As the world came to an abrupt pause this year courtesy of the coronavirus pandemic, businesses and people worked their way around the tough time. In the world of dance, as doctors and nurses adapted and battled pandemic blues by dancing in PPE suits, others organised balcony concerts in Spain and Italy to lift up the spirits. Moving towards a new year, Indian Australian choreographer Ashley Lobo took into account key highlights of 2020 with the lens of dance.&nbsp;

In an interaction with Ashley Lobo, the choreographer-dancer said, "This year more than any other has taught me to look for silver linings in dark clouds. It was inspiring also to see how dancers globally expressed themselves during this difficult time."&nbsp;

Here is a list of his favourite dance-related moments of 2020:

A young Indian gets admission into the English National Ballet School

What can be more life-affirming than the example of Kamal Singh, son of a rickshaw driver in Delhi who discovered ballet and became the first Indian to be accepted into the prestigious English National Ballet School in London. This is a story of the power of dreams and miracles at a time when so many of us felt browbeaten by the pandemic.&nbsp;

When Astad Deboo paid a tribute to migrant labourers

Late contemporary dancer and choreographer Astad Deboo was considered to be an institution by many generations of artistes. “He was an inspiration to so many of us and a pioneer in so many ways. It is hard to believe that he is gone but his whole life is an affirmation of art's triumph over adversity. Just a few months before he passed, he choreographed a piece called 'Boundaries' in Mumbai while his dancers recorded it in Delhi as a tribute to migrant workers. He was 73 and danced till the very end. If that is not inspiring, I don't know what is,” said Ashley.

When classical dancers "broke the chain"

From Mohiniyattam in Palakkad to Kathak in Delhi, a chain of positivity and hope was formed by Indian classical dancers in 2020. And it all started with Palakkad-based dancer Methil Devika who created a dance piece called ‘Break the Chain.' Delhi-based Kathak dancer, Mrinalini too danced to a poem, encouraging people to choose hope over fear. Photographer and sarod student Innee Singh then collaborated with writer Shraddha Singh to create an ensemble piece, 'Hum Hain Saath', which featured Kathak, Odissi and Bharatanatyam dancers. And the dance movement went viral.&nbsp;

When even a PPE suit could not stifle the will to dance

Silchar-based doctor Arup Senapati has been saving lives during the pandemic but he also cheered up millions of Indians when he showed off his indomitable spirit and extraordinary dance moves in a PPE suit. From Madhuri Dixit to Hrithik Roshan, everyone was inspired and transfixed. His video garnered over 5.3 million views on Twitter.&nbsp;

Staying connected in a socially-distanced society

The pandemic impacted Ashley too but he and his team did whatever they could to stay motivated. "Teaching students online was a new experience and kept everyone's morale up. In the absence of dance shows and performances, we stayed connected virtually and that was really memorable. Another highlight was to host workshops, virtual of course where we invited international choreographers like Jake Kodish, Brian Freidman and many more to teach Indian dancers via Zoom calls. What we learnt in the process was that even a pandemic cannot stop us from really expressing ourselves,” Ashley&nbsp;said.

As the world came to an abrupt pause this year courtesy of the coronavirus pandemic, businesses and people worked their way around the tough time. In the world of dance, as doctors and nurses adapted and battled pandemic blues by dancing in PPE suits, others organised balcony concerts in Spain and Italy to lift up the spirits.

