My mother says that I had already decided to become a Bharatanatyam dancer at the age of three. She used to take me to watch a lot of classical dance performances. I fell in love with every aspect of Bharatanatyam- the costume, jewellery, the storytelling and the beautiful movements.
1. Tell us more about your background and journey.
I am a Bharatanatyam dancer based in Bangalore. I was born and brought up in Mumbai. I have completed my Masters in Development Psychology from Durham University, UK. I moved to Bangalore in 2017 to pursue my career in Bharatanatyam and train under Guru Rukmini Vijaykumar.
I have had the opportunity to dance as a core dancer of Raadhakalpa dance company as well as perform as a soloist. My colleague (Sandhya) and I premiered our first-ever duet dance production "Sārthika" in early 2020 which received a wonderful response. We are now currently working on our next duet which we hope to stage next year sometime.
2. When did you first decide you wanted to pursue dancing and how did you start?
My mother says that I had already decided to become a Bharatanatyam dancer at the age of three. She used to take me to watch a lot of classical dance performances. I fell in love with every aspect of Bharatanatyam- the costume, jewellery, the storytelling and the beautiful movements.
I was fortunate enough to start my training in Bharatanatyam at the age of 7 under the tutelage of Guru Dr. Jayashree Rajagopalan (one of Dr. Padma Subramanyam's senior-most disciples). Her training has given me a solid foundation in the art form.
After my masters, I decided to take the plunge and take up dance as a full-time profession once I started training under Guru Rukmini Vijaykumar. The training I have received from her is what has helped me develop my overall strength and understanding of my body as well as given me a very fresh and interesting way of perceiving Bharatanatyam.
3. Who is your favourite dancer and why?
I don't have one. It is not possible to have just one favourite! There are so many qualities that I admire in various dancers. Dr. Padma Subramanyam is top on the list. Our classical dance owes so much to her for her contribution in this field and for reviving the beautiful movement vocabulary- the 108 karanas.
The grace of Guru Dr. Jayshree Rajagopalan, the strength and creativity of Guru Rukmini Vijaykumar, the grace and steadiness of Odissi dancer Bijayani Sathpathy didi, the agility and effortless movements of Shri Parshwanath Upadhyaye sir; are all that I admire so much.
4. Can you throw some light on opportunities one gets as a dancer?
Making your way into a field like this is very hard without the support from your Guru and family. Being a young, upcoming dancer, I have seen that opportunities are available, but not necessarily paid ones. You cannot sustain just through performance. So our main source of income comes through teaching.
5. Is format training required or can one train themselves purely on the basis of talent?
Absolutely required!! Classical dance (or any art form for that matter) requires a specific type of training. It is very easy to differentiate between someone who is well trained in the art form versus someone who may have "talent" in dance but has not received formal training. Classical dance forms are extremely nuanced. It is essential to have a strong base which can only be achieved through proper training.
6. What piece of advice would you like to give to future and aspiring artists?
I would say just focus on what you are doing. Do not get carried away by social media. It is very easy to get overwhelmed by all that we see on these platforms and start to compare ourselves to others.
Just stay in your own lane. Believe in your skills. Pay attention to what you need to improve but at the same time also acknowledge your strengths.
7. Which is your favourite book and why?
Not dance-related. It used to be The Lord of the Rings (everything about that series is brilliant). A recent favourite though is "Palace of Illusions" by Chitra Banerjee Diwakarunni. It's a re-telling of the Mahabharata from Draupadi's perspective. It is so fascinating to read the Mahabharata through the eyes of this strong, fierce female character.
Interviewed by - Jayasree
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