IT’S a start, and like it is with any start, there are butterflies in her stomach. But with dynamism in her spirit and freedom in her steps, Naureen Mehra is pacing towards her Rangapravesham (dance debut) as a Kuchipudi dancer on November 21. As a class XI student at The Shri Ram School, she has a long way to go before she stops, but with every move forward, she strengthens her strides.
She received her initial training at Natya Tarangini Performing Arts Centre, starting at the point when she didn’t know anything about classical dance. This was when she was seven. The years before were spent musing over Jazz dance that she found utterly enjoyable. But things changed rather quickly for Mehra, after which there was no looking back. Kuchipudi dancer Bhavana Reddy had a huge part of play in this. “I watched her perform at her Rangapravesham when I was seven. I was besotted by her grace. That was the time I realised what dance was all about. That was a definitive moment for me and it encouraged me to set out on the quest of learning and exploring this form,” says Mehra.
She will start her performance with an invocation of Lord Venkateshwara in the form of Shree Venkateshwara Stothram, followed by Dashavtara that personifies the ten avatars of Vishnu. The evening will subsequently proceed to a Tarana, a Hindustani Musical item, and a composition of Pandit Ravi Shankar.
Choreographed by Raja and Radha Reddy, something Mehra is extremely looking forward is the performance of Chaap Tilak Sab Cheeni.
Dance has been the greatest disciplining force for her, more so than her parents, she laughs. Because it requires her to practice every day to be able to perfect what she does, it has brought about a routine that has regulated the way she goes about her day.
When not consumed by studies or practice, Mehra likes to play badminton or go for a quick swim. Apart from that, art is also something she dabbles in. She would like to major in psychology while pursuing dance as a subject. “The idea of being able to do both is liberating. With changing times, opportunities have opened themselves up and one doesn’t have to choose from between their myriad interests. We can have it all now,” she believes, and knowing that sets her senses free. November 21, 7 pm onwards, Kamani Auditorium, Copernicus Marg.