As the world came to an abrupt pause this year courtesy of the coronavirus pandemic, businesses and people worked their way around the tough time. In the world of dance, as doctors and nurses adapted and battled pandemic blues by dancing in PPE suits, others organised balcony concerts in Spain and Italy to lift up the spirits. Moving towards a new year, Indian Australian choreographer Ashley Lobo took into account key highlights of 2020 with the lens of dance. In an interaction with Ashley Lobo, the choreographer-dancer said, "This year more than any other has taught me to look for silver linings in dark clouds. It was inspiring also to see how dancers globally expressed themselves during this difficult time." Here is a list of his favourite dance-related moments of 2020: A young Indian gets admission into the English National Ballet School What can be more life-affirming than the example of Kamal Singh, son of a rickshaw driver in Delhi who discovered ballet and became the first Indian to be accepted into the prestigious English National Ballet School in London. This is a story of the power of dreams and miracles at a time when so many of us felt browbeaten by the pandemic. When Astad Deboo paid a tribute to migrant labourers Late contemporary dancer and choreographer Astad Deboo was considered to be an institution by many generations of artistes. “He was an inspiration to so many of us and a pioneer in so many ways. It is hard to believe that he is gone but his whole life is an affirmation of art's triumph over adversity. Just a few months before he passed, he choreographed a piece called 'Boundaries' in Mumbai while his dancers recorded it in Delhi as a tribute to migrant workers. He was 73 and danced till the very end. If that is not inspiring, I don't know what is,” said Ashley. When classical dancers "broke the chain" From Mohiniyattam in Palakkad to Kathak in Delhi, a chain of positivity and hope was formed by Indian classical dancers in 2020. And it all started with Palakkad-based dancer Methil Devika who created a dance piece called ‘Break the Chain.' Delhi-based Kathak dancer, Mrinalini too danced to a poem, encouraging people to choose hope over fear. Photographer and sarod student Innee Singh then collaborated with writer Shraddha Singh to create an ensemble piece, 'Hum Hain Saath', which featured Kathak, Odissi and Bharatanatyam dancers. And the dance movement went viral. When even a PPE suit could not stifle the will to dance Silchar-based doctor Arup Senapati has been saving lives during the pandemic but he also cheered up millions of Indians when he showed off his indomitable spirit and extraordinary dance moves in a PPE suit. From Madhuri Dixit to Hrithik Roshan, everyone was inspired and transfixed. His video garnered over 5.3 million views on Twitter. Staying connected in a socially-distanced society The pandemic impacted Ashley too but he and his team did whatever they could to stay motivated. "Teaching students online was a new experience and kept everyone's morale up. In the absence of dance shows and performances, we stayed connected virtually and that was really memorable. Another highlight was to host workshops, virtual of course where we invited international choreographers like Jake Kodish, Brian Freidman and many more to teach Indian dancers via Zoom calls. What we learnt in the process was that even a pandemic cannot stop us from really expressing ourselves,” Ashley said.

Indian choreographer Ashley Lobo curates stories that lifted spirits in 2020

On World Heart Day, choreographer Ashley Lobo shares how dancing leads to a happy heart and a healthy body. Indian-Australian choreographer Ashley Lobo is a life-long advocate of movement-related wellness. He believes dance is a doorway to physical, mental and emotional health. His message is particularly pertinent on September 29 which is observed as World Heart Day. 

This initiative by the World Heart Federation aims to spread awareness about cardiovascular diseases (CVD), including heart disease and stroke. Research has connected CVDs to sedentary, unhealthy lifestyle, unbalanced diet, excessive use of tobacco and alcohol.

Ashley reminds that in India alone, the prevalence of CVDs is estimated to be around 54.5 million. As individuals, we may not always be able to control ambient air pollution or other environmental risk factors but we can mitigate lifestyle risk factors, he says. We could eat healthier, cultivate better habits and yes, dance! 
 
Says Ashley, “Dance, I always say, is not just about technique but also the heart and spirit. When you move to music, you shift the energy within and around you but there is research that shows us that dance is good for the heart as well. When you are dancing, you are working out, engaging multiple muscle groups, sweating it out just as you would if you were on a running track or in a gym. It really doesn’t matter how you dance, as long as you do!” 
 
Ashley has students from many age groups and he recommends dancing as a means to not just find joy in everyday ennui but to keep the heart pumping to the beat of good health and peppy music. He concludes, ''Don’t forget that heart is an organ too that needs to be exercised. We all have access to music and if we start moving a little everyday, we will be happier and also dance our way to better heart health."

On World Heart Day, choreographer Ashley Lobo shares how dancing leads to a happy heart and a healthy body. Indian-Australian choreographer Ashley Lobo is a life-long advocate of movement-related wellness.

On World Heart Day, choreographer Ashley Lobo shares how dancing leads to a happy heart and a healthy body. Indian-Australian choreographer Ashley Lobo is a life-long advocate of movement-related wellness. He believes dance is a doorway to physical, mental and emotional health. His message is particularly pertinent on September 29 which is observed as World Heart Day. This initiative by the World Heart Federation aims to spread awareness about cardiovascular diseases (CVD), including heart disease and stroke. Research has connected CVDs to sedentary, unhealthy lifestyle, unbalanced diet, excessive use of tobacco and alcohol. Ashley reminds that in India alone, the prevalence of CVDs is estimated to be around 54.5 million. As individuals, we may not always be able to control ambient air pollution or other environmental risk factors but we can mitigate lifestyle risk factors, he says. We could eat healthier, cultivate better habits and yes, dance! Says Ashley, “Dance, I always say, is not just about technique but also the heart and spirit. When you move to music, you shift the energy within and around you but there is research that shows us that dance is good for the heart as well. When you are dancing, you are working out, engaging multiple muscle groups, sweating it out just as you would if you were on a running track or in a gym. It really doesn’t matter how you dance, as long as you do!” Ashley has students from many age groups and he recommends dancing as a means to not just find joy in everyday ennui but to keep the heart pumping to the beat of good health and peppy music. He concludes, ''Don’t forget that heart is an organ too that needs to be exercised. We all have access to music and if we start moving a little everyday, we will be happier and also dance our way to better heart health."

