Mysore :

This danseuse runs a dance school with a difference. Her dance school takes pride in being a one- of-its-kind institute that aims to transform budding young students to talented and informed artistes. Brought into existence in Mysore by the young and capable Anitha Yathiraj, Nrutya Vidyapeetha is distinctive, not just for it believes in nurturing every individual artiste to awaken the dancer within, but for the Bharatanatya Training School is run and managed by both the founder of the institute as well as parents of the students training in it.

“I believe in providing quality education and thus, my dance school is run differently,” asserts Anitha, a disciple of city based danseuse Kripa Phadke and dance exponent K. Muralidhar Rao. “I do not believe in publicising much about the school and believe in paying individual attention to each of them.”

Having grown extensively in Mysore in the last 13 years, Anitha’s dance school has various branches across the city, some of which are being run by her own students. According to her, Indian classical dance is a very special form of dance that speaks about the richness of Indian culture and is important to educate the students about the art form the right way.

To maintain precision, the danseuse has included in the committee of the dance school, parents of her students and also some alumni of her institute. “I involve them in the committee for I believe as parents of my students, they have a major role to play in managing the institute, which they trust will guide their children rightly. And all those who are associated with my school are very dedicated and cooperative. It is because of them, arranging programmes and performances from my institute is always fun.”

For this distinctiveness, this small yet exceptional institute was recognised and has collaborated with the University of Paris since five years from where, students come down to learn Bharatanatya every year.

“Students of the University come down to learn Bharatanatya during their summer time which is between July and September. During their visit, I train them according to a special syllabus I have framed for them, who are then certified by Nruthya Vidyapeetha,” says Anitha, adding, “however, for me, it is not the collaboration with the foreign University that means special but it’s the special bonding with my Indian students is what I enjoy most. Most of them do not even know about the institute’s collaboration with the Paris Varsity. My students enjoy the individual attention they receive and I too love spending time with them.”

Apart from running the dance school, Anitha sometime before has also remained a dance tutor in schools like the De Paul International Residential School and Green Valley International School, a casual announcer in Akashavani and is a Post Graduate in Kannada literature.

That apart, she also has several students who exclusively come down from places like Bangalore and Hassan once a week or 15 days to learn the art from her. “They come and learn classes for hours at a stretch, according to the time they can manage to spend here. I am glad they are so dedicated towards their interests,” Anitha feels. And for all her achievements, she reveres her family’s support without which, she says, things would have really been difficult for her. Now a mother of one and still beautifully managing several dance training classes, Anitha is a resident of Vijayanagar 4th Stage, Mysore. Reach her out on: 94483-32200.

— AN

source: http://www.starofmysore.com / Star of Mysore / Home> Feature Articles / June 29th, 2014