The absence of South Asian performers at the Oscars was the 'last straw' for dancer Achinta S. McDaniel. 'Some people say, ‘Just be happy with what we got,’ and that’s part of [the problem] — this idea of just accepting the scraps that are thrown to you.'
” — which made history for India that night by winning best original song — they were joined on stage by not a single dancer of South Asian heritage.
While Sunday night did mark a historic turning point for India, which also won best documentary short for Kartiki Gonsalves and Guneet Monga’s “The Elephant Whisperers,” the glaring absence of South Asian performers on Hollywood’s biggest stage was the “last straw” for dancers like Achinta S. McDaniel.
“[Equity is] a big part of what I’m interested in, and this has galvanized so many of my colleagues in the field,” says McDaniel. “Now it’s enough. This is the last straw.” Vikas Arun, a New York-based dancer and teacher specializing in forms of Western and Indian rhythmic and percussive dance, tellsthere have also been conversations this week about building a cross-functional advocacy group that can rally on behalf of South Asian entertainers in moments of crisis.
“It’s about thinking of representation and advocacy for not just directors, writers and actors, but also performers on the larger scale as well,” says Davé. “I think dancers have been left out of this conversation. So when we’re looking at casting agencies and talent agencies, [we need to ask] where are the agents that are advocating to the establishment?”
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