Behind the Scenes of My Bharatanatyam Practice
The stage is where I find myself, but the real magic happens in the hours of practice before the curtain rises. Here is a glimpse into the silence, the discipline, and the joy behind my dance.
A raw compilation of my practice sessions from the past year. Whether in my basement or a studio, I find joy in exploring old choreographies, discovering new movements, and simply dancing with abandon. This is the bliss of nritta.
In this video for the 'Humans of the Arts' series, I share my belief that the secret to art is to be found in observing life with a quiet mind. It is these observations that fuel my choreography and my teaching.
A short, unfiltered look back at my year in dance. It was a year of losing myself in art and finding myself in life, filled with rehearsals, performances, and moments of pure joy.
A beautiful and dance-filled year. This collection shows some of the backstage fun, rehearsal moments, and on-stage highlights that made the year so special.
About Behind the Scenes: My Practice & Philosophy
My daily sadhana is not just about perfecting the adavus. It is about building azhutham, that crucial groundedness that separates a standard performance from one with real weight and intention. When you watch me practice, you might see me repeating a single korvai for an hour, focusing on the precision of my feet and the stillness of my mind. It is in these quiet, unpolished moments that the art truly breathes.
For me, dance is a constant process of exploration. People often see the final performance on stage, but the most important work happens in the studio, in the moments where things go wrong and I have to laugh, adjust, and continue. My approach to Bharatanatyam is rooted in the Natyashastra, but I believe that theory must find a home in the body through rigorous, daily practice.
When I work on the 108 Karanas, it is an academic pursuit as much as a physical one. I spend hours decoding Sanskrit texts, trying to translate sculptural transitions into fluid movement. But my philosophy remains simple. I find art in everyday life, whether it is the rhythm of rain or the chaos of a child throwing a tantrum. I try to bring this same observational quality to my choreography and my classes at the Mandala Cultural Centre.
If you join me for training, do not expect a standard classroom atmosphere. We work hard, but we also look for the maja, the fun, in the process. We train to perform with live ensembles, not recorded audio, because understanding how to hold rhythm with a live orchestra is essential for any serious dancer. This is a space for those who want to lose themselves in art and find themselves in the process.
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