Kanchan Agrawat, an artist from Jodhpur, inherited her passion for dancing from her father. Due to societal discouragement and the tragic loss of her father at 15, she gave up dancing. However, after marriage and completing her education, she rediscovered her love for dance. Despite conservative family values and personal shyness, she found solace in dancing alone in her room. Her breakthrough came with TikTok, where her dance videos went viral, gaining her recognition and praise. Despite the ban on TikTok in India, she persevered, transitioning to Instagram to continue sharing her passion.
Talking to SheThePeople, Kanchan Agrawat shared how despite facing criticism and scepticism, she persisted, inspiring others, especially women, to pursue their dreams despite societal pressures. Today, at 39, she reflects on her journey with gratitude, having bravely chased her dream against all odds.
Kanchan Agrawat's Dance Journey Defies All Odds
"Ever since my childhood, dancing has been my passion, just like my dad. I grew up in Jodhpur, where dancing wasn't encouraged very much. When I was just 15, my father passed away. It was a shock to me, and I just quit dancing.
After my graduation, I got married, and a new phase of life began. For the next few years, I juggled with family responsibilities while completing my masters and becoming a PhD scholar.
My family was conservative, and I was always shy, so I used to dance alone in my room. It was once at my brother’s wedding that I pulled off a performance. To my surprise, I was showered with love and praise.
It wasn't until 2019, with the rise of TikTok, that I found a platform to share my passion for dance. Initially, I started with lip-syncing and funny videos, but it was my dance videos that caught people's attention and made me go viral. I was appreciated by my in-laws and relatives, but even more by my sons.
But unfortunately, tik-tok was banned in India, so I had to stop posting my content. I did not want to stop after coming this far. So, I thought of trying my shot at Instagram. Initially, I had no knowledge about shooting or editing, so I tried to keep my videos as authentic and raw as possible by recording them during daylight.
Despite facing scepticism and criticism and getting some negative comments from people who thought I was seeking fame, I continued dancing.
Today, at 39, I look back on my journey with thankfulness. Even though I was scared at first, I bravely chased my dream. To other women who might feel unsure about following their dreams because of what society says, whatever you love."
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