In all big cities, therefore, we now have numerous dancers and dance recitals. But the discerning public can always judge and sift good art from bad. The life of an artist is necessarily one of profound struggle, not only for maintaining proper standards but also for attaining higher and higher levels of creative artistry. In such a struggle, the artistes, who come and shine ephemerally like meteors, fade away as quickly. The greatness of a dancer can only be budged by the repeated successes he

or she has over a long period of 20 to 30 years, at least, rather than by a few freak performances on the stage which are usually held at the instigation of a few well-wishers or personal friends. The present day dance consciousness is indeed a great step towards the progress of this art in our country. Dance that was for a long time hidden and avoided by the so-called intelligentsia has once again gained the honoured position it had long ago. We have now many types of artistes, art lovers and art-critics in dance who are all helping in numerous ways the gradual resuscitation of the art. Even the art dilettantes and spurious art-cities have a place in the national upheaval, for the are in a way making the public art-conscious, though their aims may differ from those of the true votaries of art.

It is therefore interesting to make a brief survey of our present day artistes and gauge their capacity for good or evil. These artistes may be professional, amateur or commercial, not that such distinctions amongst them are strictly watertight. There are many artistes who may not be professionals, but have a professional standard. As for the 'commercial' artistes they exist in large numbers and they cater to the public taste purely to give entertainment.