KATHMANDU, April 1: B-girl of the popular The Cartoonz Crew in Youtube, Ashma is very busy these days…rehearsals for new videos, study and workshops…she has to share her hours everywhere.
Her fans are increasing as she is stealing the limelight through The Cartoonz Crew on social media and Youtube. Ashma, 21, is famous for the break dance.
“I was interested in dance since grade eight. My school friend Suraj inspired me to involve in dance”, said Ashma. While studying in Nepal National Lower Secondary School, Hadigaun, her school mate Suraj used to show her videos of B-boying and B-girl, after which her interest toward this form of dance increased. She started practicing the dance for hours watching on Youtube.
Realizing that she could not perform like the videos on Youtube, she decided to join then Nepal Sports and Dance Training Institute (now GA Hall) of Thamel, where the entire trainees were boys.
“I was the only girl there. I used to feel shy dancing with the group of boys. B-boying was only for boys not for girls”, remembered Ashma, adding, "I had feared if my family would know about this. “
Her study was getting worse as she used to spend most of her time practising dance with the help of Youtube. Her parents were worried about her studies. “My photo was printed on the cover of Friday magazine. And then my family, for their surprise, came to know about my dancing”, said Ashma.
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Her father was very worried about her interest toward dancing. “My father always motivated me for the studies. But I did not quit my passion”, said Ashma. It was easy for her after her family saw her picture on the magazine.
“My family agreed on my passion. I decided to build my career in dancing. My father motivated me for the studies but never forced me to quit dancing.”
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As the number of boys involved in B-boying was high, to find the B-girl was not that easy. It was eight years ago. Now the situation somehow has changed. “We can see many B-girls, by which the situation is getting easier”, says Ashma. She has already won the title of ‘B-girl Battle’ for three times. She claims that she is the first B-girl of Nepal.
Now-a-days, she is getting offer for item dance. “I want to do movies now, for which I am receiving trainings”, she says. Her appearance is like ‘Tom Boy’ because of B-girl, as she wanted to look like.
As she is planning to build career in films, she is concerned with her appearance. “I am more concerned with my figure and diets as I am switching over to movie career.”
The Cartoonz Crew is performing dance since 2010. She is the only female in the six-member team. The team led by Saroj Adhikari is very famous among the viewers on Youtube. Lhakpa Lama, Bikash Rai, Ram Gurung and Suvin Chauhan are the other four members of the team. Saroj, who is affiliated to the Boys of Kirtipur, has established the Cartoonz Crew to create a dance platform in Nepal.
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The Cartoonz Crew is uploading videos on Youtube through Beast Production since 2014. The members of the Cartoonz Crew practice daily for three hours in Hadigaun-based Creation Fitness and Dance Studio.
“The Cartoonz Crew is like the second home for me”, says Ashma, adding, “We share our feelings with each other. I gained popularity by this. We are still learning more.”
The Cartoonz Crew stood second in the World Leaser Games 2015-Street Dance Competition. Likewise, the group took the first place in the Battle of the Year in 2012. Ashma has contributed to the team in both achievements.
The six-member group is very popular among the youths and is performing B-boying in Nepali style.
