HARINI SURESH 15  ICHF Scholarship

Ever since the day Harini Suresh started Bharatanatyam in July 2002, it has been her passion. She jumps at the
opportunity of learning new dances and techniques, and also for the opportunity to perform. Her teacher, Mrs. Vani Iswara, quickly passed her passion on to Harini and with her rigorous training and molding, she grew as a dancer.
 
Harini hopes to have the opportunity to learn more about Bharatanatyam and widen her range. She would really like to take what others have to offer to grow more as a dancer and in the future, when she performs, spread joy and her love for dance to the audience. No matter what field she goes into for her career, dance will always remain a big part of Harini's life!

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Spending time with the renowned Bharatanatyam dancer, Priyadarshini Govind, was an amazing, inspiring, motivating experience. As I watched her dance throughout the workshop, I saw her strive for perfection in her nritha (pure dance), while moving the audience from laughter to tears in her abhinaya, (expressions). All of her movements were graceful and effortless.
 
Nritha has always been my stronger point. Under her critical eye, I perfected basic steps and positions that had grown lax from repetition over the years. Though I thought her method of repeating each step in three different speeds to be impossibly difficult, I gained stamina and discipline. In the abhinaya aspect, I was so inspired by Priyadarshini’s way of communicating and moving the audience emotionally. Her range of expressions were so wide. She showed us numerous ways to express the meaning of one line in a song. I hope to achieve that kind of expressive range someday.
 
Priyadarshini Govind taught me some valuable lessons as a dancer. She taught me to cover space, not just with your body, but with your eyes. She taught me that there were many ways of doing the same movement, each expressing something different. She taught me to really feel and understand the character you are portraying in an expressive piece. I will never forget these two fun-filled weeks. Just being around her and other dancers who share my passion and love for dance was such a privilege. I thank the Dance Council and ICHF for the incredible opportunity.