NEW DELHI, INDIA, March 12, 2003: How old is too old when it comes to dancing on stage? Do age, weight and fitness matter? And who should be the final arbiter? All it has taken for these questions to come bouncing to the surface is one court case where the Delhi High Court rejected Bharatanatyam dancer Komala Varadan’s plea in her 1997 case against Indian Council for Cultural Relations (ICCR). The ICCR sends artistes in the 18-45 age-group for stage performances abroad. Those who are 45-plus are considered for lecture demonstrations, workshops and seminars. Varadan, who was 56 when she went to court, took this as an affront and wished to continue performing. Varadan’s lawyer, R. K. Saini, had a simple argument, “You can be a good dancer even at the age of 60. She has good credentials, and if she didn’t then why was she put even in the lec-dem section?” While everyone agrees that age and appearance do matter, the extent to which they are important is a highly contentious issue. Kelucharan Mohapatra, Birju Maharaj and T. Balasaraswati are repeatedly cited as examples of those who have transcended the age barrier. “At 65, I may have less stamina, but I compensate with other aspects like natya or my expressions which evolve with age,” says Chennai-based Bharatanatyam dancer V. P. Dhananjayan.
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