A dancer, teacher and a performer, Vyshnavie Sainath has found a perfect balance between work and passion. Trained in Bharatanatyam and Odissi, also specialising in Simhanandini, she is ready to learn a more contemporary form of dance. Established in 1992, Attakkalari Centre for Movement Arts is a premier institute in Bangalore which provides extensive training in contemporary movement arts. “It is a six months to one year diploma programme where I will be learning contemporary dance including martial arts, yoga and Kalaripayattu,” says Vyshnavie. After going through two rounds of auditions, she was selected for the programme.
“So far my strength has been in Indian classical dances. I want to widen my horizon and give classical dance a new dimension,” she says. She adds that even though fusion dance is gaining popularity and acceptance, it is however, not simple. “It is not about giving a Bharatanatyam dance performance with a western music. The old and new dance styles needs to come together,” explains the young danseuse.
Apart from stage performances and learning new art forms, Vyshnavie also runs a dance school. In fact, one of her students will be giving her arangetram at the age of 60. The teacher in her believes that age is not a limit, dancing can be learnt at any age. “It was a completely different experience to teach her dance. I had to keep in mind her stamina and reflexes,” she says. Teaching also has helped her hone her own dancing skills. “Often when I am watching my students make a certain movement, I realise the mistake I make during performances,” she says. Reluctant to give up teaching, she says she will come back to the city on weekends to continue the classes. Meanwhile her mother Rajeshwari Sainath has offered her assistance in managing the school when Vyshnavie is away in Bangalore.
She has also been selected by the U.K-based Sruthi Laya Kendra founded by Kaaraikkudi Mani which gives a platform to young Indian achievers in the field of dance and music. Vyshnavie will be performing with Carnatic vocalist Abhishek Raghuram at Hertfodshire.
Having performed in many international podiums, she says the audience are appreciative of such performances. “Audience back in India, look into the nuances and grammar of the dance but outside India, it is more about the aesthetics,” she explains.
Preparing for a Navarasa performance, she is also working in her mother Rajeshwari Sainath’s project where the Bharatanatyam dancer is collaborating with a neurologist for a dance performance. “Dance cannot be limited to traditional styles. It can be incorporated into other fields also,” says the young artiste who shares the same vision with her mother
