And because of its core ethos, waacking continues to be a tool of empowerment and self-expression for India’s LGBTQ+ community.
“In fact, many people explore their sexual identity through the dance style because it allows space for introspection and expression,” says Ayushi Amrute, who has been waacking since 2012 and is a frequent host of Red Bull’s Your House Is Waack – a waacking jam for dancers across the country.
“Another important factor is that the waacking community always strives to be a safe space, so that people feel comfortable expressing themselves,” she adds.
When Amrute was introduced to waacking by her dance teacher, the style was virtually unknown in India. Her teacher encouraged her to watch videos and reach out to dancers abroad to learn more about the style.
“We [the handful of Indian dancers who began waacking over a decade ago] learnt waacking the hard way; by doing our own research, learning about the history of the dance and connecting with dancers in countries where waacking was popular,” says Amrute.
Patil remembers learning waacking the same way. But things are remarkably different today. In the past five years or so, the dance style has picked up in popularity, with more youngsters flocking to classes to learn it.
Patil, who teaches dance, says that she encourages her students to stay true to the ethos of the style – unabashed self-expression.
When it comes to music, India is still finding its soundscape for the 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 Staying Alive.
Bollywood had its own disco era too, with songs like Koi Yahan Nache Nache and Aap Jaisa Koi becoming chart-toppers in the 1980s, but they don’t often find space in today’s waacking jams.
For Waack Girls, Taraporevala brought in indie artists to create an album of original soundtracks, which Patil says has created a brand new and promising soundscape for waackers in India.
“I think the time is right for people to embrace who they are fully,” says Patil, “and waacking is the perfect platform to showcase what you find.”
