CHENNAI: Dance knows you the best…it’s almost like a person overseeing you and peeling the different layers. It understands your myriad moods, reflects your deepest thoughts, pushes you to become better and teaches you life,” analogised Natalia Salgado, a Bharatanatyam, Kuchipudi and Odissi dancer from Argentina, who, as part of a virtual rendezvous curated by Aalaap, shared the story of passion, panache and perseverance of her guru — the iconic Myrta Barvie, who took the Indian classical art forms to South America. The event, hosted by Aalaap’s Akhila Krishnamurthy oozed grace, with a thread of mutual respect and admiration connecting the two dance connoisseurs, enabling them to serve slices of Myrta’s life to enthusiasts.
A former MNC worker, Natalia, at the age of 23, found her calling in dance and has ever since been treading in the footsteps of her mentor, in her vision and mission of taking the rich culture and heritage of Indian classical dance forms across the globe. “Myrta ji was 17 years old and at the time, she’d become the first ballerina at the prestigious Teatro Colon, the main opera house in Buenos Aires. Incidentally, the same year, she was introduced to Rukmini Devi Arundale, who was visiting Argentina on a theosophical mission. On witnessing her perform at the opera theatre, Rukmini Devi invited her to India and offered her a scholarship to study in Kalakshetra. Myrta immediately agreed and boarded a flight to Chennai! That perhaps, was the beginning of a new life for her,” shared Natalia.
Myrta went on to learn Bharatanatyam from Rukmini herself and staged her arangetram at Kalakshetra. “There was even a time when Myrta ji performed ballet at Kalakshetra!” said Natalia, showcasing a series of archived images — of a young Myrta in Bharatanatyam and Ballet costumes — in striking poses.
Gushing about the life and times of her teacher, who was also the disciple of Vempati Chinna Satyam and Kelucharan Mohapatra, Natalia recalled how she was a force to reckon with. “Though she did not formally establish a school of arts, she institutionalised the forms in her way, mentoring and supervising artistes like us, who wanted to learn more about the Indian classical art forms and its culture. She had two passions in life, one was dance and the other was to know more about India. In her pursuit of learning the nuances of different Indian dance forms, she was able to enjoy the best of both worlds and act as a bridge between two different countries and cultures,” elucidated the performer, who runs Gungur Indian Fine Arts, a cultural centre in Buenos Aires.
In the 50s, for a foreigner to learn and seamlessly perform Indian artforms was unheard of; Natalia shared how people were often amused by the thought of it, inviting Myrta to perform in different prestigious venues to get a glimpse of the wonder. “She staged Indian classical dances in Argentina and other countries of Latin America; she performed in Europe, Asia, and the USA. In India, she even performed at the Rashtrapati Bhavan where she was received by former Presidents — Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan, Zakir Hussain and Zail Singh,” reported the creative, who in 2018, along with her troupe, performed in front of PM Narendra Modi, during his visit to Argentina.
On May 15, 2020, amid the lockdown, Myrta breathed her last, leaving seven decades of her legacy behind. “She dedicated her life to the Indian arts and besides popularising it in Argentina, she also trained several people. It is with her guidance, advice and the strength she gives us, that we, her disciples have been able to take her legacy forward,” she said.
The 60-minute event was also peppered with takeaways from her journey as a performer and teacher. “I teach students between the ages of 22 to 70. During such a trying time, dance, albeit being performed within virtual rectangles, has become a safe space for students. Over the last several months, we have seen a surge in the number of people from Latin America, who’ve come forward to learn Indian art forms,” she shared.
Coming from the school of thought that teaches people to ‘enjoy the process’, Natalia plans to use the art forms as mediums that will help address social issues and take it to children from vulnerable sections of society, and women, who are looking to find their voice and gain strength. Over time, Natalia has embraced empathy as a model for teaching and learning. “I see through my heart than my brain. I practice empathy while teaching and that allows me to look deeper into the behaviour of my students, enabling me to help and understand them better.
The art forms, perhaps, will attain their zenith only when we weave patience and being an observer with being creative,” she shared. The danseuse hopes to keep the authenticity of the Indian classical art forms intact while creating ingenious ways to keep the culture alive and ticking. “It’s my purpose. I am just a medium,” she noted.