Dancers pay tribute to renowned dancer-choreographer Astad Deboo on his 74th birth anniversary

On Astad Deboo’s 74th birth anniversary, a team of his dancers has choreographed a moving tribute — titled Roots — to the legend who touched so many lives with his art

When Delhi-based dancer Shamsul, 36, was a teen dabbling in Chhau, Kathakali and Bollywood-style moves, dance for him was a way to make a few bucks and be happy. In 2007, when he met master dancer-choreographer Astad Deboo while working on a project with Salaam Baalak Trust, Delhi, a young Shamsul recalls being awe-struck by his charisma. As the years rolled by and the Bihar native traversed the world with Deboo, assisting him with several productions, Shamsul found his appreciation for the art form deepening. “Like the branches of a banyan tree that give rise to innumerable new trees, sir [Deboo] has instilled in us a love for dance and art. Whatever we’ve learnt from him, we’ll carry it forward,” shares the dancer, who, along with his five colleagues, has choreographed a moving tribute to the late artiste, titled Roots, on his birth anniversary today.

After a brief illness, Deboo passed on in December 2020, leaving behind an illustrious legacy spanning over 51 years. The Padma Shri awardee — who had collaborated with the likes of German dancer Pina Bausch, Pung Cholom artistes of Manipur and Pink Floyd, among a bevy of celebrities — was hailed for marrying indigenous art forms with contemporary dance.

The choreography of Roots was filmed at various locations in New Delhi. Pic Courtesy/Haran

Featuring dancers Govind Godiyal, Narayan Sharma, Pradeep Kumar, Rohit Verma and Vicky Yadav, apart from Shamsul, the video is the first official tribute by Deboo’s dancers since he left us. This particular team of six had worked with the pioneer right into the previous lockdown, staging their last live performance — Unbroken Unbowed — with him in January 2020, and then collaborating virtually to create the Boundaries series. The long-standing intimate relationship between the dancers and their master subtly comes alive in the six-minute-long choreography, which captures Deboo’s enchanting, minimalistic style. The locales of Ojas Art, Tomb of Muhammad Quli Khan and Jamali Kamali Park, behind the Qutb Minar in New Delhi, add a layer of personality to the trance-like ode. There’s a lingering feeling that the master choreographer is watching over his dancers from the wings — ultimately, joining in with his signature twirl that the world has dearly missed.

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Since December, the dancers have been left grappling with a gaping void. In that sense, the tribute is a way to process the grief, Shamsul shares. “The idea of the video originated from the fact that in the past few months, we [the team] have found ourselves so lonely without sir’s presence and positivity. Since he left, we hadn’t done any public shows. This is the first time we’re doing something together, without him, but keeping his style, his vision and process in mind,” he explains, remembering how Deboo would encourage his dancers and students to provide their own suggestions. “Unlike other gurus and teachers who expect you to follow their style blindly, sir gave us a lot of liberty and valued our suggestions. He was also so appreciative. For this video, we wanted to honour his style,” he adds.

Deboo’s long-time aide and photographer, city-based Amit Kumar, who’s helped coordinate the project, points out that to these dancers, Deboo wasn’t just a teacher, but also a caring parent. “During the lockdown, when live shows stopped, Astad helped them out financially and emotionally, motivating them,” he tells us. The tribute is, thus, a hat-tip to the ever-generous Deboo, who loved unconditionally. “From fighting with organisers to ensure his dancers were given the same hospitality and respect, and teaching us the use of cutlery, to imbibing in us his perfect sense of professionalism — no academy or institution can teach us what sir taught us,” Shamsul signs off.

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Also Read: Astad Deboo (1947-2020): The Universal Gypsy

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