Indian, Swiss dancers collaborate for a cause

Bengaluru-based Bharatanatyam dancer Sujatha Venkatesh believes that art and dance have the power to alter perspectives. She points out that dance has shown the impact it can have on people. “Our involvement in dancing for humanity makes a difference,” Sujatha Venkatesh tells Metrolife.  

Sujatha runs the ‘Omkara School of Indian Dance’ in Geneva, Switzerland and has been teaching there for the last three decades. She has been performing nationally and internationally, incorporating a broad spectrum of genres and styles.

Her latest production involves a Swiss tour in October which is supported by Permanent Mission of India (Geneva) and Indian Council for Cultural Relations (ICCR). The tour will be held in collaboration with Omkara and its students and will rope in Bengaluru’s well-known dancers. The proceeds from the shows will be donated to two NGOs -’Swiss Helvetas’ and ‘Nanhi Kali’, working in water-related issues and education of the girl child. “Here, we will harness the power of movement, music, mindfulness and intent to create experiences that save lives, engage hearts and heal relationships. We strive to inspire people to realise their full potential,” says Sujatha.

One of the main themes for the forthcoming production is ‘Jala’, meaning water. Sujatha says that it is a unique thematic dance presentation, exploring the difficult relationship that one shares with water. She says ‘Jala’ propagates the message of conservation and preservation of water in the current day environmental challenges.

Having been witness to the hardships that women face due to lack of water, Sujatha, has conceptualised and choreographed ‘Jala’ as a tribute to all women work to provide for clean and safe water for their families. “The lack of water in developing countries leads to infantile death and unleashes health issues among women. This is a cause of concern. It is everybody’s right to have access to clean and safe water,” says Sujatha. She adds in the same tone, “It is important to conserve and preserve the natural resource which is, in fact, the very essence of life.”