Traditional Indian dancer collapses and dies on stage as audience thought fall was part of routine
Professional dancer Kariyathparambil Omanakuttan, 48, was performing the Bharathanatyam at a temple in Kerala, India, when he slumped to the floor
A DANCER has died on stage during a performance that stunned the audience who thought his collapse was all part of the act.
Kariyathparambil Omanakuttan, 48, was a performer known for his work in traditional Indian dance and was mid-routine when he collapsed last Saturday.
He was performing a traditional dance known as the Bharathanatyam with his partner Sivan Malyankara at a temple in the town of Paravur, Kollam, in the southern region of Kerala.
A video shows the pair, dressed in bright Indian clothing, mirroring each other’s movements before Omanakuttan suddenly crouches and slowly slumps to the floor.
Local reports suggest the audience initially thought it was part of the routine but that idea was quickly dismissed as the curtain came down and an usher rushed onto the stage.
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The reports that Omanakuttan was so involved in the art form that he had previously told friends he would die on the stage.
His movements had been measured and controlled during the performance with video showing him standing on one leg without apparent difficulty.
The professional dancer was taken to a private hospital in Paravur but declared dead on arrival.
The cause of his death was not reported.
A dancer for more than 25 years, Omanakuttan had entertained on more than 400 stages in the eastern state of Bihar.
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