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DANCER PADMINI RAVI AND DAUGHTER LAKSHMI KEEP UP THE BEAT
All in the genes
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I face pressure because people come to see Padmini Ravi's daughter dance. — Lakshmi
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ONE OF Bangalore's best known Bharatanatya dancers, guru andchoreographer,who has experimented much with her art, Padmini Ravi may be on asabbaticalas far as her dancing goes. But she's been high on Bangalore Habba andpromises to be back on stage, saying she's on R&D mode now. Meanwhiledaughter Lakshmi Ravi, a law graduate, who only recently chose to pursuedance seriously, had been making waves at the Habba, behind the scenesorganising the festival as well as dancing in it. The ebullient, wilfulandhusky-voiced Lakshmi and her mum often go out together, be it Zero G orthemovies. BHUMIKA K. catches the youthful mum and daughter as they flitacrossdance, life, and philosophy.
Padmini: Lakshmi, do you really know how I started dancing?
Lakshmi: (Wondering how she had missed that) Actually no.
Padmini: I just wouldn't talk as a child. I was the only child, so mymotherthought I needed to open up and be a little more... (Fumbles for the rightword)
Lakshmi: Conversant? (Not exactly the right word but we'll let that pass.)
Padmini: Conversant, yes. I didn't have company at home. And she thoughtthat if she put me in a dance class, I would interact with other children.That's how it all started, not that she wanted be to be a dancer.
Lakshmi: But did that work?
Padmini: Well, it did not work as much as it should have, because I'mbasically shy and an introvert. So, I maintained my reserve through myclass. I danced for five or six hours and never took breaks. Honestly,maybeif I wanted to open up I could have. But slowly, though I didn't realiseit,my teacher did, that I had that something more than other students and itkind of developed. Also, the act of dancing... I always danced with asenseof detachment.
Lakshmi: (Totally foxed) But why was that?
Padmini: I don't know. It's just that I never wanted to be a performeror...
Lakshmi: Be in the limelight?
Padmini: Yeah, I never networked, never looked for a performance. Whatevermy teacher offered, I danced. I never asked questions. There was always asense of detachment and that's why when I had to leave dancing in order toget married, it never bothered me. I was...
Lakshmi: Quite OK with it?
Padmini: OK with it. But it started bothering me when I realised Icouldn'tdance. And when I was seeing other people dance. And that's when Irealisedthe value of dance in my life. So when I came back, I came back with fullforce. Then you were born.
Lakshmi: How do you think I started dancing?
Padmini: Good question! I don't actually know. But when you were 15 daysold, I used to put you on my lap and teach dance and so maybe your senseofrhythm came because of constant listening. Though my grandmother alwaysusedto say you're going to become deaf because of that constant beating of thetatte. (Laughs)
Lakshmi: It's amazing I'm not deaf !! (Laughs)
Padmini: The two of us are good friends. But when I take position as ateacher, you always think that...
Lakshmi: (Not letting her complete the sentence) The more you point outmistakes and find fault!
Padmini: Usually they think mothers are partial to their children.
Lakshmi: Oh God, no!
Padmini: (To us) But she thinks I'm extremely harsh on her.
Lakshmi: (To us, irreverently munching on a biscuit but stating veryemphatically) She is.
Padmini: But that's because I want the best out of you. And if I don't sayit, nobody else will.
Lakshmi: What's worse is every time I perform I have to deal with theextrapressure because people are coming to see Padmini Ravi's daughter dance.
Padmini: I don't think that's an issue.
Lakshmi: Yes, people do come with preconceived expectations.
Padmini: No, there's no expectation. Maybe it is in your mind. In fact Ithink it's your own expectation.
Lakshmi: I agree. I am pretty hard on myself.
Padmini: So it's not others who compare, it's you yourself who compare.
Lakshmi: I don't compare, but I've set my standards pretty high.
Padmini: Anyway, you've come a long way from where you were a few yearsagowhen you said you don't want to be a dancer at all. You wanted to be alawyer and you didn't want to have a flimsy profession like dance, but asolid career.
Lakshmi: So much for that.
Padmini: Yeah, so I hope you will continue dancing...
Lakshmi: That too. And I'm definitely going to do a lot of managingevents.
Padmini: Events? Why just events?
Lakshmi: Dance is going to be an integral part of my life. But I have funmanaging events.
Padmini: (Rather in protest) But if management is going to be your corecompetency, it's going to take you away from the actual performing arts.Then you become an organiser fulltime.
Lakshmi: That's the thing. I'm really confused. I'll have to find abalancesomewhere. I don't only want to dance or only manage events because IthinkI'm equally good at both. Achcha, tell me, why have you never danced withme?
Padmini: Why haven't you danced with me (laughs)? I haven't danced in ...(tries to remember)
Lakshmi: You haven't danced. Period.
Padmini: I haven't danced because I don't know what to do. I have tofigureout what kind of dance and movement I should do next. I'm still in thatresearch and development mode. Maybe this year I'll start and we'll give acouple of performances soon. I don't know how much you want to do it ...(Looks at Lakshmi hopefully)
Lakshmi: Ayyo, don't talk that way. Of course I want to dance with you. Ofcourse, swalpa tension will happen, but it's OK. (Both laugh)
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