BENGALURU: I felt every kick during the dance,” says Yagnika Iyengar, a 30-year-old Bharatanatyam dancer and teacher based in the city who overcame all odds to perform while being nine months pregnant. Her recital, titled ‘Matrutvam’ evoked the maternal bond between a pregnant Devaki and unborn Krishna, reimagining it as a joyful one. “Devaki is considered ill-fated and always lamenting. I wanted to give her a positive note, with Devaki also being able to experience Krishna’s love and not just Yashoda,” she explains.
With its precise moves that demand intense levels of physical exertion from dancers, a Bharatanatyam performance is not easy for anyone, let alone someone who is also expecting. Inspired by director of Shrishti Center of Performing Arts and Institute of Dance Therapy, AV Satyanarayana’s encouragement, Iyengar meticulously planned her movements, along with relying on her expertise in yoga therapy, over a decade of dance experience, and frequent consultations with her doctor to ensure the safety of her child. “If I didn’t like a raga or a movement, I felt nauseous. But when I chose something that resonated, I felt a kick. My baby was my co-composer,” she laughs.
Working to hone her performance for the last six months, Iyengar kept her cool through the physical challenges of performing while pregnant. “It was absolutely terrifying, because any movement could be risky. But that fear is in anything that you do, right? It is about overcoming your fears.” However, there was a time she almost gave up – when her father-in-law passed away a week before the show. “I was so emotionally drained that I almost cancelled it,” she recalls. “But my mother-in-law and husband encouraged me to go on. Their support gave me strength,” she continues.
After an hour-long performance, Iyengar was left with a feeling of accomplishment like no other. “There was a whole different level of communication that was happening with me and the child. Everybody was afraid about the dancing, but I felt extremely light in my body, so I felt really good.”