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Varsha Seshan

Our Performance Last Week

December 20, 2016 by Varsha Seshan 1 Comment

Many things went wrong. Too many things went wrong. Mahatma Phule Sanskrutik Bhavan informed us on the 5th of December that the mayor required the hall on the 18th, so all performances scheduled for that day had been cancelled. And yes, our performance was scheduled for the 18th. 59 children were to perform. We had […]

Filed Under: Dance Tagged With: academy, Academy of Indian Dances, art, Bharatanatyam, culture, performance, programme

Performance at Tirupathi

September 2, 2016 by Varsha Seshan Leave a Comment

As a child watching a cricket match live on television, I remember asking my grandfather, “How does the camera know where to look?” Two days ago, looking at five people sitting together and ensuring that our performance was screened live all over the world, I remembered my question and smiled. Performing in Tirupathi was an experience that […]

Filed Under: Dance Tagged With: academy, art, Bharatanatyam, culture, Nadaneerajanam, performance, programme

Kalakshetra 2015

June 21, 2016 by Varsha Seshan Leave a Comment

One year ago, three of us had the privilege of dancing at Kalakshetra in front of my teacher’s teachers. I can’t believe that a year has passed since that wonderful day that was so filled with emotion. We were scared, but our teacher was terrified – she had to play the nattuvangam on the same stage that […]

Filed Under: Dance Tagged With: academy, Bharatanatyam, Kalakshetra, performance, programme

Performing on 8 May!

April 22, 2016 by Varsha Seshan Leave a Comment

I’ve lost count of the number of times people have asked me when we’re performing in Pune. Finally, here we go! The senior students of the Academy of Indian Dances bring to you a traditional Bharatanatyam programme, featuring a range of pieces that explore nritta, nritya and natya. Beginning with an invocatory dance, we move on […]

Filed Under: Dance Tagged With: academy, art, Bharatanatyam, culture, performance, programme, Pune

Our Performance on Sunday

March 1, 2016 by Varsha Seshan Leave a Comment

Performing for three minutes is often more trouble than it’s worth … not this time, though. People often assume that a three-minute performance is no big deal. Let’s look at it this way, though. Leaving aside the time we take to choreograph, learn, coordinate and practise, we could just look at the day we perform. […]

Filed Under: Dance Tagged With: academy, art, Bharatanatyam, culture, performance, programme

Paying a Tribute – Sakal Times

July 15, 2015 by Varsha Seshan Leave a Comment

Thank you, Sakal Times, for the article about our Kalakshetra performance!

Filed Under: Dance Tagged With: academy, art, Bharatanatyam, culture, Kalakshetra, performance, programme

What Went By

July 14, 2015 by Varsha Seshan Leave a Comment

It’s taken me a while to write about the last month. How full of emotions it has been! We performed in Kalakshetra for Pushpa Teacher and Jaya Teacher, my teacher’s teachers. We peaked and fell, rising and falling with a tide of emotions. We felt we underperformed, and then we were overwhelmed by everyone’s responses. […]

Filed Under: Dance, Travel, Workshops Tagged With: Atta Galatta, Bharatanatyam, Guru Mythili Raghavan, Kalakshetra, reading, story-catcher, workshop

Kalakshetra Performance – The New Indian Express

June 23, 2015 by Varsha Seshan Leave a Comment

Yes, we really performed. Even though the picture does not show it, I was really there too.

Filed Under: Dance Tagged With: academy, Academy of Indian Dances, art, Bharatanatyam, culture, India, Kalakshetra, Mythili Raghavan, performance, programme

Performing at Kalakshetra!

June 13, 2015 by Varsha Seshan Leave a Comment

To say that we are honoured, privileged and humbled all at the same time is to say nothing at all. We are going to perform at Kalakshetra, the place where our beloved guru became the dancer and person she is … What words of mine can begin to touch upon all our thoughts and feelings? Like […]

Filed Under: Dance Tagged With: academy, Academy of Indian Dances, art, Bharatanatyam, culture, Kalakshetra, performance, programme

Paid Artists

March 30, 2015 by Varsha Seshan Leave a Comment

I have been learning dance for 22 years. Yes, that is a lot. Often, people ask us whether this means that we have our own dance classes. No. That is not the only reason to learn dance. “How much would you charge for a performance?” is the next question. “It depends on what sort of performance […]

Filed Under: Dance, Travel Tagged With: art, backpacking, Bharatanatyam, culture, Europe, France, performance, programme

