For Uma Ramesh, noted danseuse from Chennai, dance is a means to communicate. And she perceives her chosen medium, Bharatanatyam as sacred, connecting her to the divine.
Uma’s tryst with Bharatanatyam began early in childhood, in Delhi, where she was born and raised. “Like most South Indian parents settled in the North, who want their children to be rooted to South Indian culture, they decided that I should learn Bharatanatyam and Carnatic music.” Thus began her learning experience under Guru K.J. Govindarajan in the Thanjavur bani. She was up on stage in all his group productions, which, she believes, gave her the confidence to do the solo performances that she now concentrates on.
Uma counts herself lucky for being under the tutelage of very special gurus and the rich experience she has gained under each of them. As a student of Kanaka Srinivasan, she gave performances across India. “She is spontaneous in her choreography and I have always marvelled at how she constantly improvised on stage during a performance,” Uma reminiscences. Persistently striving to hone her skills, Uma now learns abhinaya under Bragha Bessel and takes advanced training under Guru C.V. Chandrashekar (CVC). Says Uma, “CVC sir can put any young dancer to shame with his perfection and stamina. His dedication to the arts is truly inspiring!”
As an empanelled artiste with ICCR, Uma has travelled far and wide, performing at lesser known countries and places, presenting her with unique experiences and unstinted appreciation. Trying to convey the concept of Navarasa to the local people who knew no English, at Maseru in Africa, an unrehearsed jugalbandhi with Kathak artistes in Champs Fleuri in Reunion Islands and performing at the village square in Babusnica before an audience who swayed and clapped are all memories that stay etched in her mind. “At Sivac, a village in Serbia, there was an impromptu performance to Serbian poetry. The poem was about a woman who was separated from her lover; parallels could be drawn to a Virahotkhandita Nayika. This got huge appreciation from the locals,” remembers Uma.
For all her years of learning and performing, Uma does not run any dance school or have regular students. “That is because I want to concentrate on performing and am seeking ways and means to better it,” she explains. Her preference is on doing solo, for it offers her the freedom to express and give vent to her creativity, improvising on any song or theme that would provide a background.
Uma does enjoy conducting workshops and recently directed one in Thiruvananthapuram for the Mudra Festival. “I had the pleasant experience of interacting with students spanning from age eight to 35! At the end of the three days, they were ready to perform the Murugan thalattu that I chose to teach them,” remarks Uma with satisfaction.
Among her blessings, Uma counts the encouragement from her parents and in-laws who support her love for Bharatanatyam. “Bharatanatyam is a combination of divine music, poetry, movement and storytelling. Bharatanatyam is a centuries’ old beautiful art form. I hope it flourishes forever,” says Uma, her passion for dance evident in her voice.
