Dancing her way into 2019

CHENNAI : The stage was set and rasikas had gathered at Brahma Gana Sabha, Sivagami Pethatchi auditorium to catch Yuva Kala Bharathi Aishwarya Ananth Karthik’s third performance of the Margazhi season and her first one for 2019. The artiste, a disciple of Padma Shri Sudharani Raghupathy, was the recipient of two awards last year — Natya Ratna from Trinity Fine Arts and Bhavani Natrajan Endowment award from Brahma Gana Sabha. In addition to this list, she was also conferred with the ‘Promising Young Dance Artiste’ award by Brahma Gana Sabha as part of the event on Tuesday.  

Talking to CE, Aishwarya said, “Well, I think every dancer aspires to dance on the first day of the year. It has a sentimental value. But, it’s not an easy slot to get. I have earlier danced in several Brahma Gana Sabha festivals but never danced on the first day of January. This year, when they chose me for the award, it came along with the opportunity to dance on the same day.”

Looking back at the year that has gone by, she shares that the awards she received were like a pat on the back and they reaffirmed her choices. “When you receive an accolade, you sometimes question yourself if you are worthy of it. I feel you can’t say when and what life gives you. I strive to be worthy of it, and hope that my career trajectory continues to grow.”

She had her second child in March 2018. However, she was back on stage within 12 weeks, doing what she loves the most. “From working on core strengthening, getting back to form, putting a good show on stage and doing all this while taking care of the child was a lot of effort,” she explained.

Aishwarya first performed on stage when she was seven years old, and the rest is history. “My journey started 23 years ago, and it’s been 17 years since I started doing solo shows. This year, I aspire to perform in places I never have, and I would love to educate people about the art,” she shared.

Aspirations for the new year
This year, Aishwarya aspires to dance more, perform in new places, and educate people about the art. “The art needs more audience and the only way is to reach out,” shared Aishwarya.