Bharatanatyam dancer Sahitya Ramkumar is beaming with joy after her presentation at the esteemed KaNaSu Festival held at Seva Sadan, Malleswaram, Bengaluru, on the first Saturday of July. Speaking to Natyahasini on arrival in Hyderabad, Sahitya Ramkumar, shares that she had dropped application multiple times and a couple of dancers had recommended to Mr. Jayasimha Reddy, the organiser of the Festival, about her work. “Reddy sir, who organises the esteemed KaNaSu festival after viewing my work on Instagram, selected me. I am fortunate for this,” she says. Sahitya mentions that the festival provides a wonderful opportunity to young artistes to present a 45-minute show.
“It is even more gratifying that it’s a ticketed show and supports art beautifully. Also, I had the opportunity to share stage with other established dancers, Bharatanatyam dancer Smt. Divya Prabhath, disciple of Mangalore-based Gaana Nritya Academy Guru Vidyashree Radhakrishna and Kathak dancer, Ms Kshama Anagodumath, disciple of Gurus Pooja Pant and Sampada Pillai, was a wonderful opportunity to watch and learn from their immense experience and artistry,” she says.
On her presentation for the 45 minutes, she says: “I presented four out of the five pieces from मम MĀRGAM, my choreographic work from earlier this year.” On the response of the rasikas in Bengaluru, the disciple of Shijith Nambiar and Parvathy Menon, says: “It was extremely heartwarming to see another city that too a fully artistically developed one like Bengaluru to accept and encourage an artist from another city. I am extremely grateful for their response and blessings.”Sahityakalpa Turns 2: With her dance school Sāhityakalpā turning two, Sahitya says that they have planned a small show at a homely terrace space called Kefi in Madhapur. “Twenty-two of my students are presenting short pieces that they have learnt over the past one year. It has been much hard work and effort to put this together but we are all extremely excited. I am grateful to bunch of wonderful students -and their parents for their investment in the arts,” she says and adds: “Also, I would like to thank my parents and grandparents for their undying support that helps me run Sāhityakalpā.”