Episode Notes

EPISODE LINKS

Cyenthia Vijayakumar (@cyenthia.kathak) • Instagram photos and videos

Cyenthia Vijayakumar - YouTube

BIO

Cyenthia Vijayakumar is a Kathak dancer from Milwaukee. She has undergone her training in Lucknow gharana from Guru Murari Sharan Gupta and Guru Hari and Chetna. She is currently undergoing her training under Guru Sujata Banerjee from London. She founded Aarambh Kathak Dance School in 2019 in Milwaukee to spread this art form to a diverse group of people in Milwaukee.

She believes that Riyaz/practice is a key to make progress in any kind of Indian Classical artform be it dance or music. Practice is a continuous process that should not stop at any point in time. Practice evolves you as a dancer and as an individual helping you move towards the path of perfection and progress. Anything can be achieved if a dancer has the right kind of guidance from a Guru and the right practice techniques. “Never ever give up on whatever you love to do! Good dancers are not born talented. They have been taught and trained and pursued practicing without giving up” is what she believes in.

SHOW HIGHLIGHTS

(0:01:51) Creative Process

(0:08:46) The importance of making movements your own

(0:13:13) Becoming the characters you portray

(0:17:49) Who do you go to for feedback?

(0:19:53) How do take the audience into account for performances

(0:27:14) Community support in Wisconsin

(0:34:37) Most memorable performance

(0:38:41) Teaching at Aarambh

(0:43:55) How do you teach differently from how you've been taught?

(0:46:39) the consequences of being strict

(0:49:29) Improving over time

(0:54:37) When is something considered good to showcase

(0:57:35) Teaching and Lecture Demonstrations

(1:03:21) When dancers from another style start learning Kathak