Daksha Sheth’s residence at Ookode, Vellayani, is far from the madding crowd. The house, which hugs the Vellayani Lake, is surrounded by lush greenery.
“I was adamant that I live near water and not in a concrete jungle if I moved to Kerala. After all, Kerala is all about water and Thiruvananthapuram is a place that has river, lake and ocean so close to the city. The fact that the land was adjacent to a 100-year old Vishnu temple, appealed to me too. I felt being close to water and God would provide a positive energy,” says Daksha, who hails from Ahmedabad.
A danseuse who has redefined the dance idiom of Indian classical dance by bridging the contemporary and traditional, Daksha’s numerous productions have roots in the diverse traditions of Indian performing arts such as Kathak, Malkhamb, Chhau and Kalaripayattu.
And while her dance studio made of thatched leaves and bricks may seem charmingly rustic, Daksha recalls a time when it was just a thatched roof strung across coconut trees.
“We didn’t have the resources to build a proper studio when we started rehearsing in 1996. The structure you see now is the seventh ‘incarnation’ of the space. There was no electricity either. Electricity supply started only in 2002. The studio still does not have a fan as there is a steady breeze. We have covered our mud floor with rubber sheets. A mirror that stretches from one corner to the other adds to the feel of space to the studio.”
A sketch of a woman dancing and a couple of colourful posters brighten the interior. A large pole in a corner of the room with mattresses tucked at the base is for practising various dance moves, while a Pilate’s ball doubles up as a fitness machine.
As there was no electricity, Daksha started dancing to live music during practice. It helped that her husband, Devissaro, is a composer and musician. “But then I have always been fond of and used to dancing with live music. There is a magic in the performance when both music and dance merge together. I cannot imagine a life without music or dance. If music is not there, my soul will wither away. A jugalbandi between dance and music is a norm in my studio.”
That could be a reason why her dance productions such as Sarpagati, Shiva Shakti or the latest one Sari, is a “feast of colour, music and movement.”
The nature around her and the view of the serene lake, she says, give her the creative energy she needs to come up with new ideas. It is also the ideal setting for the research she does for each production. “Inspiration for me can come from anything; it can come from literature, poetry, music... And my source of inspiration varies each time. My team and I try out various movements, sounds, lights… on this dance floor.”
Research, says Daksha, is the most exciting part of the show. Her house is filled with books on the topics she has picked for her productions. She occasionally sets up a chair in front of the studio to read her books. “The shade from the trees, the cool breeze, the picturesque lake… all contribute to a perfect spot for research.”
Dance practice for Daksha and her dance troupe begins in the morning and ends late into the afternoon. The benefit of running your own dance company is that you can sleep in or take a holiday.
The artiste is currently busy working on another challenging dance piece.
“It will be a pan-Indian project,” she says.
