Happy Feet

If it doesnt hurt,you are not learning: thats the philosophy ballet dancer Sina Nikolauss training rested upon.

IF it doesnt hurt,you are not learning: thats the philosophy ballet dancer Sina Nikolauss training rested upon. Berlin-based Nikolaus started training when she was all of three,and for the next 15 years,the dance form was all that she lived. Until,an injury at the age of 18 made her pause and reflect upon on the rigidity of the dance form. I discovered that

ballet is not just about following rules and making the right moves; there could be alternative ways to do it, says the dancer. So,she decided not to go back to the ballet school,but explore other forms such as jazz,flamenco,hip-hop and create her own vocabulary for the stage,with ballet as the core.

Nikolaus is in the city at the invitation of PAUSE,a programme that supplements school education and empowers children to make responsible choices. In India for the first time,Nikolaus is a travelling dancer,forever exploring cultures and performing dance forms of various countries. She works with people of all age-groups,and here too,she will be taking classes for children as well as adults.

Her style that she calls creative movement,

incorporates stories,games and role-play in order to teach children the traditional ballet in a simple way. She says ballet is very tough on the body and mind,so she prefers to teach children in a way they can

enjoy. Through games,I lead children to play with their own bodies,to stretch out and perform some graceful movements. While she uses the ballet

techniques,she does it subtly so that children learn at their own pace, says the 29-year-old,who has been working with the younger lot for many years.

For more on classes and schedules,e-mail: pause.chandigarh@gmail.com

Parul

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