Dance Training
The training offered at Shakti Dance seeks to illuminate Bharata Natyam as a personally and societally transformative practice and to illuminate the relevance of Bharata Natyam training to our contemporary lives. In a culture where people are constantly searching and immersed in activity, Bharata Natyam throws light on the values of commitment, focus and discipline. In a world where people cultivate the notion of a separate self, Bharata Natyam inspires devotion, humility, and can reveal the reality of inter-being in everyone.
Shakti Dance offers both private lessons and group classes in Bharata Natyam at both professional and recreational levels.
The professional training program focuses on five areas: technique, inner and outer expression, repertoire, Carnatic music, and textual studies. These private (or semi-private) lessons are rigorous and generally lead to a Bharata Natyam graduation performance called an Arangetram.
Teaching and payment schedules are set up according to sessions:
- Fall term - from September through December
- Winter term - from January through March
- Spring term - from April through June
- Summer term - July and August
The fees for lessons are:
- $25 per hour for private lessons
- $18 per hour for semi-private lessons (2 people in a class)
- $15 per hour for lessons with three people
Shakti Dance’s recreational classes are taught through various Community Centres. Currently, group beginner’s classes are being taught at Brittannia (Wednesdays 7-8 pm) and Kitsilano (Sundays 2-3 pm) Community Centres, and The Roundhouse (Mondays 7-8 pm). Intermediate and returning students' classes are taught at Kitsilano (Sundays 3-4:30 pm). Check your local community centre spring program calendar soon for details about registration and fees. For info, please contact us.
Shakti Dance also offers opportunities for advanced learning and master classes with senior Bharata Natyam exponents. For the past four summers we have been offering workshops with Srimati Jayalakshmi Eshwar from New Delhi, India. These workshops have allowed students to experience traditional Indian style classes, develop technique, and learn classic repertoire.
Graduates
Vandna Sidher
Vandna Sidher has been studying Bharata Natyam for the past seventeen years. Since 1997, she has trained under the instruction of Anusha Fernando, Artistic Director of Shakti Dance Society. Vandna has also received Bharata Natyam training from Smt. Jayalakshmi Eshwar of Triveni Kala Sangam, New Delhi; Jai Govinda of Mandala Arts and Culture and Sheila Chandrashekar of Rathi School of Dance, Ottawa. In May 2005, Vandna completed her Arangetram (solo debut) performance and recently traveled to study dance in India with Smt. Jayalakshmi Eshwar with the assistance of the BC Arts Council. Vandna is a Bharata Natyam instructor for the City of Surrey and continues to perform at various events in Vancouver.
Sheri Poulsen
Sheri Poulsen has studied Bharata Natyam with Anusha Fernando for the last five years. She has also received training from Jayalakshmi Eshwar of New Delhi, and Jai Govinda. Prior to studying Bharata Natyam, Sheri both trained in and taught jazz, hip-hop and ballet. Sheri’s interest in Bharata Natyam developed as a result of her travels to India in 1995, her studies of Indian culture at UBC, as well as her deep passion for liturgical/spiritual dance.
Sheri has performed in "Nadopasana" at the Playhouse (2004); and “Body of Dance” at the Gibson’s Playhouse and The Roundhouse (2005). She also performed in benefit shows, including a 2005 benefit for the Tsunami victims of South Asia. In November 2005, Shakti Dance Society presented Sheri's graduating Arangetram performance at The Roundhouse. She is currently interested in cross-cultural explorations of Bharata Natyam in Christian theology. Sheri has an M.A. in Counselling Psychology and works in private practice.