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

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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