On World Heart Day, choreographer Ashley Lobo shares how dancing leads to a happy life

For an artiste, isolation often works as an inspiration. Ace choreographer Ashley Lobo has now been home ever since the lockdown started in end-March but staying true to his workaholic self, he is using this time to&nbsp;design new routines and choreographies.

However, since most of these new routines are being taught online, Lobo has had to adapt to a very different sense of space.&nbsp;

Ashley Lobo said, "The lockdown is helping me design new routines and choreographies. It is challenging because we are teaching online. For one, the choreography itself has to be very limited. It has to involve more micro moves and something that does not take too much space. Any steps that involve traveling across the floor have to be omitted."&nbsp; 
&nbsp; 
While he works on his new routines, the choreographer adds that online omits the human touch from the teaching. "When you are online no matter how well you teach what is missing is the group dynamic. It creates excitement and draws out the dancer more. They cannot hide and part of performing is overcoming shyness."

But, just like many others, Lobo knows that the virus is something we might have to live with for a while and online classes definitely help in keeping the discipline of dancing in place. In fact, he is also planning an online international collaboration soon.

For an artiste, isolation often works as an inspiration. Ace choreographer Ashley Lobo has now been home ever since the lockdown started in end-March but staying true to his workaholic self, he is using this time to design new routines and choreographies.

For an artiste, isolation often works as an inspiration. Ace choreographer Ashley Lobo has now been home ever since the lockdown started in end-March but staying true to his workaholic self, he is using this time to design new routines and choreographies. However, since most of these new routines are being taught online, Lobo has had to adapt to a very different sense of space. Ashley Lobo said, "The lockdown is helping me design new routines and choreographies. It is challenging because we are teaching online. For one, the choreography itself has to be very limited. It has to involve more micro moves and something that does not take too much space. Any steps that involve traveling across the floor have to be omitted." While he works on his new routines, the choreographer adds that online omits the human touch from the teaching. "When you are online no matter how well you teach what is missing is the group dynamic. It creates excitement and draws out the dancer more. They cannot hide and part of performing is overcoming shyness." But, just like many others, Lobo knows that the virus is something we might have to live with for a while and online classes definitely help in keeping the discipline of dancing in place. In fact, he is also planning an online international collaboration soon.

Lockdown is helping me design new routines, choreographies: Ashley Lobo

Everybody can dance. Rooting for this thought and turning it into a reality, eminent choreographer Ashley Lobo is helping hundreds in achieving their dream of dancing. A major game changer in the world of dance, Ashley can be single-handedly attributed to creating awareness for it in its truest form in India while also opening the doors of abstract contemporary, a dance style that is relatively new to the country. 
&nbsp; 
He recently took a team of dancers to Istanbul, Turkey after being commissioned by Yair Vardi, director of the renowned Suzanne Dellal Centre in Tel Aviv in Israel. They performed a piece called ‘Agni,’ an abstract contemporary dance that is “like modern art”. “While most dances in India are more on the classical side and story-driven, abstract is about dance” as he explained the passion that drove the piece -- given that fire is both a symbol of “fear and passion.” 
&nbsp; 
An adventure-seeker who would have become a fighter pilot if not for a choreographer, Ashley has been teaching dance for over 30 years now.&nbsp;In a candid chat with WION, Ashley spoke about the growing trend of recreating popular songs, dance direction in a biopic film, the difference between theatre and films, how Bollywood will never get over song-dance sequences and much more. 
&nbsp; 
What is dance for you? 
&nbsp; 
I come from a place that dance for me is minimalistic in terms of movement, and more about taking the audience on a journey. It’s not so much about the shape of the movement. I’m not here to wow them with shapes. There are enough dances that will wow them with shapes. For me, dance is about communication, connecting with them and taking them on a journey that is deep and relatable to them.

