The Dances of India have found a new and happy home in the lovely forest city of London Ontario. The Natyaraji School of Dance was founded by its Artistic Director Raji Valluri in 1988 to promote a greater awareness among Canadians of South Asian art and culture. The school is committed to promote and propagate the classical Bharatanatyam and Kuchipudi and folk dance forms of India. It endeavours to integrate the vitality and versatility of the Indian dance tradition with the evolving main stream Canadian society. Students are trained to express and interpret the tradition of classical dance forms with the teacher adopting the attitude of a Guru. The teacher takes a personal interest in each student and strives to inspire the students to harness their inherent talents in developing a love for the art.
Dance training is provided to interested students of various ages and backgrounds by the teacher. Dance is one of the cherished spiritual and cultural expressions of the heritage of India. The dance lessons explore the intricate rhythms, dance styles and steps, gestures and subtle interpretations of the fascinating Indian traditions and cultures. The school provides training in dance movement, posture, rhythmics, aesthetics, expression, traditional dance numbers and music.
There are about fifty students at different levels of training, who range from the age of five to adult. Classes are held from September to June six days a week. Classical Bharatanatyam, Kuchipudi and Folk Dances are taught. Students come to classes following a structured curriculum every week and on average learn for about ten years to finish the basic requirements for Arangetram (graduation). They will perform the Arangetram in front of an art loving audience and their teacher. This signifies the very first important step in the career of a dancer. The school has graduated (Arangetram) forty students so far with many more to follow.
The school aims to promote interest in Indian classical and folk dance forms through public and private performances, teaching, encouraging students to explore, perform and to combine relevant dance influences from the Western art forms with traditional and contemporary interpretations of Indian dance. The students and their teacher participate in workshops, seminars, several fundraising events, visit hospitals, community, special needs and senior citizen centres to assist in a variety of worthy causes. Enthusiastic students participate in multicultural, educational and community functions in London and the vicinity.
Raji Valluri and her students have given several dance performances for the schools in London promoting multiculturalism and reaching out to people of varoius cultures and backgrounds. All of my students are special. Each person brings her own mystery and is an education to me. These dancers fortunately did not yet have their unique personalities distorted in the intense desire to achieve technical finesse. I enjoyed training them in dance, music, and movement keeping aware of their individuality.
The School endeavours to provide a nurturing environment for students of various ages, cultural, ethnic and religious backgrounds. It is deeply committed to bridge the various cultures by promoting an awareness and appreciation for the beauty of the Indian dance forms.