“I feel that it was destiny that guided me towards dance. I don’t hail from a family of artists or musicians or dancers. While I was exploring various fields of education, my younger sister took an inclination to learn dance. When I accompanied her to enquire for dance classes, the overall atmosphere of the class and the beautiful lady teaching dance raptured my attention and sowed seeds of interest in me. I was 13 when I started learning Kathak under none other than Shambhavi Tai, and that’s how my life took a 90 degree turn. I received such a well-rounded training from Guru Shambhavi Dandekar ji, that it shaped my career as a performer, choreographer and teacher. Her exemplary training made me eligible to stand in front of and learn the Laya-Taal aspects of music from Taalyogi Pandit Suresh Talwalkar ji himself. Learning under him was an eye-opening experience and it introduced me to a world full of intricacies and depths of the aesthetic of Indian classical music.

Looking back, I feel that I found a comfortable place to express myself in dance. When I first started learning Kathak, it felt as though Kathak always resided me and it came out naturally through my body. After choosing Kathak as my career path, there was no looking back. I immersed myself in my Riyaz and devoted all my time and energy to it. I slogged for mastering the technique of Kathak, for gaining control over my body, for gaining clarity of movements and footwork and for understanding the visual aesthetic. Kathak transformed a timid girl like me into an indomitable performer. My BA and MA years at Lalit Kala Kendra also proved to be path-breaking in terms of shaping my career. Various lectures from the scholars in this field widened my horizons, broke all my inhibitions and blocks, and helped my creativity flow. In these formative years, I got the opportunity to visit Kumudini Lakhia ji’s Kadamb Institute to learn what choreography is. That proved to be another highlight as I got the opportunity to witness the shaping up of a thought process that crossed traditional subjects and its execution very closely. It was simply awe-inspiring!

Today, I feel that I was blessed to have been groomed under stalwarts like Shambhavi Dandekar ji and Suresh Talwalkar ji. They ignited a fire in me and made sure that this fire kept burning. I am extremely grateful and truly indebted to both of them.

I feel that as much as I chose dance, dance chose me too. Dance makes me free and allows me to be an unfiltered version of myself. Dance, as a medium, is expansive and never fails to challenge my intellect, emotions and body. Dance has given a meaning to my existence. It helps me inch closer towards spirituality!”