Watch Sushant Yonjan’s one minute inspirational video
INTRODUCTION
Creative fields like music, dances are always thought of as good for ears and eyes but hardly to Nepalese parents allow their children gracefully to pursue such dreams. The tag of being doctor, engineer, pilot and many other such professions is still dominant. Among them few have courage to give it their all despite of any challenge they shall face.
22years old, Sushant Yonjan is one of the inspirational youth in Australia who has represented Nepal through his dance in both Nepal and Australia; a professional choreographer/dancer/performer in The Magic Crew(Melbourne,Australia). Let’s peek through his story, struggle and his rise.
A resident of Chandol,Kathmandu, Sushant Yonjan was a band member of Nepaholics Dreams. He with his friends was in struggling in music fields releasing some songs and video and side by side pursuing their studies. Sushant, in particular was also doing some stage performance in Nepal too. But after high school like almost every Nepali youth he came under the pressure of doing something for career, for raising the family standard, fulfilling family needs and facing the real life. That led his path towards Melbourne, Australia in 2013.
In skype conversation he was in tears remembering how excited he was when he first heard the sound “ Now arriving at Melbourne Victoria” but all of it faded away when the person who was supposed to received him didn’t came and there he was at airport for 2 days. After 2 days an Indian taxi driver left him to federation square promising there were lots of Nepalese there.
When he reached flinders he couldn’t gather courage to speak to anyone. He spent some days in flinders station and near Tei Yarra River facing the rain and sun. Later, he went to university and stay there for month but that was too expensive so after a month he left the hostel. As if the problems were any less, his COE( important document such as visa needed for staying in Australia) suddenly got cancelled as he couldn’t pay fees.
“Everything was going wrong, things were messed but I don’t why I just couldn’t say I have had enough” he says.
He never gave up no matter what. His friends used to cut their shift and give him so that he could work and earn something. He remembers eating chips that cost 2 Dollars and sleeping at flinders station. After lots of hard work he published another COE and started studying again. Slowly he got involved in Simrik dance crew, where he got his first opportunity to choreograph and perform at event. He was hyped with that performance and later formed his own dance crew, “The Magic Crew”. He heartily remembers Sam Nepali ( dai) a social worker in Australia, who helped Sushant in his every step, difficulty and motivate him not to lose home no matter what.
Now magic crew is one of the popular names in Melbourne, Australia. The crew has been performing in several events of Nepalese people in Australia. They also now provide dance workshop for all dance group and give opportunity to perform in events. They mostly teach Bollywood, classical, contemporary, freestyle, lyrical hiphop/hiphop, tango, Zumba, locking, krumping and many more. On a verge of pursuing his passion Sushant besides his studies i.e. bachelors in account, he is also doing a course in dance.
Oops, did we mention Sushant have already completed diploma in commercial cookery and is great chef as well.
One liner with Sushant
1. Life: Life is fair,whatever happens with one it happens for a reason at a point we realise that.
2. Love: A realistic feeling of strong bond and affection that a person feels.
3. Happiness: Is the key that one needs to carry in every path of their journey whether in hardship or joyful moment of life.
4. Money: A intellectual source for self satisfaction.
5. Person I admire the most: My dad(Sudip Yonjan),Sam Nepali,Subi Didi.
6. Life Mantra: Workhard but at the same time dont forget you have a life for you as well.
7. Before I Die: I would like to represent my country worldwide through the art of dance.
Questions-Answers with Sushant
1. What is dance for you?
Dance is worship for me, a source for happiness and self- satisfaction.
2. Is dance your passion? How did you realize or discover this?
Dance is not only my passion but a source of self-satisfaction. I learned to dance by watching reality shows and youtube on my early days. Later on when I came to know about different dance forms their styles. I began to explore myself like try different dance forms. Slowly I started realizing whenever the music began and my body started to move I couldn’t feel the agony of all that I have gone through or even any other happy moments. The euphoria I got while dancing happened to be reason why dancing remained as a passion to me.
3. Did you have the moments of hopelessness, regrets, wanting to give up and just leave especially in those dark days?
Every night I used to cry, I thought like why I am here. I used to have lots of regret. The nights on flinders station I just laid I couldn’t sleep at all. All I did was thought of going back and start studying in Nepal. But at the same time I used to remember all the difficulties in visa processing, preparations and so on for the sake of coming here. I used to say to myself, ‘You did so much to be here and now you want to go back?” It was similar to what is seen in movies, there were two versions of me talking to myself. I guess there was an ego inside me that I am not the one who deserve this and eventually that ego turned out be a motivation to keep fighting.
4. What gave you the strength to keep going despite all the hurdles you faced?
The anger with how life was treating me, determination and making myself patience and focus
5. We have heard of determination, patience all those things before but was it that easier for you?
It wasn’t easy at all. I remember so many times I cried while talking to my parents over the phone but still couldn’t even properly express all that I have been through. I even lied to them for few times like things were going fine until the times things actually began to be fine. More heartbreaking were the times when some people even for just joking began to say send me this and that, if only they knew what their friend was going through. But I tried to be calm no matter what and believe that whatever I faced will help be discover myself someday.
6. What was the biggest life lesson you learned facing adversity?
Everything happens for a good reason(Positivity) just have patience and keep on pushing yourself.
7. After being in Australia which is the best moment for you so far?
It was back in 2014 when I got my first pay for performing in a event. I was very much happy that I was paid for my dance in abroad.
8. In Nepal, there are many stigmas for dancers, did that stigma stop you?
Obviously yes. Main thing is still there is lack of respect for dance and misconceptions that dance cannot be a fulltime profession to have a healthy and wealthy life. You know like in Nepali we say “Kura katney”(backbiting) by neighbors that he is a dancer now he will leave his studies and his life will be in trouble. Yea those things I used to hear that a lot.
9. Did your parents support you for your dancing passion?
Fortunately, my parents are amazing they are like do whatever you want but make sure you’re happy and yea they support me for my dance and they are even proud because of my dancing.
10. Which one you would relate yourself as; rapper or dancer now?
Rapping/Music has always been a part of me which most commonly people are not aware of that. But I have earn the respect through dance so a Dancer
11. Where do you see yourself in 5 years?
Building professional career in dance and learning dance I guess as learning is never ending process. Apart from that I might see myself as an active social worker.
12. What message would you give to young generation planning to go abroad for study?
Life is hard in abroad but one need to stay focus and handle the situation as much as possible. Make sure you are ready for every challenges and hurdles’ once you get onto from that you are a champion.
13. Anything else that you want to say to those who are reading this?
Life will knock you down many times but trust me focus on destination of yours and don’t get diverted no matter what. Sooner or later things will get better.
Leave a Reply