Decades later, a friend told Ratha about the Tanjai Kamalaa Indira (TKI) Dance School and encouraged her to pursue her childhood dream. She was 66 years old then.
Despite initial hesitation, she eventually enrolled in the school. And four years later, on May 29, she completed her “Salangai Pooja”, a ceremony during which a “salangai”, or anklet with bells, is given by the teacher to a student. It is considered a sacred occasion as the “salangai” is only given after the student has learned the basics of Bharata Natyam.
Ratha spoke to FMT recently, sharing how she felt about the ceremony that was held at the Kalamandapam Hall in Brickfields. “I was just so happy, and the feeling was indescribable. I can’t believe that I did it.”
She performed two solo dances that evening, leaving one to wonder: how does this grandmother of two keep fit?
“I have been an avid gym-goer for the past three decades. In addition to Bharata Natyam, I also do Zumba and belly dance. I believe that this has given me stamina because it’s not easy for a 70-year-old to dance Bharata Natyam,” she revealed with a smile, adding that she also attends yoga and body crunch classes.
She said she took four months to practise for her two dance performances. And when not dancing, she runs a home bakery business.
“For me, age is not a barrier. If there is something that I want to pursue, I will do it. I don’t allow myself to think that I am old or even allow that to stop me. I don’t like that thought. I believe that every woman has a talent and age shouldn’t be a limitation,” she shared.
Ratha is now focusing on her “arangetram”, a ceremony held after a student has completed more advanced learning of the dance. “I hope I can achieve this in the next few years, and I will give my best.”
She also thanked a special person for her achievement so far. “I am grateful for my teacher, Indira Manikam. In addition to teaching me, she kept encouraging me that I can do it.”
Age is just a number
“Ratha was the oldest student who approached me wanting to learn how to dance. But I was very happy to teach her, and it’s been a joy for me,” Indira told FMT.
She added that Ratha is also her oldest student to complete the “Salangai Pooja”. “I am very proud of her,” she shared, adding that the average age of students who have this ceremony is between nine to 12 years old.
But then again, it’s not surprising that Indira would feel this way. After all, she herself is still very much involved in dance despite being 70 years old – and it was a journey that started at the age of nine.
“My grandfather took my older sister, Kamala Ramachandran and I to Tanjore in India, where we started studying Bharata Natyam,” she recalled, adding that she spent about five years there.
Later, in 1966, the sisters founded TKI Dance School, which was listed in the Malaysia Book of Records in 2016 for being the “longest-operating training dance school in Malaysia”, according to Indira.
Despite the pandemic, the grandmother of two kept on teaching. “Because we couldn’t have physical classes, I started teaching via Zoom. It was a learning experience for me because I have been teaching my students face-to-face for decades and could immediately correct them if they were making a mistake.”
However, she quickly adapted to the new teaching method. “I focused more on theory during the online classes and assigned my students homework. They recorded videos of themselves dancing at home, sent it to me, and I gave them the necessary feedback.”
Just like Ratha, she believes that age is no deterrent to pursuing a passion and now looks forward to celebrating the 60th anniversary of TKI in four years.
“If you have the interest to do something, go for it. For me, I love dancing and always want to be in this field.
“There are people who have asked me, ‘You’re getting old, aren’t you going to retire?’. To which, ‘I say no, why should I?’ You have to live for yourself. Mostly, never give up – whether you are young or old.”
Learn more about Tanjai Kamalaa Indira Dance School via their website and Facebook profile.