Part-Nepalese, part-Chinese, along with Northeastern roots, Charles Ma grew up in a Tamil community in Bengaluru. “I grew up at a time when the city was transitioning from a sleepy town to an IT hub, and with it, a whole avenue of opportunities popped up,” he says. Before he was initiated into the world of dance, he attempted theatre, largely musicals. “I had a very Christian upbringing. I went to a convent school. Musicals helped me discover contemporary dancing,” he shares.
He learnt Kathak at the age of 16. “Bharatanatyam found me, I think. It was all serendipity,” he shares. An upcoming soloist, he also teaches the art form to young children across the city. He also teaches Bollywood and Contemporary dance. He has also learnt Kalaripayattu, the mridangam and also learns martial arts as a hobby.
Dancer
Alarmel Valli
“I have lots. I used to be very fascinated with physicality. As a dancer, you have to be quick, fit and flexible; all of which only comes with discipline. However, nowadays when you watch performances, you can see the bodies moving, but not their souls. They are succumbing to the gallery. Alarmel Valli akka, Priyadarsini Govind and Lakshmi Gopalaswamy are my favourite dancers because they still dance from within. I also admire the older dancers such as Lakshmi Vishwanathan and Chitra Visweswaran.”
Inspiration
Malavika Sarukkai
“When I was a young boy, I saw a photo of Malavika Sarukkai in a magazine. She was dressed in a white and gold sari and posing in front of the Konark temple. I was amazed. I thought to myself that I wanted to be like her if I ever became a dancer. My teachers also had a profound influence on me, as a dancer and as a person. Growing up, you want you an icon that is impenetrable and perfect. Only you when you grow up, you realise that they are only human. Today, I am my own hero. I am in awe of how strong, disciplined and focused I have become. I have learnt to apologise for my mistakes when I make them, and not repeat them. I am also human, but I work very hard to become better every single day. As artistes, we tend to take ourselves seriously, but I have learnt that it is important to remain grounded.”
Travel
Home
“I hate travelling. I love to be at home, with my dog and having friends over. I often get the chance to travel abroad, but it does not work with my personality. Dancing is often very lonely, as a soloist especially. I love having people around me. I love taking classes. Travelling disrupts all of these. I am a biker, and I love riding. I do plan to travel around the country on my bike someday, but for now, I am happy where I am.”
Movie
Andhadhun
“I enjoy movies, but I don’t get as much time to sit down and watch many. I loved the plot of Andhadhun. Tabu’s performance was fabulous. I don’t enjoy mainstream movies. I cannot shut my brain and watch slapstick comedies, or something like a Kabir Singh. I love Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s movies because of how artistic they are; it’s like watching a painting come to life.”
Author
Arundhati Roy
“I don’t read as much as I used to, but I enjoy reading Arundhati Roy for how controversial she is. I love Ramachandra Guha, as well. I love reading mythology as well, and I enjoy the retellings by Devdutt Pattanaik.”