Charles Ma: Not your typical Bharatanatyam dancer

[@charlesma7989]

Yes Jyostna Shourieji...I live in India...Bangalore..thank you for the appreciation. Truly means a lot.

[@UnnikrishnanR]

You are such an inspirational speaker Charles! I watched this video the first time when I was in a funk and it got me up and running about real soon! =) Please continue spreading joy and love wherever you go and thanks for showing us what the true essence of our ancient culture is!

[@snba1581]

Unnikrishnan R v

[@nefersphinx3682]

rukmini devi arundale

[@vivek86mybad]

You are such a inspiration Charles . We lesser mortals just giving up on our dreams at the slightest sight of a problem . And here you are taking so much pleasure in what you love to do , it just shows on your face . Great job buddy .

[@rangamrramesh232]

Wow after many years I saw men dancing these pure dance forms. All the boys who used to learn bharatanatyam have stopped learning in our dance class. But it was really good to see you sir!

[@Priya-bt3oj]

My heart is bursting with pride. I am so happy to see a man attracted to Indian classical dance than the crap we see all the time. Keep up the spirit and make us all proud. Hope you and other people like you will inspire the new generation and help preserve the uniqueness of our classical dances. Lots of love and blessings.

[@charlesma7989]

+Priya thank you priyajji. I keep your blessings:) Om Namah Shivaya.

[@r8rdarklord]

+Charles Ma Wonderful..keep up the practice, because like you said it is a journey. May the great lord Shiva bless you. Shubham!

[@charlesma7989]

Thank you. Om.

[@mishadas463]

Perfection and clarity is bharatnatyam. He is perfect

[@Reincarnation111]

How beautiful! dance is emanating from his very soul....nothing else matters; anyone who loves the Lord Shiva with such devotion receives His grace and blessings; this young dancer is surely endowed with both.

[@stallionarun]

Loved what he said about Lord Shiva and Ma Ganga, plus he is cute :) x

[@blacktulip2407]

I think i never saw such great expressions on a male dancer's face before. U just watch him, he will go straight into ur soul. My compliments and gratitude!

[@monacan9]

Namaste Charles: I coincidently bumbed into your youtube link. I am so amazed by your precise movements (what impeccable aramandi!), control, yet nuanced, subtlety in your abhinaya. Both your dances touched me very deeply, especially your Nav Rasam. Beautiful! I myself am a Bharata Natyam Dancer, as well Bollywood and Contemporary Indian Dancer/Choreographer/Teacher in Virginia, U.S.A. I am North-Indian (born in New Dehli, raised in Europe and the United States) who somehow was guided towards Bharata Natyam this life (Who knows, I may have been a Kathak dancer in a previous life, so chose to engage in a different dance form this life.:). In any case, I can relate to feeling different in the world of South-Indian Classical Dance. I have great compassion for your journey of over-coming obstacles with strength and courage. Personally, even my body is designed more for ballet and kathak (I have come to gracefully embrace that my aramandi will be as God made my body, albeit not a perfect diamond, but a way that honors my shape and bone structure)--this was an added challenge for me to overcome. As long as we dance from our pure heart and soul, that is what truly seeps through. Dance to me is a prayer, a meditation, path to Nirvana, if you will. So, my fellow dancer and devotee of Lord Shiva (I fast in devotion both him and Durga Ma/Kali Ma), I am so proud of you and I applaud your determination, poise, grace, and utterly sincere, ancient soul. You are truly wise beyond your years. I pray that God showers and blesses you with so much love and success and beauty in your Bharata Natyam Journey, as well sacred Life. AUM Namah Shivaya!

[@charliesdancecompany8269]

Thank you Sumona..we are all a part of a bigger Plan.I dance and dance only for him..... The three eyed Lord watches us...May he also guide you on your journey always..Thank you gain for the appreciation and good wishes. I'm deeply touched.

[@savitriayapilla3943]

Brilliant performance..God bless u

[@minakshichakraborty8461]

Charles dances so gracefully........his bold yet graceful dancing and eloquence are both praiseworthy. He has the Lord's blessing for sure.

[@sripriyakarthikeyan6837]

Charles, you are what a true artist is - passionate, hungry, dedicated, focused and humble. Such an inspiration. Loved your adenamma! What vigor- hats off

[@charlesma7989]

Deeply grateful, keep me in your prayers. Om.

