Most of the time I spend on Instagram is on watching Reels about dogs with outsize personalities, but most people are there for the dance videos—watching, making, sharing or commenting on them. The audio is up there and the steps are out there to imitate, making dance videos the most popular content to create as well as watch. 

Parents post Reels of their children dancing, teens are taking on dance challenges, actors are promoting films with hook steps, founders of lifestyle brands are promoting their products with dance sequences—and, of course, professional dancers are creating live portfolios, hoping to break out of the shadows and make it big. 

Tourist spots and places of worship have signs that read “Do not dance here” or “Do not make TikTok here”. Our relationship with dance has changed over the past decade—it’s neither confined to the classical arts nor to learning in the structured space of a studio. We now dance anywhere and everywhere, and we want everyone to watch. 

With breaking being included in the Summer Olympics next year and Indian dancers hoping to make it to Paris 2024, Western dance has seen its stock rising in India. We meet the dancers who have been trying to craft careers for themselves, and understand the environment that now enables them to enter competitions around the world and make their mark. 

Social media sensation seems to be a thread in this issue. We have a story on the popularity of social media content in languages other than English, as bi- and multi-lingual audiences in India seek out more content. Migration and a sense of nostalgia is one driver of this trend—people want to stay in touch with their language, food and style though they have moved far from home. 

Another story that taps into trends is an interview with Anton Hur, translator of the book on BTS which has been on best-seller lists since May, when pre-orders began. Hur talks about his relationship with translation, social media and the Korean music superstars he loves. And as always, we have recommendations on shows, books, and products that the Lounge team loves. 

Write to the Lounge editor shalini.umachandran@htlive.com 

@shalinimb