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Yana Lewis, ballerina and very British, lives in India. Her troupe was in the city for a performance last week. She spoke exclusively to The Hindu Metro Plus.
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Yana Lewis, right and her students striking a pose during the show at Kochi last week. Photo: Vipin Chandran
THERE IS fame and there is money, yet for Yana Lewis, an internationally acclaimed British ballerina, the joy of performing and receiving approval from the audience surpasses all. Trained in classical ballet and jazz dance for over a decade, she is a member of the Imperial Society of Teachers of Dancing and has been teaching students from all over the world for 27 years. Married to an Indian, she now lives in Bangalore and trains Indian and foreign students in this popular western classical dance form. At an age where most dancers end their careers when they can no longer meet the physical demands of performing, Yana is thinking of nothing but growth. For her, no other career will do.
Her dance troupe performed at the "Sthapatheeyam" Awards Night organised at the Bolgatty Palace, Saturday last. A chat with the stunning ballerina reveals how she does it all.
Q. How did you start dancing?
Yana: I was two years old when my mother asked me what I wanted to become when I grew up. I told her promptly that I wanted to fly like a butterfly. And there I was in the Royal Ballet School, London, at the age of two. Ever since, dancing has never been just a passion - it's my life.
Q How did you choose India as your base?
Yana: My first contact with India was when I started to study yoga under the guidance of the emminent B.K.S Iyengar at Pune. I kept coming back for more for almost 16 years, which got me closer to India. Each time I went back to England, I would look forward to my next trip to India. Because of the influence of yoga, here, I was living an extremely simple life - simple food, simple wants etc - while people around me were forever filling up cartloads of food and other consumer goods, which actually put me off. Back in India there was a certain amount of restraint and discipline. I thought it would be a fine idea to settle down in India. My idea was reinforced even more when I married an Indian.
Q: Did your quest to learn yoga enhance your dancing abilities?
Yana: Definitely. In fact there is so much similarity between yoga and ballet. Both need immense self-discipline, accurate body postures, lots of patience and stamina.
Practicing yoga has made me more aware of my body, and how it works when I move. My movements are more controlled even as I lift my leg vertically above my head.
Q. You look stunningly young for your age. What is your diet secret?
Yana: Well, food doesn't inspire me at all. I eat only fruits, nuts and seeds. I have been doing so since my teens. A lot of my friends think I am weird and that this is not the right diet to live on. But look at me- I feel I have more energy than anyone around me. I sleep only four hours everyday. The rest of my day comprises of three hours of practice followed by 10 hours of teaching and three hours of yoga before calling it a day! In fact before a performance I do not allow my students to eat meat. I give them only fruits as heavy food can make their movements lethargic.
Q: Have you learnt any Indian forms of classical dance?
Yana: I studied Bharatanatyam for a while. I don't get enough time now, though I read everything available on Indian dance and dancers.
Q: What do you think of the Indian dances?
Yana: It is such a different way of dancing here. You don't get to dance as much in Europe as here. India is rich as far as dance is concerned. From classical forms to filmi dance, there is such variety, though I personally find Indian film dances quite amusing. There is such talent out there and I feel there can be a lot of improvement.
Q: Have you had any stints in the tinsel town?
Yana: I have been approached to choreograph dance sequences for a Telegu film... . But I'd rather not talk about it as of now.
Q. You seem to choreograph your dances on up-beat western pop numbers and Hindi film songs for your stage shows. Why not use the authentic music for ballet dance performances?
Yana: I am trying my best to take classical western ballet to the Indian masses and using popular music is the best way to ensure that they are watching. But I make sure I have one sequence choreographed to classical western tunes.
Q. You have taught and performed around the world. How do you compare Indian ballet students with the ones in other western nations?
Yana: It is ironic but Indian children have better bodies to cope with the rigorous and awkward positions required in the ballet dance. Indian children learn to walk and squat at an early age, and thus their inner thigh muscles are far better developed than anywhere in the western world. The classical ballet is characterised by a turnout of the hips or external rotation, which my Indian students perform with complete ease. They have amazing inner arm lines as well, the reason for which I still haven't fathomed.
Q: Do you plan to start anything in Kochi?
Yana: Surely. There are a lot of dance enthusiasts in Kerela and I intend to start ballet classes in a couple of cities, including Kochi.
As told to SHUBHANGI JOSHI
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