<p>The young and the old displayed their talents at the annual dance programme Nritya Maadhurya-2012, the celebration of the 27th anniversary of the Shantala Arts Academy.<br /><br /></p>.<p>More than 120 students participated in the event, ranging from ages five to 25. The programme was divided into three parts and a total of ten items were presented as a part of it. As the five-year-olds opened the programme with a Ganesh Vandana, the audience applauded. The programme was performed by three groups of students, called Bala Vrunda, Mukula Vrunda and Parinita Vrunda.<br />“We have a dance festival every year and this is our 27th year. We have a wide range of dance recitals and children, from the age of five onwards, are performing at the programme,” said Pulikeshi Kasturi, the founder of the academy.<br /><br />He added that like every year, the academy planned to honour one of their gurus, Usha Datar, through dance. “We are trying to present the three forms of bharatanatyam — Nritta, Nritya and Natya. We will also concentrate on the abhinaya aspect of bharatanatyam and I am confident that our students will do their best,” he said.<br /><br />The programme kick-started with a performance by junior most group. They danced to Ganesh Vandana. The five-year-olds entered the stage dressed in bharatanatyam attire, each one coordinating her steps and hand movements with the rest of the group. <br /><br />The second group comprised teenagers and students who have learnt the dance form for a longer period of time. “This is one of the biggest festivals of the academy and I have been a part of the academy for a long time now. We put in a lot of effort to make the fest a success. It gives us exposure and is a great platform to showcase our talent,” said Sudha, a student.<br /><br />Many parents, who had come to watch their children perform, were thrilled to see them on stage and could be seen cheering for them. <br /><br />“It’s really exciting to see my children perform at such a grand event. As parents, we too put in our best for the show and take time out for the rehearsal sessions. I make sure that I am present for all their performances every year,” said Swathi K, whose daughters was performing at the festival. The students made the programme a success and their hard work paid off. Not only was their coordination perfect, but the entire show was captivating.<br /></p>
<p>The young and the old displayed their talents at the annual dance programme Nritya Maadhurya-2012, the celebration of the 27th anniversary of the Shantala Arts Academy.<br /><br /></p>.<p>More than 120 students participated in the event, ranging from ages five to 25. The programme was divided into three parts and a total of ten items were presented as a part of it. As the five-year-olds opened the programme with a Ganesh Vandana, the audience applauded. The programme was performed by three groups of students, called Bala Vrunda, Mukula Vrunda and Parinita Vrunda.<br />“We have a dance festival every year and this is our 27th year. We have a wide range of dance recitals and children, from the age of five onwards, are performing at the programme,” said Pulikeshi Kasturi, the founder of the academy.<br /><br />He added that like every year, the academy planned to honour one of their gurus, Usha Datar, through dance. “We are trying to present the three forms of bharatanatyam — Nritta, Nritya and Natya. We will also concentrate on the abhinaya aspect of bharatanatyam and I am confident that our students will do their best,” he said.<br /><br />The programme kick-started with a performance by junior most group. They danced to Ganesh Vandana. The five-year-olds entered the stage dressed in bharatanatyam attire, each one coordinating her steps and hand movements with the rest of the group. <br /><br />The second group comprised teenagers and students who have learnt the dance form for a longer period of time. “This is one of the biggest festivals of the academy and I have been a part of the academy for a long time now. We put in a lot of effort to make the fest a success. It gives us exposure and is a great platform to showcase our talent,” said Sudha, a student.<br /><br />Many parents, who had come to watch their children perform, were thrilled to see them on stage and could be seen cheering for them. <br /><br />“It’s really exciting to see my children perform at such a grand event. As parents, we too put in our best for the show and take time out for the rehearsal sessions. I make sure that I am present for all their performances every year,” said Swathi K, whose daughters was performing at the festival. The students made the programme a success and their hard work paid off. Not only was their coordination perfect, but the entire show was captivating.<br /></p>