<img alt="New (12)_1.jpg" data-entity-type="" data-entity-uuid="" height="430" src="http://images.wionews.com/iniline-images/New%20(12)_1.jpg" width="770" /> 
&nbsp; 
How has dance in India changed in comparison to when you started? 
&nbsp; 
In India, the contemporary style is still evolving. I still feel we are 10-15 years behind the West. In the West, every dancer learns jazz, ballet. The two dance forms that get the highest kind of traction are ballet and abstract contemporary -- neither of the styles is popular in India right now. There’s no formal training of ballet or jazz at a widespread level in India. We are still at the stage of pedestrian dancing. Street dance and pedestrian contemporary are popular. 
&nbsp; 
Once you go abstract and contemporary, you need to understand structure to de-structure it from a point of information. I think that the whole Indian dance industry has not yet come to the point of structure but they are already working from a point of de-structure. 
&nbsp; 
What form is popular in India currently? 
&nbsp; 
Most of the untrained styles are very popular in India. The reason behind this is lack of dance education that has not yet taken on formal levels, at the level, it is globally. I think once that happens, it’s only a matter of time. 
&nbsp; 
Dance also has a syllabus where you’re actually teaching how to dance and not just the steps. When we dance without it, it’s like we don’t understand the structure of the body and only know the steps. We need a holistic learning of dance. When you’re learning dance, you learn the whole format, physiology, how to create, first position, second position, a pirouette; it’s about learning the language. 
&nbsp; 
How different is a performance on stage from that in a Bollywood film? 
&nbsp; 
They are quite different. The first time I did films and now 30 films later, a lot has changed. The first time I directed a film, I’d say it was a little intimidating. The film is a moving frame; the stage is a fixed frame. With film, your camera is moving; with stage,&nbsp;you don’t need to&nbsp;as your eye is the film. For you, the audience is static; with films, your camera has a posture -- going in, coming out, and doing various things. It’s a little different and a bit challenging from that perspective. Having said that, basic performance is where the truth of both cinema and theatre is. If you are a good theatre actor and you know how to adapt to the camera then that’s fantastic. 
&nbsp; 
Preparation in both is basically the same. The only difference is, that in theatre, you have to prepare the whole song in one go. In film its 32 beats at a time. In film, you screenplay so you can write it down. Dancers can make a mistake, you can clean it up, and you can also shoot it at various angles and club them together to increase the pace. When you’re shooting for stage, it’s a straight 4 minutes, one shot.

 
<iframe allow="autoplay; encrypted-media" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="480" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/OOh89brDqeA" width="970"></iframe>&nbsp;

How different is teaching a well-trained dancer a sequence from a Bollywood actor who has no formal training? 
&nbsp; 
For me its communication, the rules are the same. In both, your job as a director is to make sure you tell the story in the best way possible, with whom you have, what you have. If I have dancers of certain ability, certain inclination; then I highlight those inclinations and abilities. The same goes on for an actor. The worst thing you can do is to showcase the weakness of a dancer or an actor -- because you’re not able to narrate the story and at the same time you’re letting down the actor because you’re not able to convince the audience that he is that character. 
&nbsp; 
Is working for films as a choreographer tougher than stage? 
&nbsp; 
The film process is much faster; theatre is a little deeper for me because we also do different genres of dance. In the film genre, I’m narrating a story. In abstract contemporary dance, there is no narrative. You have to think&nbsp;of how to hold the audience for 45 minutes where there’s no story. It's like you’re on an emotional roller coaster as there’s no story. But if you are watching a film, there’s a story. 
&nbsp; 
As a choreographer, is it difficult to recreate an old, iconic song and make it click with the audience of this generation? 
&nbsp; 
I have only done one song like that. It's Har Kisiko&nbsp;Nahi&nbsp;Milta&nbsp;Yahan&nbsp;Pyar Zindagi Mein...I would just stick to what the musician is telling me. If I stick to the truth of connecting to what the music is telling me, then the audience will connect to it. There are some songs that can be remade and can be made better and more modern than the original one. I don’t think one needs to think of how the audience is going to feel about this; you need to think about the truth of that moment. 
&nbsp; 
What about directing a song in a biopic like that in ‘Sanju’? 
&nbsp; 
My job as a choreographer is to convince you that Ranbir is fit in that character.&nbsp;If I am trying to make 'Sanju'&nbsp;more than what Sanju is, then that’s a problem or if I am attached to my own baggage of what I want to create, to show the audience how great I am. If my honesty helps me in making the audience believe that this is Sanju then my job is done. 
&nbsp; 
Will Bollywood song-and-dance sequence survive for long? 
&nbsp; 
We have music all over the country. I don’t think we will ever get over this. Songs in India are not so much about dance, but more about how to take the story forward. Today songs, music and choreography are used in a more realistic way.

