TGS LIFE FEBRUARY 27, 2016 PUNE
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They have danced their T
hey started their journey at a tender age when they didn’t even know the meaning of classical dance. They’re now considered the most prestigious performers in the country and
have represented India on various international platforms. Dr Pt Nandkishore Kapote, Dr Sucheta Bhide Chapekar, Guru Maneesha Sathe and Prerana Deshpande, tell TGS how, after years of devotion towards their passion and crossing several milestones, they still see every day as a beginning and have a lot to learn.
Dr Nandkishore Kapote
Ever since he was about four years old, Pt Nandkishore Kapote loved dancing to the tunes of old songs which would play on the radio at home. At the time, he wasn’t quite aware what classical music meant. His earliest memories are dancing on the famous Dilip Kumar song Madhuban Mein Radhika Naache Re and watching him dance whenever he had a chance in school. Eventually, it was his school teachers who noticed his talent. One of his first stage performances was when he danced on Laga Chunari Mein Daag, after which his teachers told his grandmother that he should learn dance under proper guidance. However, in those days, times were different and a boy getting into the field of of dance was not considered prestigious, says Pt Kapote, “My grandfather was very upset when he got to know about my interest in dance. He asked me to concentrate on studies instead as he wanted me to become an IAS officer. It was after we moved to Pune from my hometown Jalgaon, that I got the chance to see a classical dance performance. That changed my life forever.” Pt Kapote was in standard seven when he went to see a dance performance featuring Gopi Krishna at Bal Gandharva auditorium. He was totally mesmerised by the performance and even went to the green room to take his blessings. “I did not have any idea what dance form it was but I just asked him whether he would teach me. He asked me to go to Mumbai where he said he would teach me Kathak. That couldn’t happen at the time as my family was not prepared to send me off to a new city, leaving my education midway. By then, I had made up my mind about taking up classical dance.” It was his grandmother who told Pt Kapote about a dance school on Prabhat Road. The students were learning the same dance form, Kathak, as he had seen Gopi Krishna perform. He enrolled himself and started learning Kathak while pursuing education too as he was equally good at academics. In 1973,
Dr Sucheta Bhide Chapekar Hailing from a Kokanastha Brahmin family where education is given the highest priority, it was Dr Sucheta Chapekar’s father who chose to become a painter at a time when making a profession in the field of art was totally unheard of. After he left from Pune to pursue his career as a painter in Mumbai, Dr Chapekar says that her father always had a deep belief that his daughter would become a dancer one day. The belief, of course, did come true. Though she had an interest in several other things such as studying language and painting, her father felt she would excel in performing art. That’s how she started learning Bharatnatyam under a local teacher when she was just six years old. But her actual training began under Acharya Parwati Kumar about five years later. By the time she turned 15, the training became even more rigorous as Dr Chapekar would have to train three hours every day before and after school.
way to glory
The city’s leading classical dance exponents share inspiring tales of how they’ve reached the stars through dedication and hard work By Heena Grover Menon @HeenaGM
She was not even allowed to take part in any other activities in school while she was under Acharya Kumar who was a very strict, but great, teacher. Dr Chapekar gave her Arangetram performance in 1963. It was in fact from that day that she realised that she wanted to become a professional Bharatnatyam dancer as she felt overwhelmed with the kind of response and adulation she received from the audience. She took up art in college and there also realised that whatever elements are there in art are also present in dance too. Later, after getting married, she moved back to Pune with her husband but says that her husband and his family were also very supportive of her
he got a chance to meet his idol Gopi Krishna and this time spent about two days with him, Pt Kapote was studying in standard 10 then. Much against his grandfather’s wish, he continued to learn and take up small stage performances during his school and college days. After completing BCom, he applied for a scholarship to learn dance. “At the time, there weren’t many platforms like there are today. From across the country, only two of 300 students were selected for the scholarship and I was extremely fortunate that I got the opportunity. At the same time, I learned that I had cleared civil exams. So I was at crossroads and I had to choose between the two. It was my father who encouraged me to do what I was passionate about and hence my new journey began in Delhi.” In the capital, Pt Kapote finally got the opportunity to learn Kathak under the professional guidance of legendary artist Pt Birju Maharaj. The initial days were quite tough as it took him some time to prove his passion. Eventually, Pt Kapote became one of the most loved disciplines of Pt Birju Maharaj. He also got a chance to travel across the country with him. Later, Pt Kapote went on to do his PhD in Kathak and travelled across the world to perform before international audiences. Having performed for over 35 years now, there is not a single moment when he had ever thought of taking a break from his work. Apart from starting his own dance institutes, he has also established the Pt Birju Maharaj Dance Research Centre, which was inaugurated in 2006 by Pt Birju Maharaj himself. Besides, he started the Sitara Devi Art Museum and also does a lot of social work through his ballets across the smaller towns and villages of Maharasthra to spread awareness about various social issues. Now in his 60s, Pt Kapote still has the same boyish energy and zeal to travel, perform and teach. It is his greatest wish to continue to perform until his last breath.
