Stepping Up

While the world was watching the royal wedding on April 29,dance connoisseurs were busy celebrating the World Dance Day,celebrated since 1982 to increase awareness about the importance of dance. The excitement was apparent at Chinmaya Mission,where Delhi-based Bharatanatyam centre,Kaladarppanam,had organised a programme. The evening began with a performance by Sunita Menon,founder of Kaladrappanam,along with forty of her disciples,who presented eight pieces of Bharatanatyam. Apart from this,the students also performed the Saraswati Shatnam Stotra,Ganesh Kautvam,Mallari and Mooshika Vahana. While Salma Ansari,wife of Hamid Ansari,Vice-President of India,was the chief guest,those in attendance also included artist Leela Omcheri and vocalist Vidhushi Guha. Sunita Menon’s piece Kailasa Nathena,which praised Lord Shiva,was applauded. “This is one of my favourite pieces and that’s why I decided to perform it on such a prestigious occasion,” said Menon.