ONE INDIAN GIRL IN KIWI LAND
If you hear of the locals in New Zealand swaying to an Indian rhythm, chances are they have been trained at Natyaloka, an Indian dance school founded by performing artiste Swaroopa Unni. Tucked away in Dunedin, a city in the South Island of Otago region, New Zealand, Natyaloka is the only Indian dance school in the region. Swaroopa moved to contacted artistes based in Dunedin Dunedin, and scouted for programmes. after her marriage For people in to Siddharth Dunedin, Bollywood is the only Nambiar Indian dance, and so, my mission in August 2010. was to create awareness. I “After our engagement, did a solo, where I introduced different Siddharth dance styles. I realised left his corporate that I had to take one style at a worklife in time. So, I concentrated on India to pursue his Bharatanatyam. Now, there is a passion in Natural growing audience for History filmmaking,” Natyaloka performances says Swaroopa. and people The initial few are more curious months in New to know about Zealand were exciting,reveals the dance style and narratives. Swaroopa. “A new I still place, new life and have a long so many things to way togo.” explore. But what “After my took me by surprise first performance, was the biting cold there winter here. After a were queries few months, loneliness about teaching the started kicking dance form. I started in. It was fun Natyaloka in a spare during weekends room in my apartment with when friends three students. I have now moved (mainly from into a studio where I have about Siddharth’s 30 super keen students with University) got together but mixed identities coming from all then, the rest of the week, I didn’t walks of life. The experience has know what to do. It was so silent. been both exciting and frustrating! I wanted to launch myself as an But, I take it one step at a artiste but didn’t know anyone.” time and the rewards have been She adds, “With Google’s help, I satisfying. That sums up an artist’s life, I guess,” the dancer gleams. Hailing from Kozhikode in Kerala, she misses the colours, cottons, mangoes, food made by her amma, noise, monsoon, Kozhikodan food! Swaroopa started a new life from scratch with a sense of loneliness. “I tried to fit into the host society and nurture the nostalgia of being at home at the same time, by fusing Indian clothes with western, watching Indian programmes and movies online, speaking my native language Malayalam at home, cooking Indian cuisine and trying out different culinary treats of Dunedin, listening to Indian music and practising and introducing my dance form to the community of Dunedin. In retrospect, I see how I was trying to recreate my home away from home but not exactly home. Now I consider both the countries as home,” she confesses. But then people in Dunedin are warm and friendly too, she admits.
For people in Dunedin, Bollywood is the only Indian dance, so I’m bringing awareness