In May 2003 I had the privilege of witnessing a group of four talented performers at the Hindu Temple of Delaware, as they danced with grace and confidence, despite their blindness. I remember sitting in awe as the four performers moved across the stage, weaving in and out of several intricate group configurations, all in sync. I remember admiring their perceptive sense of space as they danced the Deepanjali, holding lighted candles in their outstretched palms, and revealing their theme, ‘from darkness to light’. They were able to dance and maneuver the flickering candles in impressive patterns with the heightened strength of their other senses. The four students performed both Bharatha Natyam and Kuchipudi. Since I have been learning Bharatha Natyam for the past 11 years, I was especially interested in being exposed to Kuchupudi, another ancient form of Indian Classical Dance. I was amazed at how Manjappa, the eldest of the four dancers, was able to balance the pot of water on his head while dancing on a brass plate. It was thrilling to watch, as Manjappa would match the pattern and increasing speed of the beats danced by his fellow performers. I could only imagine the level of balance and concentration that went into performing such a piece with the precision and talent that they did!

At the end of the performance, I was convinced that I had seen a unique show of strength, determination and talent. Also, I was curious to learn more about the skilled performers and about their artistic director. I learned through their brochure that the four performers, Manjappa (23), Shridhar (16), Hemalatha (18) and Savithri (18) were students of the Shree Ramana Maharishi Academy for the Blind (SRMAB), a voluntary organization in Bangalore, India which encourages people with disabilities to fulfill their potential in all aspects of their lives and focus on ability. In addition, I was curious to know more details about their lives as blind students and performers. Therefore, I called B.T. Lakshman, the coordinator of the programs and host of the troop, to see if I could speak with the artistic director, Smt. Swaroopalakshmi R, an accomplished performer who has been teaching dance at SRMAB since 1995. When I spoke to her over the phone, she was open to my curious questions. I asked her about the students that attend SRMAB and the various things they learn there. She said that SRMAB is a boarding residency school that is free of cost for students with disabilities from different parts of Karnataka. Currently, SRMAB offers education for 300 students ranging Pre-K to 10^th grade. Based on their interests, the students are then allotted into groups and are taught dance, music or drama. The four students that performed at the Hindu Temple of Delaware have been learning dance at the academy from Smt. Swaroopalakshmi for several years and have performed all over India and abroad.

I also wanted to learn about the process of teaching dance to blind students. She told me that she attends to the needs of each individual and she uses the “touch and feel” method of teaching postures and expressive hand gestures (mudras) so that the student can learn the basics. During the two or more years of basic dance training, Smt. Swaroopalakshmi also orients them with all the directions, so that it is easier to incorporate the basic movements into a dance piece, and then to choreograph it with a group. I also wondered how the performers were able to sense the dimensions of the stage and adjust to the varying performance spaces. She replied that before each performance, the students orient themselves with the size and shape of the stage. Also, Smt. Swaroopalakshmi said that they put tape on the stage floor so that the performers can sense if they are in the center, or if they are coming too close to the edge. Once again, this is based on the “touch and feel” method. Overall, Smt. Swaroopalakshmi said that she enjoys teaching these students. It was nice to hear about her role in the breathtaking performance that I was able to witness.

I appreciate the efforts of everyone who made this possible, especially BT Lakshman for sponsoring and hosting the troop in his house for many weeks. I will never forget how, despite the challenge of being blind, the talented performers exuded light from their vibrant dance and dedicated spirits. Understanding their learning process opened my heart to their experience. I am sure that many others were touched by their performance, ‘From Darkness to Light’.

(This article was published in SRUTI NOTES, A publication of India Music and Dance Society of greater Philadelphia, PA September, 2003)