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| Vandana, Perrorkada, Thiruvananthapuram |
Seeing the slope leading up to her unfinished house, one would wonder how a girl with a single leg would negotiate it to reach home. But as someone who has danced her way into the hearts of many with her single-leg performance, Vandana takes it easily in her stride.
As a 2nd standard she was encouraged to learn music, more for the opportunity it provided, to move out of classroom. It was during this training in music, that the door to dancing opened for her.
Two years after joining the music school, on its annual day celebration, she appeared on the stage as a one-legged dancer. While every one sat with bated breath whether her steps would falter, she completed the inaugural performance to a tear-filled applause.
Since then it has been an impressive and progressive effort. From folk dance to cinematic dance and from there to bharatanatyam and mohiniattam.
Though her labourer-father Raveendran could not provide financial backing for her aspirations in classical dance, her interests could not be curtailed. Thus she learned both the classical forms. Since the artificial leg, weighing 7 kg was a positive handicap for dancing, she decided to make do with the single leg.
And that decision has taken her to various stages in and outside the State. Once at Thiruvananthapuram, Bharat Gopi, the celebrated actor, blessed her with trembling hands and chocked words. Such appreciations are, perhaps, more valuable than any remuneration.
Though she had good marks for SSLC and had dreamt of becoming a doctor, financial constraints forced her later to opt for a course in B.Com at Mar Ivanios College, Thiruvananthapuram.
She has another dream. To learn Kutchipudi. But how will she perform on a plate as part of that dance form? But she dreams of surmounting obstacles somehow or other, as they come up.
Courtesy:
Vijeesh Gopinath, Vanitha, September 15-30, 2009
Contributed by: Administrator