[@lll2282]

He is so handsome his every dance movies bring divinity keep going charles u look like lord shiva dancing

[@silverglen5632]

Much appreciation from London.

[@sashapillai7430]

You are simply amazing., Lord Siva is with you.

[@itzjayanthReddy]

S iam also a male Bharatanatyam dancer

[@JessicaHooks28]

Wow. You're inspiring. way to go :)

[@bijulabl5719]

Such an inspiring story.. hats off sir..♥️

[@valarmathisivaprakasam2042]

He is not only a talented dancer but also a successful business man dealing with real estate in Auckland. Charles ma in another jackma.

[@vasantadancer]

Great performance! I enjoy the Bharat stile of Charles Ma very much.

[@madhumaniar1801]

Charles, truly classic !! & You are lucky you could reach till here. I too wanted to learn , but till now haven't, NOW 'senior citizen'! Good luck ahead🙌

[@galaxy3157]

There should be more of very devoted dancers like him .

[@jamesaron1967]

Splendid performance!

[@vinayreddy9684]

About discrimination.., just don't care People thinking boys should not dance.., It was made for boys n first practiced by them.., Female was more for attraction.., No offence meant

[@crispysamosa6659]

Charles ...I have try to show my boys what an inspiration you are...thanks for proclaiming to the world how great our culture is!

[@magnart]

this kind of things make me feel so good being Indian.

[@DrBro]

My teacher ❤

[@nerueru5756]

Gorgeous, strong and manly. Thoroughly enjoyed this video!

[@vaidyaga]

you are amazing !!! Your passion and dedication is extraordinary ! you truly inspire me ....thank you !!!

[@ashokks6849]

You are such a inspiring person

[@arunkmohan9337]

I enjoyed your talking .......from heart

[@ligimathew7372]

You are amazing!!

[@charliesdancecompany8269]

Thank you Unnikrishnan. God has been kind to an artiste like me. Much luck and light on your journey.

[@csheru]

Bro Charles..............YOU are simply AMAZING................Please Forgive Ignorant people and Accept Wishes& Blessings from all of US Indians who Really loved to see Almost Lord Shiva Dancing.......................

[@csheru]

manish awasthi I am going to SHARE this every where to AWARE OUR people in India and Around the World.............................

[@charliesdancecompany8269]

manish awasthi I am but the work of lord Shiva...Manish I dance because of him...Om Namah Shivaya..May we all dance his Rhythm of life.

[@mimimiyoko1247]

5:28 a moment of perfection

[@TAGOREification]

This is AMAZING !!!

[@kirandancer528]

Wowwww ❤❤❤❤

[@SrushtiHalge]

WoW.....!!!!

[@adarshks674]

Very nice video.....love you bro...

[@meghasr5848]

Divine performance 🙏 📿 ☺️

[@galaxy3157]

Brilliant .

[@suhaslakkundi6892]

Awesome!

[@bhairavaish]

great , god bless.

[@sherpriya]

Charlie is a talented cutie.

[@jyotsnashourie7534]

Loved it. Keep being inspired to dance . Do you live in India and where

[@tejay6786]

Yes... Charles is Indian...

[@varma11235]

song was in telugu

[@leninworld]

wonderful

[@saishekarreddy4650]

+Charles Ma...hi, your dance is awesome.... I watch a lot of dance shows in my free time. I too am a dance lover like you though I have just started to learn ( professionally) bharatanatyam now but have been dancing from childhood. I liked the dance and the song on the navarasaas that you have performed at the end of the video, where can I get the song..... Is it possible for you to share the same?

[@narendrainamdar137]

Very good

[@geet980]

Ammazzing!

[@theokishna6973]

Normally I ignore to give a comment because its waste of time! With all respect to the dancer but this is what the greatest artistic contribution, the Source Art of the genuine Nattuvanar Gurus of the Thanjavur Quartet Parampara, became a mass product! The dance looks like an exotic oriental dance, no stillness of the body, footwork sloppy, and moving the body like ballet thats certainly not Bharata Natyam! If you see one performance then you have seen all well looks like mechanical! Where is the precision, the oneness of music and choreography, the music sounds like a popular spiritual music, the singer is certainly not trained to render the composition according the choreography. He can become a good dancer if trained by a good male master from the original stock of Bharata Natyam, female teachers are lacking the skills to teach male dancers, mostly they become a caricature of a female dancer! Not surprise because the original Gurus were only male and the females their visual ideas. The whole world scene of mass produced Bharata Natyam is sadly a noisy expression that is what is left of the greatness of the once Royal and Temple Art of the Thanjavur Quartet Parampara! But there is still hope a light a few artists who have kept the impeccable and elaborate Source Art of Bharata Natyam but its tremendous hard work of body and mind to keep both discipline choreography and music inseparable one of the main feature of the original classical Art of Bharata Natyam.and by the way is absurd that the dancer was discriminated the traditional masters never think like that for them the Art was important if the student works hard no matter which cultural background you come from!

