Rohitha Kaimal 16 ~ Indian Cultural Heritage Foundation Scholarship
Rohitha Kamal first started learning dance with Sujatha Vamadevan – her first guru, then spent a year under the tutelage of Alpana Jacob. She has been with her current teacher Satyavani Iswara for five years, who has helped Rohitha improve her skills and expand her knowledge of dance.
Rohitha has also been learning Kuchipudi, along with Bharatanatyam, for 7 years from Padma Sonti. Kuchipudi and Bharatanatyam seem to be similar, but are actually 2 contrary styles of Indian dance. She has also attended & learned from a few Mohiniyattam workshops conducted by Kalamandalam Radhika & Sunanda Nair. She enjoys learning and performing all three styles of dance.
Rohitha has an integrated passion for dance, and she thanks God for giving her such a wonderful talent!
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I had a wonderful experience in attending Mr. Shijith Nambiar’s workshop. Not only did he just teach dance, but he explained the dynamics in dance in detail. I hoped to improve my knowledge in dance….which I did! Dancing isn’t just about moving your body in a certain way. You should experience the emotions and dance with precise movements, and at the same time be able to connect with the audience. This is what dance means to me…. & this workshop experience has helped me move one step closer to my goal of becoming a great Indian classical dancer.
I plan on taking dance seriously along with another career. Dance will always be a part of my life. Shijith sir & my guru, Mrs. Satyavani Iswara, were inspirational. I was motivated to pay closer attention to all the small details within each step. For example, when bending or stretching my leg in a pose/step I had to make sure my leg was bent correctly & turned at the right angle. Shijith sir’s dance items were challenging as they were filled with complex yet delicate choreography. The biggest surprise was the intense warm-up sessions that we had each day. He would make us run & sprint across the room, do stretches, and review all the basic steps of classical dance. The sessions helped build stamina & energy for each practice. I would like to thank my teacher, Mrs. Satyavani Iswara, and DCNT for giving me this wonderful opportunity to learn from one of the best Indian classical dancers. The entire experience was very informative and fun!
~ Rohitha