Soumya
Murali, pursuing Masters in Bharatnatyam at St. Teresa’s College, Kochi, shares
her passion for the traditional dance form
I was always interested in
dance especially Bharatnatyam from a very young age and have been pursuing it
from the age of 3. This interest prompted me to do my Bachelors in Bharatnatyam
following which I chose to complete my M A as well, as I believe one will have
a mastery over dance only if one choses to specialise in it.
The two year course is divided
into four semesters; in each semester, there is one theory paper and a
practical paper and examinations can be written in English, Malayalam or Sanskrit.
Although the main subject is Bharatnatyam, there are other subjects like
history of Bharatnatyam, different types of ‘koothu’, natyas, mudras and so on. In the final semester, we are
required to present our own choreography, depicting a story from the puranas and vedas.
For those who wish to pursue
the subject, knowledge of dance is important. Similarly, one has to have an
inclination towards dance to take it up as a subject of study.
The future of a Bharatnatyam
student is not bleak as many think, for the career prospects are many. One can
teach dance to aspiring students, either from home or enrol as a dance teacher
in a school. After Masters, one can even take up a career of teaching the
subject in colleges. Alternatively, one can open a dance school to pursue their
passion for dance.
I have been teaching dance for
around 60 students since my graduation and have given stage programmes, as well
as performed in temples. The most memorable moment was performing Bharatnatyam
for foreigners and tourist guests at a premier hotel, for unlike us, they
understand and have better knowledge and interest in these dance forms. It is
very fulfilling to perform for them. As for my future plans, I plan to open a
dance school in Dubai, where there is great scope for the traditional forms of
dance.
As
told to Sherene Joseph
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