[@charlesma7989]

Namaskaram Theo. This was a long time ago. Iwas young and true, we used to be caricature of teachers and stars. I agree with what you say. In fact I have Going backwards and working on the older banis. Seeing how the sampradaya was. Working on art the traditional way. Doing older and slower pieces that belong to that era. I understand your point of view and I still have a long way to go to take back dance to the beautiful days of the thanjai naalvar and the issai vellalar sampradayam

[@charlesma7989]

But I agree with the mechanical and acrobatic trap that we all and some of us still fall into. But i are moving backwards and that's is honest and with true yearning. I wish you more peace and light that only true dance and art can bring and help us rise above indignation, hate, and venom spewing. May the adishakti take is towards the light om

[@theokishna6973]

@@charlesma7989 did not expect a reply but good that you know what I mean. I am one of the custodians and visiual artist/master of the authentic Art of Bharata Natyam from the ancient Tanjore Quartet Parampara and I am blessed because the authentic Art of Bharata Natyam is my way of life!. I wish you also peace and sincere honesty towards yourself and towards others! Aum Namah Shivayam!

[@theokishna6973]

@@charlesma7989 Namaskar Charles Ma my second name is Ram, my artist name! We were blessed to meet and work with the last visionary of the authentic lineage of Nattuvanar Gurus, late Tanjore Guru K.P. Kittappa Pillai, artists who have worked hard, suffered also like most real artists do, one of the reasons that we continue to document the impeccable dance and music vocabulary of the Thanjavur Quartet Paramparai.

[@charlesma7989]

And truly respect the nattuvannar paramparai hence I understand your stance. Good job

[@sayantikamajumder2745]

Wow

[@savithrirao58]

Excellent performance. But now a days the lighting especially when it is Solo Bharathanatyam performance why shouldn't they have bright light? Our Natyam is very unique that is we take all the roles what we call as Eka Aharyabhinaya & that needs to be seen especially our Mukha Bhavam, (facial expressions) . You did beautifully but the bhavam was not seen fully. May I know who your Acharya is ? Very good bani. Mind your foot work whenever you do the Arudi adavus like Thadinginathom or kitatakatharikitathom adavus. But you are a very potential dancer. God bless you to learn & perform more.

[@charlesma7989]

Namaskaram akka. I'm deeply humbled. I learnt with many teachers. Till I came under the tutelage of guru poornima ashok, who is a disciple of the dhananjayans. But it think the style is predominantly a mix of the vazhavoor and kalakshetra principles.🙏

[@charlesma7989]

It truly means a lot. I treasure your. blessings. But I'm more a teacher and nattuvannar now.🙏

[@143akhilesh]

he sounds like farhan akhtar

[@anweshabhattacharya7126]

yes really

[@GeetaDeviTrikoti]

You look like BTS jimin

[@gsharmasvali]

danses and expresses really well but no expressions

[@BakkerSamuel]

But they should not praise Shiva... Praise Jesus my friends

[@SwiSwiKat]

Why shouldn't they? They are Indian!!! Seriously!!!

[@charlesma7989]

sigh!

[@SwiSwiKat]

Sigh! Indeed. The shortsightedness of some people are shocking and very, very scary.

[@vasanthasenasrinivasan1991]

I really am impressed with your performance. Keep it up. All the best for your future.God bless you.vasantasena artiste from Mumbai Maharashtra

[@saishekarreddy4650]

+Charles Ma...hi, your dance is awesome.... I watch a lot of dance shows in my free time. I too am a dance lover like you though I have just started to learn ( professionally) bharatanatyam now but have been dancing from childhood. I liked the dance and the song on the navarasaas that you have performed at the end of the video, where can I get the song..... Is it possible for you to share the same?