When she finally had some time on her hands, it was dance that Vadapalani resident Meenakshi Ramanathan, 58, took up. “I learnt dance when I was in school but I quit later. Only last year, when my son went to work in Bengaluru and I had free time on my hands, he encouraged me to follow my passion, which I did,” said the performer, who took part in three presentations as part of Athma Laya’s annual ‘Dance Hour Nite’ held on Sunday in Chennai. Age was not a deterrent for the 130 women between 25 and 80 participating in the holistic dance school’s World Dance Day celebrations. Some countered scepticism with spirit and others sought fun after finishing endless chores. The women skipped generation gaps and found new friendships in their time away from the restricting confines of home. Group dynamics, novel exercises and a focus on fitness helped to dispel loneliness, boredom or a lack of self-belief.
Families trooped in to watch the stylised renditions in Bharatanatyam and other forms. “Our whole family came to watch my co-sister, niece and me perform. It was my childhood desire to learn dance. After my first performance, my mother-in-law gave me a big hug and a gift of ₹1,000. She was very happy to see us dance. I now want to learn Thappaattam,” said home-based entrepreneur Sathya Ganesh, 45. Athma Laya’s founder and artistic director Mala Bharath said the school teaches Bharatanatyam “to suit women of all age groups.” “We have classes once a week and, for many women, it’s a time to follow their dream of learning to dance. Most of them are in their 40s. It’s a great effort because doing something for themselves comes last, generally. Our aim is to make them happy, confident and relaxed,” she said.
