For 29-year-old Broadway tap star Jason Samuels Smith, India is a land of possibilities. Even after six visits to the country, this New York-based tap star feels every trip to India leaves him wanting to learn more about the traditions and culture of this diverse country. In India, he recently performed with Kathak master Pandit Chitresh Das.
While Jason has now been working with Pandit Das for more than five years, he admits that even in their collaboration, he had absolutely no idea of the temperaments of the Indian
audience. He says, “Gradually I have realised that in India, through music and dance, you can learn so much about the country’s culture. Also through my tap, the Indian audience can realize the evolution of hip hop and jazz in the American society.”
There were challenges abound during the initial phase of their collaboration, admits Jason. He points out, “Indian terminology was a huge problem for me. Though there are several similarities between American and Indian dance, Kathak was a very typical Indian dance form. That is the reason why I had to learn to improvise.”
Working with Pandit Das has been a learning experience for Jason and he explains, “He is very straightforward and honest with his art form. He loves to creatively challenge him every time.” Pandit Das talks about his impressions of Jason growing in the last few years, “It is best to keep an open mind in our collaboration.”
So while Jason and Pandit Das now tour the country to present their work to the audience, the former is busy soaking the warm weather far away from his home in New York City.
