Today we’d like to introduce you to Anuradha Naimpally.
Hi Anuradha, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
Most of my childhood was spent in a rather small Northern Canadian town in a family that was very involved with the arts. My brothers and I grew up attending concerts that my dad was involved in producing and those musicians stayed in our home during their visits. We also were given the opportunity to learn any sports or art that was available in our small town. My parents encouraged and supported us to pursue our passions and dance became mine. I learned ballet, jazz, tap at a local studio. When I was thirteen, we had a teacher in Toronto, Menaka Thakkar, fly up alternate weekends to teach bharata natyam dance. I became enamoured with this style and decided to study it in-depth. After a year of college, I moved to India for four years to study professionally under master Pt VJ Pillai, his wife Jayshree Pillai, and their guru, Acharya Parvati Kumar. It was the most immersive experience that was transformative for me at that age. Bharata natyam is an ancient style of dance which involves rhythmic footwork, hand gestures, facial expressions, and body positions. Symmetrical and geometric patterns set to music are interspersed with human stories and myths.
After returning to Canada, I completed my undergrad and went on to do my Masters in Dance Ethnology. Soon after, I got married to my husband, Sadu Bajekal, and in 1989 I moved to Austin. At that time I didn’t know anyone here! As a dancer and educator, establishing yourself in the community is essential but it’s not easy! So I set out performing in as many small community events as I could and reaching out to local dancers. Within a short time, I had about four students who I began teaching in my garage in Cedar Park. When we began expanding our family, we moved to a bigger house in NW Austin and I began renting a studio space on the weekends to teach classes. My student base grew enough to create a manageable group to which I taught all classes personally. I registered my organization as Austin Dance India. My offerings expanded to include arts in education in public schools, master classes at universities, workshops and corporate events. I also taught academic classes at UT Austin, Austin Community College for several years. In the meantime, I was able to connect with many local artists and found some wonderful collaborators. It’s been 31 years of Austin Dance India! Together over the years, I have done projects with numerous dancers and musicians. Many have become close friends over the years and we continue to work together today.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
My mindset has always been to move forward so I try not to focus on the obstacles and challenges. But looking back, when I first moved to Austin I didn’t find many cultural events or opportunities in the community to showcase my work. Austin was a rather sleepy town back then–hard to believe now! I had to create my own opportunities which took time and steady effort. Finding the right people and organizations for grants, understanding the infrastructure of how arts funding works here and establishing a reputation as an artist who produces high-quality work were all challenges that I took on as they came. All in all, I am really grateful to have had such a receptive community here in Austin. I’ve had countless opportunities for professional growth, learning the business side of the arts, and amazing collaborations.
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
Well, let’s see…I am a performer, educator, mentor, collaborator, and a certified yoga instructor. I wear many hats! Although it is an ancient style of expression that reflects an Indian aesthetic, it is a movement language that has the capability of communicating any aspect of human experience. I love discovering connections between mythology and modern existence, ancient thought and contemporary challenges. I am most proud of my social practice projects in the past decade that address topics like marginalization, social justice, climate change, human displacement, gender and sexuality. I love researching and developing new projects from ideas that capture my attention or that I feel need to be amplified.
I love the challenge of maintaining the integrity of the art form, making these connections, and creating a presentation that is relatable and relevant to contemporary audiences. My arts in education presentations within schools, museums, and libraries bring colorful stories from Indian mythology to young children of all backgrounds. These are some things I am very passionate about!
What do you like best about our city? What do you like least?
I love the fact that you can find beautiful hiking trails, green areas or a waterway right in the middle of Austin! It is a wonderful place to be outdoors with nature. I also love all the variety of restaurants and eateries we have in the city now.
What I like least about Austin these days is the traffic and intense growth that is impacting the local arts scene.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.austindanceindia.com
- Instagram: @anudances
- Facebook: Austin Dance India
- Twitter: @anudances
- Youtube: Austin Dance India
Image Credits
Photo credits: Sadu Bajekal, Amitava Sarkar, Purna Bajekal
