The Dance School Boys & Girls

When I see them coming from the drama practical, Taking of their exam and returning back, I mean the learners, Dressed and made up And after seeing them, forget I my poetry And start thinking about their performing art, Trough dancing They saying it all With their poses and postures in movement, Expressions of sorrow and happiness, Expressing through signs and symbols, Rhythmic movement and break-up of limbs. Just like puppets, the old puppet dances of India And the artistes making it happen Through a thread, Where that art and tradition? Just like the Ramayana and the Mahabharata artistes They enacting The episodes as per their strength, The love-romances of Krishna. I see the dance school boys and girls coming from After taking their practical exam And the make-up men Have tried to add the grace. But what have the artistes got, All those who have kept up the tradition By being a courtier, a bai, a nautch girl Or a devadasi, say you? The arts ruined into the hands of the fanatics and conservatives, Bad name was attached to, The company too prevailed upon And the nautch girls turned into replicas.