The Dancing Queen

When Danave took up Arts in college after graduating from school with a distinction,her friends and relatives were shocked. “But my parents understood why I wanted to pursue my passion as my career,” she says. “Being as artist himself,my father understands the love and dedication I have for my art. I was taken as a special student under danseuse Suparna Banerjee. She suggested that I apply at Kalashetra,the well-known institute for Bharatnatyam in Chennai for authentic knowledge about the art form.” Danave also wanted to complete her graduation in English Literature from Pune University so she juggled flights between Pune and Chennai to manage her education.

While in Chennai,people would often enquire when she would start her own dance classes. “So,I started teaching Bharatnatyam to five children in our living room. Today,I have 500 students with more admissions on hold,” says the 22-year-old with pride.

The Margam Dance Academy was inaugurated in November and its first performance was within two weeks,at the opening ceremony of ‘Indradhanushya’,the youth fest of Pune University. “When I told my team of five choreographers that we need to put up a mind-blowing performance with 80 students with a 3D effect on the ‘Incredible Pune’ theme in just 13 days,we knew it was a make or break situation for us. Luckily,we pulled it off with panache,” she says. The academy offers modern jazz,freestyle,folk,semi-classical,Bollywood,hip-hop and modern contemporary. “And,my students are between 3 and 48 years old,” she says.

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