Dancing Through Stereotypes

Sonal Choudhary Proud Dancer

Dance is the hidden language of the soul.

The art of dancing and dancers have always been portrayed as picture perfect figures - thanks to our Big Bang Bollywood sagas.

Behind those bold, fierce full and beautiful dancers, there are people called choreographers. Yes, these masters have come in all shapes and sizes.

Across the world, women more than men have been stereotyped into different roles and responsibilities. Not just experience, but even statistics say the same. Take a look at some of the startling figures that the Nihar Naturals #IAmCapable survey conducted by Nielsen India reveals: 

a. 69% of men agree that their judgement of women is based on their looks.

b. 64% of women agree that the judgements passed on them have affected their ability to reach their true potential.

c. 70%of women agree that majority of judgements on women are from family members or friends rather than strangers.

d. 72% of women agree that working women face more judgements on their looks or their clothes than housewives.

Whenever this topic of stereotyping based on looks is brought up, there is one person, dancer (guess she likes to call herself by it) whose face comes to my mind instantly. Sonal Choudhary - she stands 4 feet 10 inches with 72kg on her tiny toes.

 

Performing at her brothers 1st birthday! (A performer since childhood!)

I have known her since day one of my college. She was the first person from my batch I got friendly with. I had many friends and we did not get though the path of buddies, but have remained good acquaintances since then. She is going to kill me reading it - I know she always rated me in her good friends.

Performing at the song 'Mujhe Rangde' from the movie 'Thakshak' - Oh, I remember watching this one!

 To be honest, I was taken aback too when I learned that Sonal dances. What more? She has a degree in dance! I heard of a degree in that stream first time in my life. 

Performing @ NIIT's 25th Annual Function

The little princess has taken her passion for dancing to next level and never ever let her short height and body weight come her way. Dance classes, standalone practices, school functions, college fests, corporate events, competitions - there would be hardly any opportunity she would have let skip her feet. 

Any dancer would die for this frame!

She has following major achievements to her credit:

• Best student in dance for academic year 2001-2002 in school
• Second place in solo dance competition at inter-college fest at Lingya's Second place in dance at Accenture talent quest in 2008
• Several certificates for various dance forms from reputed dance academies like Danceworx and Shiamak Davar Institutes India Pvt Ltd Learnt Kathak
• Certification/degree of six years called Sangit Prabhakar with first division from Prayag Sangit Samiti, Allahabad

I must confess that I was a part of the group from our college batch which was most famous for its tantrums, pranks and everything naughty once could think of. I never stopped my friends from making fun of anyone, but sometimes, used them to remain in limits which we crossed many times! May be because of this, I was teased as the best friend of Sonal by the gang. Despite being a subject of jokes while in college, I have never seen a blink of hesitance in her eyes or attitude she carries. Kudos to you girl.

The desi gal truly breaks all set roles for a woman and has the courage to follow her heart. She undoubtedly defines the true meaning of #IAmCapable. I wish all the good luck and thumbs up to Sonal for believing in herself and breaking the so called stereotypes made for women in various categories.

I’m breaking stereotypes based on appearance by sharing my experience for the #IAmCapable activity at BlogAdda in association with Nihar Naturals.