For the second time this year, senior Bharatanatyam dance students of teacher Sasirekha Raammohan will be glad to re-start their classes and get some intense diversion too.
But for some three dozen and more junior students of this Mandavelipakkam-based teacher who runs her academy her, it will be months before they too can enjoy what used to be engaging evenings.
The frequent lockdowns and regulations at pandemic time have affected dozens of centres in the Mylapore zone where teachers train the young in classical dance.
“Some of my junior students moved to their native places long ago and since Net connectivity is bad there, they cannot attend our online dance lessons,” says Sasirekha. ” Many others who reside in this part of the city don’t have the money to pay the fees because their parents have been jobless for long.”
Sasirekha’s students were able to attend ‘live’ classes at her academy – Kanagasabhai School of Bharatanatyam – in February this year when the pandemic regulations were eased but weeks later, came the shutdown and classes had to be suspended.
“Youngsters are very smart at adopting technology,” says Sasirekha. “But in the teaching of Bharatanatyam, not everything can be done online.”
