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- Vijay Shanker, Mumbai e-mail: vijaydance@gmail.com January 19, 2013 Rachana Sansad Educational Trust (Mumbai) has introduced the dance section with the collaboration of Brahmnaad Arts and Performing Academy with an exclusive course of Bharatanatyam wherein the student can learn Bharatanatyam within the short span of three years. The course started on Sunday 6th January at Rachana Sansad, Prabhadevi, Mumbai. Celebrated actress and dancer Hema Malini inaugurated the course by cutting the ribbon of the AC class room with wooden flooring which is ideal for dancing. Speaking on the occasion, Hema Malini said, “I am extremely glad that Rachana Sansad has started the dance section with course in Bharatanatyam and I hope in future, other styles will also be included. For whatever I have achieved today, the complete credit goes to my mother Jaya Chakravarthy. If not for her continuous support and guidance I would not have become an actress or dancer. I had learnt Bharatanatyam from great masters like Guru Kitappa Pillai but after I got more involved with acting assignments, my Bharatanatyam took a back seat. After meeting Guru Deepak Mazumdar, I was happy to learn that besides being a fine exponent of Bharatanatyam, he was also a scholar with knowledge of Sanskrit, the Vedas and the Sastras too. So I was happy when he said that I must continue performing Bharatanatyam. Since then, my association with Deepak-ji started. Besides the traditional compositions I was happy to learn his choreography which was based on Tamil, Sanskrit and Hindi compositions of either Meera or Tusidas. I perform Bharatanatyam mainly due to his consistent encouragement and guidance and am happy to state that my association with Deepak-ji is more than twenty years old. I have been asking the Government for land to build my own academy for dance. After repeatedly asking the Government, I am tired now. Mein pooch pooch ke thak gayi hoon.”
 The classes will be conducted by Guru Deepak Mazumdar and his talented
disciple Rupak Mehta. Within the span of three years, the student can
learn the complete margam, the art of nattuvangam, art of choreography,
special items, understanding Abhinaya Darpanam and approach to Natya
Sastra. The student will be given a studio recorded CD as well as
practice CD. On this occasion, the dignitaries of Rachana Sansad,
Chairman Sharad D Chitnis, Vice-chairman Prof P.P. Amberkar and trustee
Uday D Chande were present.Guru Deepak Mazumdar said, “This course has been designed with a view to take care of the time constraints of metropolitan cities like Mumbai where students are involved in different activities, hence can’t devote a lot of time and can’t wait and learn for several years like the way we learnt. Moreover, all the students are welcome whether they may be doing any course with Rachana Sansad for architecture or fashion designing for that matter, or students who come to learn only Bharatanatyam and nothing else. I am happy to know that Hema-ji accepted the invitation without hesitation. I really admire her dedication and sincerity she has maintained for several years.” The students were thrilled to see the Dream Girl of Bollywood as she spoke right from her heart and created a lasting impression. Vijay Shankar is a Kuchipudi and Kathakali exponent, teacher, bilingual journalist, arts critic and actor. |
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