It’s impossible for Bollywood to get over songs. Even today, sometimes a film works because of its promo songs. &nbsp;We sell on music even if it’s a story-based film. We are emotional and we connect to music. Pick any festival and music is a part of our celebrations. We put on music and we burn crackers.

 
<iframe allow="autoplay; encrypted-media" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="480" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/w7lNCCSFowk" width="970"></iframe>&nbsp;

How do you work with actors who can’t dance or are known to be not so good at dancing? 
&nbsp; 
The only thing that stops us from dancing is the belief that we can’t dance. We dance at different levels. My job is to tell the story. My job is not to show how great a choreographer I am. Whoever the dancer is, my job is to tell the story and to showcase them in their character. Whether I do it just by moving his hand or his thumb, as long as I am delivering a message, my job is done. 
&nbsp; 
As an audience, a rickshaw driver is not going to understand complications. He is going to understand simplicity so I have to think like that. If I don’t then I am an obnoxious artist. 
&nbsp; 
Who is your favourite dancer among the recent crop of actors? 
&nbsp; 
It’s very difficult to say, I’ve worked with almost all of them and have had fun working with each of them. Govinda is an amazing dancer; he says so much with his body. At the end of the day, it’s not about the dance but the individual flavour. (He spoke about how Salman Khan could dance and make it work just with the twinkle of his eye, that there is so much dance within that movement.) 
&nbsp; 
Ashley was recently in Delhi to introduce his students to abstract contemporary, important for those who wish to perform overseas.

In a candid chat with WION, ace choreographer Ashley Lobo opened up about the growing trend of recreating old songs, directing songs in a biopic, how Bollywood will never get over song-dance sequences and more.

