Dance trip to Tanjavur

Two noted Bharatnatyam dancers talk about a unique idea that will fuse dance,choreography and travel to historical places

World-over,those bitten by the travel bug are increasingly seeking to be in places that are off the radar of ‘hot-spots’ lists. They want to be in places and experience more than just casual relaxing and picture-taking. Bharatnatyam dancer and businesswoman Meghana Sabade has also has taken that motto to heart – to explore more than just tourism. Working on this inspiration is the off-beat travel venture Guardian Holidays. Come January 2012,this project will become the confluence point of both her passions. The agency is bracing up to launch a new programme called Nrutya Yatri,which will be a first in organising dancing tours. Sabade’s partner in this project is renowned Bharatnatyam dancer and guru Swati Daithankar.

Nrutya Yatri will be a chance for dance students to visit dance festivals and competitions and learn more about the history and traditions behind the dance forms they are studying. The tour in January will begin at Tamil Nadu,with a trip to Tanjavur,the Nataraja temple at Chidambaram and the Kalakshetra Cultural Academy in Chennai. “If we were to visit them as mere tourists,their doors would be closed to us. But the fact that these are students of dance has brought a much more positive response,” smiles Sabade.

Both emphasise the fact that this is not a commercial venture. “Dancing has always been my passion and I cannot see this tour as being anything commercial. We plan to take not more than 15-30 students on these tours,so that the quality of the teaching and choreography is not compromised.”