your dedication to the art!

[@ricksanchezcc-1736]

This this makes me so happy. Never let stereotypes stop you from loving and appreciating dance and art. I wish I had seen this years ago. Make me less alone. ❤

[@thilkrish]

You know god siva is also a Bharatanatyam Dancer.. so you are not alone.. He is with you..within you.. so all the best..

[@betsybetsy9996]

I cheer for him, another multiply rooted inspiration for us all.

[@trishapandey8569]

I AM SO FUCKING EXCITED!!

[@SHILUSVLOG]

So glad to watch your nritham😊... Great artist😊🙏🏼stay blessed

[@haneesha123]

I don’t agree with the title. If the dancer was indeed judged for his race, it’s unfortunate and shouldn’t have happened. Most Indians actually love it when people around the world embrace our culture.

[@babinbalakrishnan4670]

I can see lord shiva on ur face which means ur going to conquer this word with peace happiness love and knowledge ...all these are still inside you Master...