Everybody can dance. Rooting for this thought and turning it into a reality, eminent choreographer Ashley Lobo is helping hundreds in achieving their dream of dancing. A major game changer in the world of dance, Ashley can be single-handedly attributed to creating awareness for it in its truest form in India while also opening the doors of abstract contemporary, a dance style that is relatively new to the country. He recently took a team of dancers to Istanbul, Turkey after being commissioned by Yair Vardi, director of the renowned Suzanne Dellal Centre in Tel Aviv in Israel. They performed a piece called ‘Agni,’ an abstract contemporary dance that is “like modern art”. “While most dances in India are more on the classical side and story-driven, abstract is about dance” as he explained the passion that drove the piece -- given that fire is both a symbol of “fear and passion.” An adventure-seeker who would have become a fighter pilot if not for a choreographer, Ashley has been teaching dance for over 30 years now. In a candid chat with WION, Ashley spoke about the growing trend of recreating popular songs, dance direction in a biopic film, the difference between theatre and films, how Bollywood will never get over song-dance sequences and much more. What is dance for you? I come from a place that dance for me is minimalistic in terms of movement, and more about taking the audience on a journey. It’s not so much about the shape of the movement. I’m not here to wow them with shapes. There are enough dances that will wow them with shapes. For me, dance is about communication, connecting with them and taking them on a journey that is deep and relatable to them. How has dance in India changed in comparison to when you started? In India, the contemporary style is still evolving. I still feel we are 10-15 years behind the West. In the West, every dancer learns jazz, ballet. The two dance forms that get the highest kind of traction are ballet and abstract contemporary -- neither of the styles is popular in India right now. There’s no formal training of ballet or jazz at a widespread level in India. We are still at the stage of pedestrian dancing. Street dance and pedestrian contemporary are popular. Once you go abstract and contemporary, you need to understand structure to de-structure it from a point of information. I think that the whole Indian dance industry has not yet come to the point of structure but they are already working from a point of de-structure. What form is popular in India currently? Most of the untrained styles are very popular in India. The reason behind this is lack of dance education that has not yet taken on formal levels, at the level, it is globally. I think once that happens, it’s only a matter of time. Dance also has a syllabus where you’re actually teaching how to dance and not just the steps. When we dance without it, it’s like we don’t understand the structure of the body and only know the steps. We need a holistic learning of dance. When you’re learning dance, you learn the whole format, physiology, how to create, first position, second position, a pirouette; it’s about learning the language. How different is a performance on stage from that in a Bollywood film? They are quite different. The first time I did films and now 30 films later, a lot has changed. The first time I directed a film, I’d say it was a little intimidating. The film is a moving frame; the stage is a fixed frame. With film, your camera is moving; with stage, you don’t need to as your eye is the film. For you, the audience is static; with films, your camera has a posture -- going in, coming out, and doing various things. It’s a little different and a bit challenging from that perspective. Having said that, basic performance is where the truth of both cinema and theatre is. If you are a good theatre actor and you know how to adapt to the camera then that’s fantastic. Preparation in both is basically the same. The only difference is, that in theatre, you have to prepare the whole song in one go. In film its 32 beats at a time. In film, you screenplay so you can write it down. Dancers can make a mistake, you can clean it up, and you can also shoot it at various angles and club them together to increase the pace. When you’re shooting for stage, it’s a straight 4 minutes, one shot. How different is teaching a well-trained dancer a sequence from a Bollywood actor who has no formal training? For me its communication, the rules are the same. In both, your job as a director is to make sure you tell the story in the best way possible, with whom you have, what you have. If I have dancers of certain ability, certain inclination; then I highlight those inclinations and abilities. The same goes on for an actor. The worst thing you can do is to showcase the weakness of a dancer or an actor -- because you’re not able to narrate the story and at the same time you’re letting down the actor because you’re not able to convince the audience that he is that character. Is working for films as a choreographer tougher than stage? The film process is much faster; theatre is a little deeper for me because we also do different genres of dance. In the film genre, I’m narrating a story. In abstract contemporary dance, there is no narrative. You have to think of how to hold the audience for 45 minutes where there’s no story. It's like you’re on an emotional roller coaster as there’s no story. But if you are watching a film, there’s a story. As a choreographer, is it difficult to recreate an old, iconic song and make it click with the audience of this generation? I have only done one song like that. It's Har Kisiko Nahi Milta Yahan Pyar Zindagi Mein...I would just stick to what the musician is telling me. If I stick to the truth of connecting to what the music is telling me, then the audience will connect to it. There are some songs that can be remade and can be made better and more modern than the original one. I don’t think one needs to think of how the audience is going to feel about this; you need to think about the truth of that moment. What about directing a song in a biopic like that in ‘Sanju’? My job as a choreographer is to convince you that Ranbir is fit in that character. If I am trying to make 'Sanju' more than what Sanju is, then that’s a problem or if I am attached to my own baggage of what I want to create, to show the audience how great I am. If my honesty helps me in making the audience believe that this is Sanju then my job is done. Will Bollywood song-and-dance sequence survive for long? We have music all over the country. I don’t think we will ever get over this. Songs in India are not so much about dance, but more about how to take the story forward. Today songs, music and choreography are used in a more realistic way. It’s impossible for Bollywood to get over songs. Even today, sometimes a film works because of its promo songs. We sell on music even if it’s a story-based film. We are emotional and we connect to music. Pick any festival and music is a part of our celebrations. We put on music and we burn crackers. How do you work with actors who can’t dance or are known to be not so good at dancing? The only thing that stops us from dancing is the belief that we can’t dance. We dance at different levels. My job is to tell the story. My job is not to show how great a choreographer I am. Whoever the dancer is, my job is to tell the story and to showcase them in their character. Whether I do it just by moving his hand or his thumb, as long as I am delivering a message, my job is done. As an audience, a rickshaw driver is not going to understand complications. He is going to understand simplicity so I have to think like that. If I don’t then I am an obnoxious artist. Who is your favourite dancer among the recent crop of actors? It’s very difficult to say, I’ve worked with almost all of them and have had fun working with each of them. Govinda is an amazing dancer; he says so much with his body. At the end of the day, it’s not about the dance but the individual flavour. (He spoke about how Salman Khan could dance and make it work just with the twinkle of his eye, that there is so much dance within that movement.) Ashley was recently in Delhi to introduce his students to abstract contemporary, important for those who wish to perform overseas.

Ashley Lobo: We lack dance education in India, are 10-15 years behind the West

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Indian choreographer Ashley Lobo curates stories that lifted spirits in 2020

On World Heart Day, choreographer Ashley Lobo shares how dancing leads to a happy life

Lockdown is helping me design new routines, choreographies: Ashley Lobo

Ashley Lobo: We lack dance education in India, are 10-15 years behind the West