And because of its core ethos, waacking continues to be a tool of empowerment and self-expression for the Indian LGBTQ+ community.
“In fact, many people explore their sexual identity through the dance style because it provides a space for introspection and self-expression,” says Ayusi Amrute, who has been waacking since 2012 and is a frequent host of Red Bull’s Your House Is Waack – jam waacking for dancers all over the country.
“Another important factor is that the waacking community always strives to be a safe space for people to feel comfortable expressing themselves,” she adds.
When dance teacher Amrute introduced walking, the style was virtually unknown in India. Her teacher encouraged her to watch videos and contact dancers abroad to learn more about the style.
“We (a few Indian dancers who started walking more than a decade ago) learned walking the hard way; doing my own research, learning the history of the dance and connecting with dancers in countries where walking was popular,” says Amrute.
Patil remembers learning how to walk the same way. But today everything is much different. Over the past five years or so, the dance style has become popular and more and more young people are flocking to classes to learn it.
Patil, who teaches dance, says she encourages her students to stay true to the spirit of the style — unabashed self-expression.
When it comes to music, India is still exploring its soundscape for this style, she adds. Songs by disco queen Donna Summer and American pop legend Diana Ross are still popular, as are tracks from the 1983 film Stay Alive.
Bollywood also had its own disco era, with songs like Koi Yahan Nache Nache and Aap Jaisa Koi topping the charts in the 1980s, but they don’t often find a place in today’s walking jams.
For Waack Girls, Taraporevala roped in indie artists to create an album of original soundtracks that Patil says created a whole new and promising soundscape for waackers in India.
“I think it’s time for people to fully embrace themselves for who they are,” says Patil, “and waacking is the perfect platform to showcase what you’ve found.”
