When you begin to make news you know you have arrived. That is how Madurai-based Youforia Danscool’s growth in the last three years can be best described. Their programmes have become such awaited events in the city’s entertainment calendar that last year they did two ticketed shows and in 2016 too they have promised to return within six months. The announcement was made by the school’s Director Dr.Kavitha Fenn after a houseful auditorium enjoyed their latest show of Kinara last weekend.
Like always, there was a fair and creative mix of Bollywood and Kollywood numbers, the retro and folk, freestyle, zumba and hiphop. The infectious energy of each batch of performers on stage set the tone for the next and the audience remained glued to their seats for three hours breaking out in cheers and applause all through.
Driven by the pumping music, the glitter and finesse of the costumes, the lighting and the coordination, it was the gamut of emotions and moods and the energy busting experience of the young and the senior dancers that made it a treat worth enjoying.
If the tiny tots were not afraid to show off their moves to hit Tamil and Hindi film songs – from the Puli song to Prem Ratan Dhan Paayo , special child Rajshri melted hearts at the beginning of the show with Dola-re-Dola song from Devdas . She never missed a single move. Trained over a fortnight by dance master Karishma Rajaani who choreographed five dances for the evening, Rajshri is a cherished student of Youforia that integrates inclusive learning and teaching. “She is a regular student, dancing her way through three years here. It has worked as a perfect therapy for her,” points out Dr.Kavitha.
The best thing about Youforia dance school with some of the best and qualified trainers is that it does not limit itself by setting strict age-wise categories for dance lovers. Over the months, the trainers and the taught have fine-tuned the simple philosophy, ‘shake it like you have got it’ and the high-octane choreography is visible in their shows which sees a mix of amateurs and professionals, college students and professors, doctors and many more drawn from different fields taking on the stage with élan and grace.
If Dr.Kavitha with Karishma as the mastanis (of Bajirao fame) captured the cheerfulness and exuberance of the Bollywood hits, Pinga and Yeh diwani mastani ho gayee , Nagina master’s trainees gyrated full on jhatkas to yet another fun fusion of Hindi numbers from Chennai Express and Action Replay.
Gopi master took the performers and the viewers to the old Tamil films of the 1980s with Rajnikant’s Disco Rama Disco Sita and Vachikava while Arunachalam brought the cinematic folks alive with the woodpecker song from Anbe Aruire and the Maskara song. With Mohan Master it was free style leaning on Ajith’s number Aluma Dolma and Thara local (from Dhanush’s film Maari ) while Mohanasundaram gave the Takbak song from Dhanush starrer Thangamagan in popping style.
There were many more during those feet tapping moments. The energy was palpable as the dancers rose to the challenge of doing such a varied show.