Jatayu Moksham

February 8, 2015 by Varsha Seshan Leave a Comment

The Kalakshetra troupe performed in Pune for the first time last evening. Finally. When I watch them dance, I understand. I understand why Kalakshetra is such a reputed name in the dance world. I am awed by the vision of Rukmini Devi, and her incredible imagination. I see dance as architecture, performance and storytelling. I am moved to laughter […]

Filed Under: Dance Tagged With: art, Bharatanatyam, culture, India, performance, programme, review

Arangetrams and Anniversaries

October 29, 2014 by Varsha Seshan 1 Comment

My dance teacher does not remember the exact date of her Arangetram, but she does remember that it was in 1964. Just for today, I’m going to pretend to myself that her Arangetram was the 29th of October, 1964. Because today, I think of all the time that has passed since our Arangetram: my sister’s and […]

Filed Under: Dance Tagged With: Academy of Indian Dances, Arangetram, performance, programme

Arangetram – Chaitrali, Diaspina and Purvi

August 11, 2014 by Varsha Seshan 4 Comments

“How was the Arangetram? How did Chaitrali do?” my mother asked. I had one word in response, “Moving.” And it was moving for more reasons than one. When Chaitrali, despite her hearing and speaking disability made her speech, many of us were in tears. “I thank the didis,” she said, painstakingly. “Varsha didi … Nisha didi […]

Filed Under: Dance Tagged With: academy, Arangetram, art, Bharatanatyam, culture, performance, programme

Arangetram

August 10, 2014 by Varsha Seshan 2 Comments

The Academy of Indian Dances welcomes you to the Arangetram of Chaitrali, Diya and Purvi. Chaitrali is a special girl with a hearing disability despite which she has persevered and come to this stage. Her Arangetram is a proud moment for her parents, her guru, and somehow by extension, all of us. Diya and Purvi […]

Filed Under: Dance Tagged With: academy, Arangetram, art, Bharatanatyam, culture, performance, programme

Day One: Abhinaya

July 26, 2014 by Varsha Seshan 2 Comments

The day was full of surprises, with just two participants for our workshop. We had questions about whether we should cancel. We decided against it, and perhaps it was a good thing. The workshop was an experience. Things that we had planned could not take place simply because there were not enough people. Yet, it […]

Filed Under: Dance, Dance Workshops Tagged With: art, Bharatanatyam, culture, performance, programme, workshop

Abhinaya – A Workshop on Indian Classical Dance

July 25, 2014 by Varsha Seshan Leave a Comment

This weekend, we bring to you a dance workshop – Abhinaya …

Filed Under: Dance, Dance Workshops Tagged With: art, Bharatanatyam, culture, performance, programme, workshop

Performances and Workshops

July 23, 2014 by Varsha Seshan Leave a Comment

Many books on dance talk about how the layman likes quick movements and rhythmic pieces. There is a certain amount of condescension when dancers write about quick eye-movements and complicated-looking footwork because all of that is eye-wash. It is easy showmanship for an uninitiated audience. The true connoisseurs of art, say dancers, are those who […]

Filed Under: Dance, Dance Workshops

Technician

July 20, 2014 by Varsha Seshan Leave a Comment

I have lost track of the number of times I have been in charge of lights and sound. As a small performing troupe, we can’t always afford a professional lights and sound manager. And we most certainly cannot afford to have a technician with us for all our practices. At IIM Indore, it was fascinating. […]

Filed Under: Dance Tagged With: performance, programme

Nayanabhinaya

July 12, 2014 by Varsha Seshan Leave a Comment

What is Nayanabhinaya? Divide the word and we get “Nayana” (eyes) and “Abhinaya” (loosely translated as expression). The eyes are an essential part of Indian classical dance, and that is one of the reasons why they are highlighted with thick kohl. The eyes express emotion and create beauty. Learn the basics of Nayanabhinaya at our […]

Filed Under: Dance, Dance Workshops Tagged With: art, Bharatanatyam, culture, performance, programme, workshop

Ashadi Ekadashi at Prashanthi Nilayam

July 11, 2014 by Varsha Seshan Leave a Comment

Standing there, behind the backdrop, we held our breath. We had been working with 43 Bal Vikas children with little or no knowledge of dance since May, and this was the outcome of all our efforts.   Working towards the performance for Ashadi Ekadashi at Prashanthi Nilayam was often frustrating, but ultimately, deeply rewarding. The […]

Filed Under: Children, Dance, Travel Tagged With: art, Bharatanatyam, culture, performance, programme

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