TGS LIFE
Prerana Deshpande After noticing her interest in dance, Prerana Deshpande’s mother enrolled her in Kathak classes under Sharadini Gole when she was seven years old. When she turned 15, Prerana gave her fi rst-ever stage performance. A solo dancer and choreographer of international repute, she is one of the leading Kathak exponents who is currently at the peak of her solo dance career and believes that every day brings a new beginning. While she holds a degree in Mathematics, Prerana was so passionate about learning Kathak that she would bunk college to practice. She points out that her parents never questioned here when she would get home late simply because they knew how passionate she was about dance. “Then, we would have no count of time, I would stay at my dance class for four-five hours at a stretch without having to worry about reaching home late and my parents would always support me. Unlike today, when students have hundred other things to think of, we concentrated on one thing that we liked doing the most.” R ememb e r i n g her days as a student under Guru Rohini Bhate, she says, “I would pick her up on my scooter and go to dance classes, where I would fi rst clean up the entire place before beginning our sessions. Th is would be a lot of fun as well, as I got a chance to stay close to my guru and learn from her individually.”
dance and encouraged her in every way possible. “He was so interested in my profession that he would not let me do even a simple chore at home. Every time he would see me doing something else, he would just tell me to concentrate on dance. I feel extremely lucky.” During her early years as a performer, she recalls that Maharashtra was not so well-versed with classical dance forms. She made an effort to incorporate Marathi compositions in her performances and create a deeper connect with her audience. “The only dance that people were aware of was Lavani which is not a classical dance form but a folk form of dance. I started learning Carnatic music to get into the roots of Bharatnatyam but people
would ask me why I don’t do something connected with Hindustani music. Then, I started researching on how I could blend Bharatnatyam with Hindustani classical music. It was challenging but I created many compositions which had the elements of the dance form blended with Hindustani music. I worked almost 10 years and eventually, it was appreciated by all my audiences.” Talking about today’s generation, Dr Chapekar feels that although they are passionate about what they want to do, time constraints limits them from concentrating on just one thing. “In our times, we would take whatever we did as our ultimate passion and make it a part of our life, but now the younger generation is always thinking about how they can make their hobby into a career, how they can become teachers so they can earn out of it. In a way it is good that they are ambitious, but sometimes they lose out
She believes that it takes a lifetime for someone to excel in a dance form such as Kathak and, even though today’s generation is fast at picking up things, there’s a sense of rush that sometimes takes away the zeal. “I get a lot of students and their parents ask me how much time it would take for their child to perform on stage. A lot of them come to me so they can get a certificate to show in schools and earn merit. Th is deeply disturbs me as a teacher. A lot depends on the parents to push their children towards the right direction. My guru also told me once that everyone is gifted in one way or another, but not everyone can become a great artist. I can totally believe and relate to it now.” Prerana has been performing in India and abroad for around 20 years now and her daughter Ishwari is also following her footsteps. In a world of competition, she believes that dance is something that one pursues for inner happiness and not because you want to get ahead in the race, as that will never make you a great artist. “Even today, I do my riyaaz every day for about two hours,
FEBRUARY 27, 2016 PUNE
FEATURES
Maneesha Sathe
She was declared still born and when her parents were taking her home, the doctor, who treated Guru Maneesha Sathe, insisted she stay involved in some kind of physical exercise all her life to remain healthy. She recalls her parents telling her that every time music played in their house, she would start dancing and it was then that her parents decided that she would learn Kathak. They even moved to Mumbai so Sathe could train under Gopi Krishna and pursue her education at the same time. Initially, there was a lot of hard work involved but now when she looks back at all those years, it has been a great journey. She never even decided what profession she would take up since her parents decided everything for her and she is ever so grateful to them. Having taught several students over the years, Sathe feels that not everyone is cut out to become a dance teacher. “There are a lot of dance enthusiasts who learn dance and think that they can set up their own classes and start teaching but that’s not the right way. No matter how good your skills are, you still need a certification to without which become a teacher to be able I never teach my to teach others.” The same students. Every day goes for the student who I learn something want to take up classical new and that gives dance and their parents. There me immense are many parents who send satisfaction as an their children to any class so artist. When I they could take up dance as turned 30, I a hobby, but they don’t do was very sad a proper search on how and told my the teacher is, what is her guru that background. Sometimes my career it could be something was going which is close to their to end - PRERANA DESHPANDE homes and they enrol their v e r y children out of convenience. That’s soon. My not the right thing to do, says Sathe. guru smiled and told me She also feels that one has to grow with the that you actually evolve times and introduce innovations to the dance form as an artist only after you to be able to sync with the modern society. At the cross 40 years of age and as I have same time, keeping the essence of Kathak intact crossed that milestone, I truly is extremely important. She explains, “Kathak understood the meaning of her words.” was essentially a solo performance dance form, but nowadays we have choreographies, group performances along with various themes. on the inner happiness. It’s the teacher’s duty to show Moreover, a lot of importance is given to them the right path. Today’s generation is very hardcostumes, ornaments and make-up which has also working they just need to pay more attention to what evolved over the years.” they really want out of whatever they do.” Since 1991, Sathe has also been working with In her entire career as a dancer, teacher and Japanese musicians to bring a fresh new dimension performer, she has taken only three sabbaticals to her compositions. Along with her students, which is when she was expecting her two children she has performed many choreographies based on and recently when she had to undergo an open heart stories of Buddha in Japan as well as in India. “We surgery. She performs along with her daughter, have performed on theme-based choreographies but Arundhati Patwardhan, who is also a renowned without having to disturb the essence of Kathak, and Bharatnatyam dancer and has represented India on this is what I have been teaching my students who several international platforms. “Dance is my life and want to become teachers as well.” I love the stage, which is the reason that I still go on At 62, she has given about 62 performances in stage to perform even though I am 67 years old. I a span of just two years, a goal that she had set for have been performing for so many years that I can’t herself when she turned 60. Sathe also feels that go wrong in my performance. I may not dance solo being a performer is a huge responsibility in itself for one-and-half-hours any more but my audience still and till the time your audience likes you on stage, you loves to see me perform. That’s what keeps me going.” must give your best, but if you feel that your body is
“I get a lot of students and their parents ask me how much time it would take for their child to perform on stage.”
not in sync with your mind, you should retire. “The immense love of my audience has kept me going, but the day I feel I am not able to give my best, I will go and sit with the audiences and let others perform.” heena.grover@goldensparrow.com