THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Six transgender people, who launched themselves as classical dancers last month, are now eager to expand their artistic careers as teachers and performers.
Mythili Chandran, Prana Sankar, Aswathy P S, Sruthi Sithara, Daya Gayathri, Sandhya Milind completed a course in Kerala natanam from the Sri Sathya Sai Free Dance Academy for Transgenders in Ernakulam. Their arangettam was held on February 6 at Kollur Sree Mookambika Devi temple. They are now eagerly seeking opportunities to perform before audiences. While Mythili and Prana plan to start teaching dance, others aspire to be performers.
The academy, under the Sri Sathya Sai Orphanage Trust, was set up on International Transgender Day of Visibility in 2021, with the aim to transform the lives of transgender people by providing them a platform to showcase their talents and generate sustainable income. The project is supported by Cochin Shipyard. Since its inception, the initiative has been expanded to Thiruvananthapuram and Chennai.
“Love for dance and the opportunity to make my passion a source of income have contributed to my desire to teach dance. There are very little job opportunities for people like us, but the support from Saigramam is my motivation. I’m trying to start classes in my hometown of Palakkad,” said Mythili.
“The trust is committed to assisting students who wish to start their own classes, by covering initial expenses. With a focus on showcasing performances at temples and other stages, the trust aims to elevate transgender artists and promote their visibility in society. We eagerly anticipate organising their performance in front of the President next month,” said K N Ananda Kumar, founder of the academy.
Initially, the academy focused on mohiniyattam, bharatanatyam and Kerala natanam. “Now, following requests from students, we are set to introduce classes in kuchipudi in place of mohiniyattam,” said Veena Satheesh, coordinator. “More than just a dance academy, the initiative strives to redefine societal perceptions of transgender individuals. By fostering discipline and close bonds between students and teachers, it aims to create a supportive environment where every individual can thrive,” Veena added.
“Before joining the academy as a teacher, I knew these students. Initially, I wondered how they would perceive me in my new role. However, I soon realised that being one of them made it easier for me to address their needs. Understanding their challenges and supporting their growth as a cohesive unit became my priority,” said Sanjana Chandran, a transgender bharatanatyam teacher.
“Kerala natanam has never been formally taught to transgender individuals previously. It’s been a novel journey for me too. Despite societal stereotypes portraying them as loud and rude, forming a close bond with them has revealed their warmth and empathy. They undergo comprehensive training, starting from the fundamentals, and are assessed by an external examiner to ensure proficiency. Hence, they possess the qualifications to either start their own classes or pursue careers as performing artists,” said Gayatri Subramaniam, a Kerala natanam teacher.