The classroom reverberates with the rhythmic recital of Nattu Adavau as the students learn the basics of Bharatanatyam with complete concentration. Two hours earlier, another batch had been practising the Kathak footwork to perfection. In another classroom, children are learning Carnatic vocal music after which a tutorial on playing the keyboard will begin.

At the Hobby Clusters centre in Bangalore, children as well as adults are trained in different forms of dance, vocal, instrumental music, drawing and painting with emphasis on long-term and consistent value addition in the learning process.

Started by Bharatanatyam dancer, S Vijaya Lakshmi, in January 2012, the arts academy in Mahadevpura near Whitefield (Bengaluru) has grown so popular that Lakshmi is looking to open two more, in addition to the current two centres, in the city by February this year.

A dancer who was trained at Chidambaram by guru Thangam Sreenivasan and guru Narayanan, 33-year-old Lakshmi has given several stage and television performances in south India. It was to respect her parents’ wishes that she acquire professional skills before following her passion that she completed her MBA in human resource management and finance and worked in the corporate sector for a few years...............Read more

Source web page: The New Indian Express