Step up revolution

While the road to recovery has been a story of falling down repeatedly and standing up again,her outlook has changed. Now not only does she teach children but has diversified into teaching children who have learning and physical disabilities,and those from underprivileged backgrounds. In ways more than one,she says,the accident taught her a lot about life. “The entire period of rehabilitation,tears… Instilling of the never-back-down attitude,did not come overnight,” she says. While there are happy carefree smiles playing on her face now,she says that it is time she helps those who are deprived of it.

“That accident was an eye opener because I realised that not everyone can learn to dance,or even be lucky enough to learn the movements. The reasons can be varied. Right from being physically to economically challenged. And that is when the thought hit me. I was running a commercial venture,but I could always teach for free those who couldn’t avail these services easily. And that is what I began doing. There were two girls earlier who were dyslexic and also suffered partial paralysis. I began incorporating the dance therapy I took and learnt during my rehab to aid these children. And it worked. There are now six such students who are learning. Also there are 21 students who are from economically challenged backgrounds who learn with me for free. It is nice if there are people who volunteer to come forward and fund them,else whatever I can do for them on my own I do,” she says.

Someshwar teaches Bharatnatyam,Kathak and Bollywood-style dances. She also works on teaching lessons of dance therapy so that the children are able to move better.

She is all praise for the children. “It is so difficult for some of them to even move their hands. And even though there is an overpowering sense of helplessness,they just look up and smile. The determination in their eyes is just worth everything,” she says. Speaking about the children who come from economically challenged backgrounds,she says that it is the hunger to learn and the discipline along with it to keep their focus from going awry,which inspires her too. “I always thought that charity was not about spending tonnes of money. A little effort to bring a smile on a face is good enough— in fact better,” she says smiling.