She sits with a regal grace as she passionately confesses a love she has moved with throughout her life. It is a love that flows through her veins more powerfully than blood itself, and a love that makes her move like a swan. Oh, how Tanusree Shankar loves dance!
Known for practising a contemporary style rooted in Indian tradition, the Sangeet Natak Akademi Awardee has mesmerised global audiences while carrying forward her father-in-law Uday Shankar’s legendary legacy. After her performance in Hyderabad, the danseuse has a warm conversation with CE, where she shares her journey, her bond with Pandit Ravi Shankar, and the essence of her unique style.
Excerpts
What are your thoughts on Hyderabad, known to be a hub for the performing arts?
I actually came to Hyderabad after a very long time, to perform in a show called Monsoon Dreams. In the first half of the performance, we kept more variety, and in the second half, called Chirantan, we danced to Rabindranath Tagore’s English poems, pre-recited by Amitabh Bachchan.
Your father was a doctor in the Indian Army — how do you view your upbringing, and when did the dance bug get to you?
I was lucky to have been brought up in an Army household, as it shaped my mind and vision very differently. You see, we Army children grew up in an atmosphere of unity, enjoying every festival together. But as I grew older, I realised there was not a ‘doctor bone’ in my body. I gravitated towards movement, and when my father was posted in Kolkata, a great opportunity entered: he was a great admirer of dancer-choreographer Uday Shankar and Amala Shankar — who later became my in-laws when I married their son Ananda — and got me admitted in the Uday Shankar India Cultural Centre. Here, I learned Bharatnatyam, Kathakali and Manipuri dance. And I had fantastic gurus: Guru Gyan Prakash ji for Bharatnatyam, Guru P Raghavan ji for Kathakali, and Guru Tarun Singh ji for Manipuri. Their nurturing way of teaching still remains with me.
I came from a humble background so my goal was to do school, college, marriage and then become a housewife. But when I met Ananda, life took a u-turn. From a disciplined Army household, I entered this almost ‘bohemian’ household, which was creative and free-flowing. Though our age gap was over 13 years, I fit right into the family. My husband told me to work, saying, ‘If you have talent, you must share it with the world’. When I look back, maybe he was pushing me because he had a premonition that I needed it in the future. And because of that, I stand on my own today.
Through marriage, you are related to the great maestro, Pandit Ravi Shankar. Can you please tell us about the bond you shared with him?
Pandit Ravi Shankar was my father-in-law’s younger brother. When my father-in-law started his dance career, he took his brothers and cousins to Paris and created a group. So, Pandit Ravi Shankar started dancing before his singing career. When my father-in-law started a school in Almora, he brought in stalwart gurus who inspired his younger brother. The rest is history.
I recall a memorable moment: It was December 1980. I was pregnant, just days away from birthing my daughter, Sreenanda. Ananda and I had a little studio, and my husband requested Pandit Ravi to play there. The maestro affectionately warned me, ‘You better not go to the nursing home on the day I come to play there’. But of course, I did, and my daughter was born on Christmas. Pandit Ravi told my husband not to tell anyone about this. On December 26, at a baithak in Kolkata, where stalwarts like Girija Devi, Satyajit Ray, and Mrinal Sen were present, Pandit Ravi announced: ‘A daughter has been born to Ananda and Tanusree’. In celebration, he played Raag Anandi Kalyan.
Tell us about the style of dance you practise.
I’ve learned the Uday Shankar style from my mother-in-law. People are often confused about this style. When they read that there is ballet in it, they think it’s Western. But my father-in-law’s definition of ‘ballet’ was actually ‘storytelling’ — about Krishna, Shiv-Parvati, and so on.
His style is very rooted in Indian soil. It’s very Indian in spirit but modern in presentation, with a universal appeal. He was also a painter and magician, so he used all his skills to create this one style. He was a visionary, way ahead of his time. His movements and thoughts were ahead of their time. He had never had formal training in dance, so it was unique and expressive.
We are trying to carry that forward. So, please don’t think this dance style is fusion — that’s a common confusion. We categorically call it the Uday Shankar style. We realised we had to create a grammar to conserve the style, and that’s what we did.
What is your prepping process before a performance?
I gather the dancers, and we hold hands. We then go into silence, say a prayer, and pass our positive energies to one another. I tell them to go on stage and be themselves. The face is a reflection of the mind — so unless I enjoy myself, the audience will not enjoy the performance. ‘Do your best and leave the rest’ is what I always tell them.
What does dance mean to you?
It means everything to me. It’s like a prayer — it takes me to a level that feels very, very close to the divine. Let’s say one day I’m feeling a little low. I go to my students, show them some moves, start dancing, and I’m fine. Dance is my medication and my meditation. It takes me to the power up there... dance is a high.
You have a dance school called the Tanusree Shankar Dance Academy. What advice do you have for budding dancers?
Please have patience and focus on learning first. Today’s generation is very impatient and it’s not their fault, because everything around them moves at such a fast pace. But you must give a few years to truly learn. You can’t skip from Class 1 to Class 10. This applies not just to dance, but to any profession.
— Story by Nitika Krishna