Boys don't dance, they say
Boys don't dance, they say -
They play games and sports
They wrestle and tumble
They wear blues and greys.
Boys don't dance, they say -
'Coz they will be called a wuss
A sissy, a wimp, a girlie boy
Maybe even gay or worse.
Boys don't dance, they say -
Maybe taekwondo or judo
Maybe hip hop, tap or jazz
But never ballet or graceful Odissi.
Boys don't dance, they say -
Perhaps a fiery tandava
The dance of virile Shiva
But never sensual or delicate.
Boys don't dance, they say -
If they insist and they plead
Then learn from a real male guru
Careful not transgendered Narthaki.
Boys don't dance, they say -
If their mothers hadn't spoilt them
Allowing such transgressions
From a very young age.
Boys don't dance, they say -
If they absolutely certainly have to
Then let them do so for a few years
But never into adulthood, of course.
Boys don't dance, they say -
If they end up learning on thier own
Let them dance in the closet or bedroom
But never on stage or for an audience.
Boys don't dance, they say -
But these fearless feet will keep tapping
To the deep music of the inner soul
Whatever they say, whatever they say.
Lovely poem Srivi, esp love the last stanza.
ReplyDeleteVery well done, Srividya. Is there anything you cannot do and well?
ReplyDeleteAs someone who has taught Gender Comm. for almost 2 years now I am constantly on a mission to debunk the black and white lens through which so many see gendered performances, actions, preferences, predispositions, etc. I say let the boys dance and let the girls wrestle and tumble too! Why does it have to be either/or? The more well-rounded the individual, the better - whether gay straight (or somewhere in between), male or female (or somewhere in between)... =)
ReplyDeleteThanks, Ritu, Vidya and Amanda for your encouraging comments! Yes, Amanda, I too think that we often use a black/white lens to see the world instead of enjoying it in all shades of greys (and other hues!). There is no one way of being male or female, gay or straight. One just has to be true to their inner self and express who they really are instead of worrying about what the world thinks.
ReplyDeleteThis is a wonderful poem, written with empathy. Even knowing as much (or as little) as I do about the socio-historical, religious and political contexts that the trajectory of gender in dance is rooted in, I am disappointed by the persistence of this "boys don't dance" strain. Why can't we grow out of it? I think it goes back to what we really think about the role of the dancer in society. When we see this role as uplifting society, unlocking human potential and interrogating cultural myths, then we will allow anyone to dance, and valorise their participation in this art form. But as long as we see it as merely a form of entertainment, then we dismiss anyone's participation as "a mere hobby" and one that is to be tolerated only so long as it is not a financial drain. That girls are encouraged to dance and boys are not is equally disempowering for both ends of the gender spectrum, because the motivation for this encouragement/discouragement is rooted in a contempt for the female, and for art in general. It takes courage to break out of such narrow, dehumanising thinking. Just as it takes courage to write about it in such a fine poem!
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