Dance moves create unity in community

AS Heritage Month draws to a close, Durban resident and Indian classical dancer, Mayuri Reddy spoke about her hopes and passion.

Reddy is a Bharatanatyam dancer, a major form of classical dance that originated in Tamil Nadu in India.

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She told the Berea Mail, that she is particularly interested in learning Odissi and Kuchipudi.

“Ever since I can remember I have been attracted to the fine arts and dance, in particular. At about five years old, after expressing an interest in Bharatanatyam, my parents took me to my first dance class with my Guru (teacher) Srimathi Yogambal Singaram,” she said.

Reddy said she knew that her lifelong passion was born after her first lesson.

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“I must admit that as I got older, I started to focus more on my studies and my dancing career was set aside. To this day, it is something that I regret because I feel that I would have managed the stress of high school and university a lot better if I had a well-rounded lifestyle,” she said.

It was in 2019, after a long break from dancing, she realised her dream of holding an Arangetram, which can loosely be described as a dance graduation.

“Traditionally, it is the first time a dancer performs before an audience after being deemed qualified to do so by his or her Guru,” she said.

Reddy said another goal on her bucket list is to contribute to making bharatanatyam accessible to all people of different races, cultures, religions and economic backgrounds.

“As a Christian Bharatanatyam dancer in South Africa, I have always felt the need to create a bit more space for people like me who don’t necessarily fit the typical mould of a Bharatanatyam dancer. I believe that through the arts we can develop a greater understanding and respect for people who are different from us and that this will strengthen us as a nation,” she said.

Reddy also spoke about the preservation of the classical art form.

“Whether its is music, dance or poetry, people who perform the art form are largely responsible for the survival of a culture as they contain important information about cultural customs, theology and religious beliefs. Being a South Indian born in South Africa, who has not yet had the opportunity to visit India, my dancing career has played a huge role in developing my identity as an Indian woman,” she said.

She encouraged young people to do everything possible to learn about the arts and play a role to preserve music and dance for future generations as she firmly believes this links generations and is a continuation of the rich heritage that people were born into.

“Indian classical dance has definitely been kept alive in South Africa due to the efforts of our Gurus and organisations such as the South African Indian Dance Alliance,” she said.

Reddy said Indian youth took pride in Indian dance but said they struggle between maintaining a healthy balance between preserving classical dances in their original form and creating space for the influence of film dance and other dance forms indigenous to South Africa.

“I believe there’s a time and place for both, especially since the South African-Indian culture seems to have grown to become a unique culture all on its own,” she said.