Arunima Dey - With Art It Is Very Easy to Lose Touch With Oneself and Rise to Greater Heights (Dancer From India)

I didn’t ever want to pursue dance as a career. I was very happy being a student and managing my time between dance and studies etc. 

However, I got good pretty soon and had just resigned from my job as a content writer, in search of better prospects, when my dance teacher offered me a position with his team.

Tell us more about your background and journey?

I have a masters in biochemistry and have lived in Mumbai all my life. I trained in Bharatnatyam for a bit in childhood but nothing concrete after that. It was while I was graduating that I was dragged to a Shiamak Davar dance class by a friend and was hooked. 

I began to train regularly and was picked up as an instructor by my subsequent teacher about 4yrs after I quit SDIPA, which eventually led me to focus full time on dance. I did have to face opposition from home but my parents eventually came on board when they realised I was serious and willing to work hard.

When did you decide you first wanted to pursue dancing and how did you start?

I didn’t ever want to pursue dance as a career. I was very happy being a student and managing my time between dance and studies etc. 

However, I got good pretty soon and had just resigned from my job as a content writer, in search of better prospects, when my dance teacher offered me a position with his team. I took it up on a whim and have never looked back since.



Who is your favourite dancer and why?

I don’t have a favourite dancer but appreciate poise, calm, grace and detachment in dance.



Please throw some light on opportunities one gets as a dancer?

The thing with dance is that there is no fixed path to follow. Depending on your training you could be a dancer on stage, Bollywood, a teacher, a choreographer for events or can even forge an individual personality on social media. 

However, getting opportunities is not a given; dancers more often than not need to create opportunities for themselves and others.


Is formal training required or one can train themselves purely on the basis of talent?

I think training of some kind always helps but in the long run individuality and hard work pay dividends as opposed to simply talent.


What piece of advice would you like to give to the future and aspiring artists?

I think with art it is very easy to lose touch with oneself and begin to pursue something for other reasons rather than the art itself; I’m still figuring out my own relationship with my craft on a day to day basis, but constantly exploring and keeping my reasons and intentions very clear has always helped me.

Find on Instagram

Interviewed by - Unnati Priya