Sudharma Vaidyanathan,
the 10-year-old daughter of photographer Chella and Anita, is a well-known
face in the dance circuit. She somehow finds time from her studies, to
attend as many performances of senior dancers as possible. Not because
her father usually attends the shows for taking photographs, but because
Sudharma is serious about taking up dance as a career. She is at present
training under A.Lakshman, director of Nrithyalakshana.
Her guru had chosen
items suited for a child her age. Starting with a prayer to Vinayaka, Sudharma
presented a varnam “Thevar munivar,” “Nadanam aadinaar,” a kavadi chindu
“Maadu meikkum kanney, nee poga vendaam sonneyn” and finished with a thillana.
The music ensemble comprised of guru Lakshman on nattuvangam, Saranya Krishnan
on vocal, Sivaganesh on violin and Nellai Kannan on mridangam.
A little slip
of a girl, Sudharma carried off a solo performance very well on her little
shoulders, not exhibiting any kind of diffidence or stage fright. We were
admiring her stamina too and only later did we come to know that Sudharma
had been running a fever and the long varnam had sort of made her feel
more ill. One would never have guessed it when she returned after a couple
of minutes break and resumed her recital.
Describing
Sudharma as a paavai-villaku come to life, Mrs. Y G Parthasarathy
praised her for “her great achievement at such a young age. The portrayal
of Yashoda and Krishna was specially very effective.”
Sudharma’s
supporters were present in full strength. In fact, smartly dressed up tots,
lipstick and all, occupied most of the front row!! Her schoolmates crowded
around her after the show and the video coverage guys followed her everywhere
as groups of her friends posed with her. Sudharma was quite the little
star.
(Presented
by Bharat Kalachar). |
