‘I’m innovating classical dance to revive it'

NASHIK: A trained Odissi and Bharatnatyam danseuse, Sangita Pethkar gave up her career of a medical practitioner to pursue her passion. She has brought about innovations in her dance forms but retained their originality. Thematic presentations being her forte, she has pioneered ‘baithaks’ in the city to promote the art. Recently, she came up with a therapeutic dance form that involves Odissi, Bharatnatyam and yoga and can be practised by anybody for the health of the mind, the body and the soul.She shares her passion for classical dance in an interview with Sumita Sarkar.
Excerpts:
How did a medical practitioner become a full-fledged dancer?
I began learning Bharatnatyam when I was seven years old from Meera Pauskar in Aurangabad. I later learnt Odissi from Parvati Datta, she was my guru. I practised medicine for 2-3 years and later devoted myself completely to dance. My recent research on therapeutic dance, Nrityayogsutra, involves yoga and classical dance that everyone can perform. It has health and fitness benefits and my medical degree helped me in merging dance and health. I began researching three years back and conducted a workshop in Goa in November and December where I had students from Sweden, France, Britain, Holland, Russia, America and India.
What do you like about this city?
Nashik is culturally very rich. It has become my ‘karmabhoomi’. I started the classes because I wanted to be attached to the art forms but didn’t realise they would become so successful and would keep me busy. Nashik welcomed my innovative ideas.
What do you dislike about this city?
Many people are learning classical dance and other art forms but they don’t like to attend the programmes. Such was not the case earlier. But now it has become difficult to bring them to the theatres. This is the case in the entire country, not just Nashik. Raising funds for organising such events is also a problem.
What are you going to do to overcome this lacuna?
My new therapeutic dance form can be taken as a promotion of the Indian art. I am trying to bring about more programmes with innovations and experiments but at the same time retaining the originality and classical form.