Kathmandu, June 19 -- Ratnapark, a bustling transit hub in the heart of Kathmandu. Commuters hurry towards their destinations. Amid the rush, some people suddenly stop at the edge of the pavement. Some pull out their phones to record what they see. Others stand motionless, eyes fixed on the scene unfolding before them. A few reach into their pockets and drop money into a hat placed on the ground. Within minutes, a crowd gathers.

Treating all this attention as though it were routine, two young men move effortlessly to the rhythm of the music. Their feet repeat intricate steps. Their gestures seem to tell stories. Dancing in freestyle fashion like contestants in a competition, they glide across the pavement as if leaves were swaying in the...