The right moves

“I conducted kathak workshops all over the country with Maharajji and gained exposure,confidence and experience to pass on what I have learnt,” she says,recounting how they made engineering students of IIT Khargpur perform on stage after training them for only five days. Shankar is next headed to Dagshai,Sanawar,Chail,Subathu for a series of dance recitals.

Art is not the sole domain of big cities and renowned institutes,says Shankar. That is why she frequently travels to smaller towns and government schools to teach. “Knowing the technique is not enough,as Maharajji’s golden rule was to provide as much input to the children as they can absorb,” she says. Kathak,she adds,is not a fixed dance form and creative combinations are the essence of many of their performances. “You have to be friends with the students and make the exercise playful,” she adds.

As far as improvisation of the dance form is concerned,Shankar clarifies that Maharajji had made a lot of changes,making the dance playful and interesting,blending feelings with rhythm,drawing inspiration from what is around us. Shankar believes organizations like SPIC MACAY and the electronic media have an important role to play in popularising performing arts.

Shakuntala Lavasa of SPIC MACAY Chandigarh Chapter agrees,adding that their organisation regularly involves educational institutions to make cultural outreach more effective. “Integrating art into education is the mission,so most performances are lecture demonstrations,like the ones by Mahua Shankar,” adds Lavasa.