Background Dancers: A fleeting memory

Musings 

One of my recent pet peeves has been taking a track that I've been grooving on and focusing on the coordination and steps put forward by the background dancers in them

Growing up, they were like invisible - there, but not there. We must remember that this was an occupation in a field that fed thousands. One misstep, and you could be costing immeasurable amounts in production costs to retake the dance scene

As a general observation, Malayalam Cinema eventually weaned off background dancers by the late 2000's. This is to say that Ensemble dances sort of lost their charm in the calm wave of Malayalam Cinema - with character centric plots and performance trumping visual treats.

Looking back, those were some memorable times. Two tracks that come to mind at this time, are Ente Ulludukum and Kadamizhiyil. Both choreographed dances are a contrast in visual treats to each other, while retaining the same setting, which makes us think how much thought goes into make the dance not feel out of place

One uses matkas, bullock carts and not so fancy sarees to provide an ambience of the dance happening in the background of a village, while another makes use of pooram festivities and props - such as muthukudda, folk puppets, panthal accessories and again, not so fancy sarees to deliver the beauty of the dance number.

The way that tracks get enhanced by the extravaganza of the background crew is really wonderful.

Capture from Kadamizhiyil

The prominence of background dancers in both are striking. A lot goes into a performance - such as striking a chemistry with the leads, timing, doing what you're the best at a hundred times over and putting your best foot forward

Shankar’s movies and Vijay’s dance numbers in Tamil have effectively shown this, and it is really telling of how ensemble choreography can elevate even the simplest tune into a grand visual experience. Tracks from Shivaji and Vettaikaran come to mind.

When Life knocks at the door of Artistry

I've been reading about background dancers and their lives away from the big screen for this blogpiece, and found that FEFKA manages / used to manage the welfare of Dance Masters and Dancers in Malayalam Cinema. 

Titled FEFKA Dancers, it's website stays inactive today, leading us to wonder for a wee while on what alternate career paths would some of them have selected, since. The group has an active Facebook page

While the artistry of these songs is remarkable, the lives of the dancers behind the scenes tell another story - one of dedication, struggle, and the pursuit of recognition.

A Background dancer isn't a full time occupation as I have read from anecdotes shared by similar artists from other industries. Most of them would be juggling a day-time job, while pursuing cinema as a means to make it big - either as a dance lead, or as a dance choreographer later on.

Indeed, a few success stories exist. One that I would like to highlight is that of B Sridhar and Y Nageshwar Prasad, who started off as background dancers in A-lister Tamil movies and gradually became Dance Masters. Shahid Kapoor's journey is another notable example.

When discussing background dancers, a thought goes out to their welfare on sets. From location to location, tirelessly wanting to put their best foot forward, to be noticed.

This mini industry further took a hit, with foreign professionals being preferred. Often on Reddit, I have come across posts where foreign nationals make the switch to India, to pursue modelling, a career in films - being specialised in their own niche. Over time, the Indianess in choreographed dances have faded.

Background Dancers on the set of Lokpal

I decided to write this article during one of my countless rewatches of "Ayal Kadhaezhuthukayanu", which highlights a minuscule portion in history when the concept of background dancers were an unseperable part of dance sequences. A small, but significant moment that spelled an eventual demise of their contributions. 

"Ningal okke aara?"

Closing Reflections

When we think about Malayalam cinema today, one thing that feels missing is the infectious presence of background dancers.

For every love story that came to life on screen, there were dozens of unseen performers who made the frame come alive. The extravaganza that their efforts lent to the track, who knew they might never be named yet gave everything to that one perfect take Their craft deserves to be remembered, not as a passing backdrop, but as an art form in itself.

The dancers who put their best foot forward, time after time, and who left behind a legacy that still helps us reminisce.