“Age is simply a number, and your talent will never fail you,’ as the saying goes. It has no expiry date,’ says Ravi Bala Sharma, also popularly known on Instagram as the Dancing Dadi. This popular dancer cum entertainer comes from a conservative family from Moradabad, Uttar Pradesh. She hails from a musical household and has always had an interest in music.
“My father was a musician, and I learned vocal and instrumental music from him, including tabla,” Bala says. My hobby has always been dance. I mastered the fundamentals of Kathak and used to perform at family gatherings. I created a little music coaching centre when I married. Says Ravi Bala Sharma
After I got married, I applied for a government teaching position and was hired as a music teacher in a Delhi Government School in 1993. My husband’s demise and my retirement in 2019 made me feel very depressed and I nearly turned into a recluse. My son, an actor, is moved to Mumbai. After my husband died, I moved to Mumbai to be with my son. I had my own issues because it was a new place. That’s when I began making these videos.”
Though dance had been a lifelong love for her, it had to take a back seat as her priorities switched to her profession and family. She aspired to be an actress like Hema Malini and Madhuri Dixit since she was a child. However, this was not possible for her family because her father, the sole breadwinner, had to care for all of her brothers and sisters.
“For the last 30 years, my priorities have been family and career.” But now that I’m retired, I decided it was time to rediscover my passion. Lockdown was a watershed moment in my life when I filmed my first viral video. “After that, my kids started motivating me to make such videos in which I could show my love for dance through a 30-second video,” the mother of two explains.
Making these dance videos was never on Bala’s list of things to accomplish. She submitted her first dancing video, which became popular, during an online competition. Bala now has over 128k Instagram followers. “I had no idea there would be such a huge positive response to my video,” she continues. Because viewers seemed to enjoy what they saw of a childhood hobby, I figured why not make the most of it? That’s when I realised I needed to do more videos. My children also encouraged me to go ahead and follow my passion.”
Her videos have captivated the hearts of not just her followers, but also superstars like singer and actor Diljith Dosanjh, Bollywood choreographer Terence Lewis, and filmmaker Imtiaz Ali. Receiving compliments, adoring, and sharing her videos on social media was a dream come true for Bala. She claims that she never imagined such famous people would share her video on their Instagram page. “This was the most significant and unexpected award of my life.” “I believe I have demonstrated that age is just a number and that you can achieve recognition at any stage of your life,” she continues.
“This was the most significant and unexpected award of my life.” “I believe I have demonstrated that age is just a number and that you can achieve recognition at any stage of your life,” she continues. Dancing is a method for Bala to stay emotionally and physically active. She feels that having a happy attitude in life is critical, especially for those over the age of 60. Reiterating that age should not be a limiting factor in what one might achieve, the 62-year-old feels that people should be free to pursue whatever makes them happy.
Most individuals my age complain about joint discomfort, high cholesterol, and a variety of other age-related ailments. I believe that maintaining a good attitude is essential in combating such problems. Doing what you enjoy, whether it’s drawing, painting, or cooking, is a rewarding experience. For many people, I am a source of inspiration, a ‘Rockstar Daadi’. Hearing such compliments is a form of fulfilment in and of itself. Some may believe that I have always been happy and that life has always been easy for me. That is not correct. I’ve had my share of difficulties that I had to conquer. “My passion, my dancing, helped a lot in that regard,” Rockstar Dadi concludes.
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