Three-day tribute to classical dance legend Rukmini Devi

Kalakshithi - School of Fine Arts, Basavanagudi, will celebrate the 118th birth anniversary of popular Bharatanatyam dancer and choreographer Rukmini Devi Arundale this week.

Eighty students from the school will perform solo and group dance pieces over three days. “There will be a Bharatanatyam performance, a garba performance, and a special folk dance from Tamil Nadu,” Prabha Srinivasan, a music teacher at the school, says about the tribute.

The dance school was established by M R Krishnamurthy, a disciple of Rukmini Devi, in 1991. “I spent about 14 years under her tutelage, and have travelled to 35 countries teaching Bharatanatyam. She was a teacher and dancer like no other. She was one of the first dancers who introduced the art to the public,” he says.

Fondly remembering his teacher, the 84-year-old founder says: “Art without vulgarity, beauty without cruelty, and education without fear — these were her three main principles. This inspired me to start my dance school to pass on these principles to the future generations.” Lovingly known as ‘Kittu Sir’ by his students, he would like the younger generation to embrace the dance form sincerely. “Dance is about devotion and dedication. If you do it right, it can help you attain a level of spirituality,” he says.

The dance school celebrates Rukmini Devi’s birth anniversary every year but had to pause the tradition since 2020 because of the Covid outbreak. “This year’s show is going to be on a smaller scale since we are just returning after the (Covid) break,” informs Prabha.