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Romi at a glance

 

Her nimble footwork- dexterous. Her gracious movements- sculpturesque. Her deep devotion and emotions mersmerizes the spectators and transports them to a trans state making them believe to the character she is playing- be it Devi Shakti slaughing Mahisasura or Shiva compiled into Tandava nritya or the romance created by heavenly Radha-Krishna. For more than a decade and a half, this exponent of Indian classical dance continues creating a magic through her intricate footsteps- balanced postures- appropriate gestures, both in India and abroad.

 

 

Romi, a molecular biologist (Biomedicine) by profession, started her dance career at the early age of 6. She mastered the Tanjavoore and Kalakshetra style of Bharatanatyam under the guidance several Gurus, her main teacher being Guru Smt. Hemamalini Suresh.  She learnt Kuchipudi from Guru Smt. Srimayi Vempati, daughter-in-law of famous Guru Dr. Vempati Chinna Satyam, the propounder of Kuchipudi. Later on, she grew interest on the classical dance form of North India. She is trained in Kathak under eminent teachers, Guru Smt. Paromita Moitra (disciple of Lucknow gharana exponent Guru Pt. Birju Maharaj) and Guru Smt. Meghamita Mitra (disciple of Rajasthani gharana exponent Guru Smt. Sumitra Mishra). Meanwhile, Gaudiya nritya (classical dance form of Bengal) attracted her attention and she felt for the roots she is tied to. Under tutelage of Guru Dr. Mahua Mukherjee, the godmother of Gaudiya nritya, Romi absorbed the intricates of this form. She performed her Guru-vandana in 2012, that pays off the homage and gratitude to all the art teachers she came across in lifetime and marks a new level to the journey in her dance career.

 

Apart from her classical bases, she is exposed to several forms of folk dances, namely- Lavani from Maharashtra, Raas dandiya from Gujrat, Bhangra from Punjab, Nachni & Shantal from West Bengal, Bihu from Assam, Ghoomar & Leher from Rajasthan, Kummi from Tamil Nadu, Kolattam from Andhra Pradesh & Karnataka, Kalaripayuttu (war dance) from Kerala, Rauf from Kashmir and so on. She has mastered the skill of modern freestyle Indian dance, also known as Indian contemporary, under the training of Smt. Mamata Shankar, daughter of founder of Indian contemporary dance- Pt. Uday Shankar. She even acquired the skills of Manipuri nritya from the same base. She is learned in Hindustani classical music for about 10 years and later graduated in Najrul-geeti. She has a vivid knowledge in Carnatic classical music and the rhythm (thaala) system.

 

Romi believes in modernization and innovation of the rich artistic heritage India holds. Her desparate passion for Bengali literature by noble laureate Rabindranatha Tagore (Ravindra Sahitya)- classics like Bhanu Singher Padabali, Chandalika, led her to create fascinating ballet productions composed in a mixture of Bharatanatyam, Manipuri, Kalaripayuttu and free-style. Her other productions based on themes: Rivers- gift to civilization, Meera Bai, Sri Krishna Raas Leela and Devi Shakti- Dasamahavidya are among the much applauded ones.

 

Apart from being a passionate dancer herself, she is an intriguing teacher. She is presently running an Indian dance school in Bergen, Norway. She is more a friend than a teacher. She has changed the concept of regular traditional teaching- there is no practice of reprimand in the academy. Alongside. there is no stereotype uniform and students are allowed to attend classes in any fancy dress. Students above 12 years are encouraged to wear cotton half-saree (for girls) / dhoti-kurta (for boys) for the ease to dance. Girls are allowed to wear basic makeup and ornaments during regular practice to bring out their joyous self. Thus with her very different approach, Romi infuses such interest in her students and they are fluently exposed on the intricacies-nuances-techniques of the sublime Indian dance breaking the common perception or phobia about the classical dance being so rigid of a form or hard to learn.

 

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