Why Blaming the Dancer for Bad Choreography Misses the Point

Julia Wagner · 2026-05-26

When a dance sequence goes viral for the wrong reasons, the backlash usually lands on the performer. But as a recent controversy around Ananya Panday's Bharatanatyam moves in the song "Chand Mera Dil" shows, that instinct might be completely backwards. Author Shobhaa De stepped in to defend the actress, and her argument cuts right to the heart of a problem every dancer and choreographer knows too well: the person executing the steps isn't always the one calling the shots. ### Who Really Deserves the Criticism? De's point is simple but powerful. If a dance routine is poorly conceived, badly taught, or culturally inaccurate, the responsibility should fall on the choreographer and the director, not the performer who shows up and does what she's told. That's not just a hot take; it's a fundamental principle of how professional dance works. An actor or dancer on set is executing a vision. They're the instrument, not the composer. Think about it this way. If a guitarist plays a badly written song, do you blame the guitarist or the songwriter? The same logic applies here. The dancer is bringing someone else's blueprint to life. When that blueprint is flawed, the architect should answer for it, not the builder. ### The Pressure of Public Performance There's also a deeper issue at play here: the immense pressure on performers to nail a routine in front of cameras, often with limited rehearsal time. In a professional studio setting, you might have weeks to perfect a piece. On a film set, that luxury rarely exists. The result is that even talented dancers can end up looking off their game when the choreography doesn't suit them or the cultural context is mishandled. This isn't just a Bollywood problem. It happens in dance studios across the United States every day. A student might struggle with a routine, not because they lack skill, but because the choreography doesn't match their strengths or the teaching method is flawed. Blaming the student in that case is a missed opportunity to improve the actual craft. ### What Dance Professionals Can Learn From This For choreographers and studio owners, this controversy is a useful reminder to look inward before pointing fingers. Here are a few takeaways that apply far beyond the celebrity gossip cycle: - **Own your creative choices.** If a routine misses the mark, acknowledge it. That builds trust with your dancers and your audience. - **Match the choreography to the dancer.** A move that looks effortless on one person can look awkward on another. Adapt your work to the strengths of the people performing it. - **Respect the source material.** If you're working with a traditional form like Bharatanatyam, do the research. Cultural accuracy isn't optional; it's part of the job. - **Communicate clearly.** A dancer can't execute a vision they don't understand. Take the time to explain the intent behind the movement. ### The Bigger Picture The next time you see a dance performance that feels off, ask yourself where the real problem lies. Is it the dancer's execution, or is it the direction, the coaching, and the creative decisions that led them there? In most cases, the answer is far more complex than a simple blame game. Shobhaa De's defense of Ananya Panday is more than just celebrity news. It's a conversation about accountability, craftsmanship, and the invisible hierarchy that shapes what we see on stage and on screen. For anyone working in the dance world, it's a reminder that the spotlight is a heavy thing to carry, and we should be careful about who we ask to bear it.