The teacher who inspired me to dance, express myself and stay humble

Teachers are more than just individuals who have and share knowledge; they are coaches, they encourage, they are confidants, counsellors, believers in dreams, and so much more. Teachers pull out of us things we didn’t know we had, and they speak into us ideas that we never thought possible.

So, what can we do for individuals who have had a profound positive impact on our lives? We can start by simply saying the words, “thank you”. We can give them gifts of appreciation. And sometimes opportunities come along that allow us to publicly recognize those who inspired us. Today, I am taking such an opportunity. Today I will share a story of my teacher who inspired me and motivated me to become who I am today.

She is none other than my dance teacher Mrs. Ambali Praharaj. Since childhood I have seen her journey, her passion towards Bharatanatyam. I remember, I was just 5 years old when I started learning dance from her. It was she, who stood by my side from the beginning.

In the beginning of my career, she used to take me with her for every performance so that I can watch, get the required exposure and learn quickly. And after her performance she used to teach me the raga and its inner meaning. From her, I have learned so many things in Bharatanatyam. From her, I have learned, how to control the emotions in dance, how to express beauty of nature.

I remember, my first performance at the of 6 years. She was there in the front row and was cheering me up for the performance. That day she told that “Whatever happens, wherever I am, I will never miss any of your performance baba” and till date, she never missed a single performance of mine. That single line has stayed with me till date.

She always used to say that “Pride makes us artificial and humility makes us real”. So always be yourself and treat everyone as equal. Her influence is a big part of who I am today. She helped me morph into my better self and I think it was her motivation which helped me overcome every struggle of my life. For these reasons and many more, Thank You!