Kruti
Dance Academy's
13th Annual Dance Recital
leaves audience spellbound
By Mogie Naidu
The highly skilled
instructors and proficient group of dancers from Kruti
Dance Academy performed spectacularly well during the
13th Annual Dance Recital at the prestigious Atlanta
Symphony Hall. The auditorium was packed to capacity and
the audience, though deeply engrossed watching the
performance in awe, irrepressibly broke into bouts of
resounding applause as the dancers glided through each
performance. After several months of painstaking
rehearsals, tedious costume fittings, endless
accessory-matching, imaginative choreography, elaborate
makeup, costume experimentations – it was a great relief
to watch it all coming together so remarkably well!
Subtle and yet elegant stage décor perfectly
complemented the vibrant costumes and as the curtains
opened, the audience was in a truly exuberant mood to
witness the13th dance recital unfold.
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Students, of all age
groups, performed the intricate movements of
Bharathanatyam and Classical Fusion with unmistakable
poise and dexterity. Wearing the classical temple
costumes, hairdo, cosmetics and the meticulously crafted
jewelry, the students, with their masterly performance,
kept us all glued to our seats. There were plenty of
intermittent loud appreciations from the audience,
indicative of their enthusiasm and involvement. The
classical fusion dances, performed by the more
experienced students, was thoroughgoing and flawless.
They performed to palpitating music – a form of music
that perfectly blended with the choreography and further
enriched by the sound of rhythmic stomping in unison.
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"Yadeein – Embracing the
Past" –was an apt theme with appropriate title, not just
reflecting the classical segment of an age-old dance
style, but also the timeless Bollywood music selection
of the 1950's to the present. With the commencement of
each dance, the audience spontaneously erupted into loud
applause. Most of us present became forgetful which era
we belonged to, but nonetheless excitedly enjoyed every
selected song! It was heartwarming to watch the
children dance with such gusto to the music of the
bygone eras. The striking Bollywood costumes –colors,
styles, and accessories- tellingly conveyed "Yaadein",
but with a noticeably modern flair. Especially
endearing, were the young participants who performed
with a rare degree of confidence. As a member of the
audience, I am emboldened to say that the Bollywood
items, presented by the students, compared favorably or
even exceeded the original Bollywood dance productions.
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Being
associated with the Kruti recitals for approximately
five years, it is gratifying to note the extent each
student improves from year to year. This bears testimony
to the level of instruction each dancer receives at the
academy, the sedulous dedication of the students, the
unwavering commitment of the teachers and the unstinted
cooperation of the parents. This is also an object
lesson for parents of first-time participants to
visualize what their young children can achieve if they
persist with their dedication and passion for dance.
Watching the 13thdance
recital, and past recitals, we have come to legitimately
expect an improved performance year after year. Dina
Sheth and her crew are fully aware of the challenges and
strive hard to ensure that the performances each year
are in conformity with the audience expectations. Even
as the curtains came down on the show, we knew that next
year we will yet again have an audience full of parents,
grandparents and well-wishers beaming with a sense of
contentment at the performance of all their children and
grandchildren. Dina Sheth and her staff will be
backstage, beaming with punctilious pride at their
accomplishments. Till next year – here's wishing Kruti
Dance Academy, her faculty and students unbounded growth
and continued success.