Unique and entertaining, Bharatanatyam On Wheels was an experience, combining artistry, aesthetics and the strength of the human soul. Moving beyond the ordinary, the performance on the wheelchair was an extraordinary feat that surprised many in the audience. Performing Bharatanatyam on wheelchairs, using wheels in place of legs, has taken the artistes years of hard work and innovative methodology. “We practice three hours everyday and I have been now dancing for 10 years,” said Gulshan Kumar, one of the dancers. Nitish Gupta, another dancer on the wheelchair, made the task sound easy. “It’s not that different from the normal Bharatanatyam. Instead of our feet, we just use our wheels,” he said casually.
While these dancers have been working on their art for a long time, one can’t ignore their indomitable spirit in this unique performance. Guru Syed Sallauddin, the mastermind behind this performance and the choreographer, said, “It is a moment of pride and excitement for me. Performance of any kind is not an easy task even for the able bodied person.
With utmost devotion and relentless perseverance, these differently abled people on wheelchairs are performing Bharatanatyam, the most respected classical dance form.”
The show started with a small token of thanks to Guru Syed Sallauddin, by one of his former students, Vinay. After that it was time for the artistes to take over the stage and when they did, it was quite a sight.
One had to see them to believe that they could give such an effortless presentation on the stage, using only their hands to dance as well as move around.
The segment started with only one dancer who was later joined by two others to start the performance. They used a prop in form of a decorated wheelchair and the three dancers were in complete synchronisation, moving their hands and wheels of the wheelchair to make it a brilliant sight. The smooth transition from one pose to another not only created an aura of awe but also moved everyone in the audience.
The performance took the audience to a different world altogether, showcasing something they had not seen before and everyone rose to their feet as the programme came to an end, making the evening a great success.
