The distinct trace of an accent was a clear indication that the voice singing the Mohana geetham ‘Varaveena’ was that of a non-Indian, yet the voice could dwell upon each note of the raga with clarity and precision. The face behind this voice is that of Daya Tomiko, a Bharatanatyam dancer of Japanese origin, who is celebrating a milestone of her life – 25 years of her tutelage with Shantha and V.P. Dhananjayan.
As a child, Daya loved to dance. Sensing this passion, she was enrolled into classes for Bharatanatyam, Odissi, Manipuri and other styles of Indian dancing for nine years at the Vasanthamala Indian Dance Institute in Kyoto, Japan, and a short stint later with Akemi Sakurai. She is one of Japan’s most famous Bharatanatyam dancers and has performed as a soloist all over Japan.
Dance slowly began to engulf her life, and sensing the need to delve deeper into the art of Bharatanatyam, she embarked on a journey to India. During her search here, she met the Dhananjayans in 1990 and this was a turning point for her. “I still recall those early days when I was learning the adavus. One day as I was doing the mandi adavu for the Saveri Jatiswaram, I realised that dance was sheer bliss, complete ananda and that this art was not just a profession but a way of life. “Master and Akka not only taught me the art form but also made me understand that the art moves beyond classrooms to permeate every aspect of an artist’s life. Being a Japanese who has been exposed to Buddhist and Indian stories and mythology, it was easier for me to relate to the stories portrayed in dance. My gurus also explained the stories and anecdotes in the repertoire patiently, which proved to be an asset to express feelings convincingly through my abhinaya.”
