CTYA’s Blog has started a new Feature on Fridays, Thulirkal. Thulirkal meaning bud reflects the young Tamil youth we will be featuring. These youth are the buds of our community, and are growing into strong, achieving young men and women! Each week we will feature a Tamil youth of the week. For more information or to suggest a youth to feature, please feel free to email us at blogs@ctya.org!
This week, we’ve brought you Nivedha Ramalingam.
Nivedha is a third year Kinesiology student at the University of Toronto and a Bharathanatya performing artist, instructor and choreographer. She has been learning this art form for the past 13 years. Over the past seven years, she obtained her diploma, “natiyakalaimani” title, degree, and is currently half way through completing her master’s in Bharathanatyam from the prestigious Annamalai University, under the guidance of Smt. Uma Anand. In 2010, to undergo more intensive training she went to Mumbai and trained with Smt. Kirti Ramgopal. She has also had the opportunity to learn from Smt. Priyadharshini Govind and Sri.V.Balagurunathan and Smt. Gayatri Balagurunathan. Nivedha launched Bharathalaya Dance Academy and has been teaching Bharathanatyam. She works currently for the Menaka Thakkar Dance Company since 2011. Nivetha participated in the world -renowned Cleveland Thyagarajah Aradhana Dance Competition in 2012 I was the only North-American dancer to be selected into the Top 5, while competing against dancers from India. In December 2012, she was selected by the Cleveland Thyagarajah Aradhana Committee to perform for the Chennai Dance Festival in India. After her successful performance in Chennai, she has now been selected from hundreds of dancers in North America to take part in professional dance productions for 2013 and 2014, featuring all professional dancers and choreographers from India.
CTYA Blog Team: Thank you Nivedha for sitting down with us today. So, let’s get warmed up. Ok, now don’t think, just say what first comes to mind. 1, 2, 3…
- Favourite cartoon show? Arthur
- Favourite Book? War and Peace by Leo Tolstoy
- Kothu Roti or Biriyani? Biriyani
- If you could have one super power, what would you want? I can make people say exactly what they have on mind, instead of hiding information or lying.
- Favourite Song? At the current moment, Bruno Mars – “It will rain”
CTYA Blog Team: Tell us a little bit about yourself.
Nivedha: Well, my life literally revolves around family, education, and dance. I rarely get anytime to socialize or watch entertainment because I’m usually studying or traveling within Canada and US performing and training with dance companies and as a solo artist. My brother is definitely my best friend, he has always been there through each and every step I have taken in my life and supported me in all aspects. My parents, especially my mother, are the foundation layer to my success and accomplishments in life so far. Apart from dance, I love to workout, listen to music, travel; explore nature and a health freak. In addition, I just started to watch Suits.
CTYA Blog Team: Nivedha, you are a well-known dancer in the community. What got you interested in dance, and what makes you pursue it to the degree you do today?
Nivedha: Definitely as I mentioned earlier, my mother. My mother was a dancer in her younger years and known to be a very prominent dancer during her years in Singapore. However, her parents were not too fond of her to pursue dance. Thus, she always had a dream to grow up her child into a professional Bharathanatya dancer. As she envisioned and by god’s grace I also had a natural interest towards dancing. According to my parents, as an child whenever I would see anyone dancing on TV I would try to mimic whatever is being done and I always had a striking passion to the song “Kanodu kanpathalam” from the movie Jeans, and bust out dance moves as a kid. When I commenced training and my mom took me to classes, she made sure I would dance properly without stopping during classes. My mom would make sure I practise on a daily basis at home and for my arangetram which happened in 2003, she would wake me up at 5 am to practice my dances. Her intensive tutelage set my basic foundation in Bharathanatyam. Nonetheless, from then till now she is one of my best critique and encourages me to do more and achieve more as a dancer.
I LOVE Bharathanatyam ! My sincere passion towards Bharathanatyam itself is a factor which makes me pursue it. Hence, I live, breath and eat in dance. Bharathanatyam is a part of my identity and makes me who I am today. As a dancer, I always compare my self to professional dancers from India, and work hard to become a better dancer like one of them. When I watch great dancers like my one of my guru Smt. Kirti Ramgopal and students of Smt. Anita Guha, it always motivates and inspires me to push my self harder and meet my goals. In my own opinion, dance is an endless journey and there is always more to learn and develop as a dancer.
CTYA Blog Team: Tell us a little about your upcoming program, Natya Sangamam.
Nivedha: Over the past I have personally done fundraiser events for our sisters and brothers back home. However, I always wanted to do something for the community in which we live in. Knowing Yalini Rajakulasingam, who is also a good dancer within our society, gave me the idea to do collaborate our talent and put on a show together, in which proceeds will be going to the Sick Kid’s Foundation and the mission, Enhancement of English Education in Vanni. We both are trained in different styles of Bharathnatyam , but at the end of the day we will be delivering the same idea and bringing our talents together for a good cause. It will be happening on April 27th at the Yorkwoods Library Theater at 5:30 pm.
CTYA Blog Team: University is said to be one of the most fun times of a person’s life, however, university is also a very new and challenging experiences. What is one piece of advice would you give to a high school student entering university?
Nivedha: Maintain a good work ethic! The effort you put in will show, and maintaining a good work ethic in such a busy and stressed environment with university will help keep your head above water.
CTYA Blog Team: What are you most proud about being Tamil and about Tamil culture?
Nivedha: Well, everyone knows Tamil is one of the most original, intricate, and beautiful languages there are in the world. Communicating in Tamil is a blessing. Tamil literature and fine arts are one of the most prominent features of Tamil which I find to be great reasons to be extremely proud to be Tamil. Not to mention how evolved and culturally rich Tamil is, it is a journey and a endless collection to learn about all that Tamil culture and knowledge has to offer!
CTYA Blog Team: If a magic genie came to you, and gave you three wishes, what would they be?
Nivedha:
– No poverty around the world
– No animal cruelty/abuse
– Win the lottery and take my family around the world
CTYA Blog Team: Finish the sentence. “To me, Tamil youth are..”
Nivedha: high- achievers with a distinct culture.
For more information or to suggest a youth to feature, please feel free to email us at blogs@ctya.org! Catch up with us next Friday where we’ll be bringing you another Talented Tamil youth story!
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