Blog and News
A place to exchange ideas, reflections, and thoughts
A place to exchange ideas, reflections, and thoughts
Kala Vandanam is proud to be a part of Minnesota Dance Festival 2024, presented by Ballet Minnesota, and looks forward to sharing the stage with many wonderful Minnesota dance groups. […]
Kala Vandanam is proud to be a part of Minnesota Dance Festival 2024, presented by Ballet Minnesota, and looks forward to sharing the stage with many wonderful Minnesota dance groups. […]
#natyamnaatak – “Hairclip-gate”
/in #natyamnaatak, Blog /by Suchitra SairamWhile we don’t have uniforms for classes at Kala Vandanam, we do have a simple dress code. One element of said dress code is to have your hair completely tied and clipped back and out of your face. As an aside – this does not support the resurgent hairstyle trend of FFTs (face-framing tendrils… I refuse to call them by their other name.)
Student has had repeated trouble with clipping her hair back, and constantly has hair in her face during class.
#mindvoice “Who’s lying now?” 😜 😂
#natyamnaatak
#natyamnaatak – Dancers’ Secret Language
/in #natyamnaatak, Blog /by Suchitra Sairam#natyamnaatak from Mahati Rayadurgam @mahati.raya and Dhriti Rayadurgam
Dancers have a secret language—
We were in the car after class on a Sunday, writing notes for the dance we were learning. Our parents overheard the discussion of our notes and writing down the steps.
Parents’ expectation of us writing notes: jump, that thai tha ha, bramari, that dhit tham, etc….
Reality of us writing notes:
Parents (attempting to understand the secret language): 😂 🤔 😳 🤪
#natyamnaatak
#natyamnaatak – Looking Cute
/in #natyamnaatak, Blog /by Suchitra SairamFinal practice before the annual recital…
Etcetera etcetera…
#mindvoice “ummmmmm……”
#natyamnaatak
#natyamnaatak – Mirror Image
/in #natyamnaatak, Blog /by Suchitra SairamSacrifices you make as a dance teacher… you teach something SO many times in “mirror image” that you can’t do it properly for yourself in your own practice. 🤷🏾♀️
Or is it just me? 😳
#natyamnaatak
#natyamnaatak – Dance Teachers Have Real Clothes Too
/in #natyamnaatak, Blog /by Suchitra SairamTeacher runs into a young (9 year old) Student and her mom at a local grocery store.
General chit-chat between the adults ensues. Teacher attempts to talk to Student, but Student just stares back and doesn’t say a word.
Teacher asks Student if everything is ok.
Student replies, “You… you have REAL clothes. Not just dance clothes and sarees. And your hair is DOWN!”
Yes, dance teachers are people too.
#natyamnaatak
#natyamnaatak – Anger Management or Enthusiasm?
/in #natyamnaatak, Blog /by Suchitra SairamI’ve been known to break a few thattukazhi kuchi (wood sticks to use in class to tap out rhythms). OK, maybe not a few… a lot. At least one a year.
But I achieved new heights in 2021… 3 sticks broken to where the wood splinters and shavings moved beyond nuisance to menace.
It’s gotten to the point where students ask me if I have an anger management problem they don’t know about. I don’t have an anger management problem. Truly. I’d like to think the stick quality has gone wayyyyy down… but there probably is an “enthusiasm” problem.
QUESTION 1 – Bets on how long Stick 1 2022 will last?
QUESTION 2 – How long does your stick usually last? Or maybe I shouldn’t ask???
#natyamnaatak
#natyamnaatak – “At least they are honest…”
/in #natyamnaatak, Blog /by Suchitra SairamHoliday break, and students had been away from class for a couple of weeks…
#natyamnaatak