Anagha Bidkar and Azal Khan have been learning Bharatnatyam for years at the NrityaNiketan School of Dance in Sydney. Anagha's family is from India and Azal's family is from Pakistan.
Azal Khan told SBS Hindi that she has been learning Bharatnatyam since she was 8 years old.
"I found out about it (Bharatnatyam) through my parents," Azal says. "My parents are really involved in Indian arts and culture even though they are from a Pakistani background. They have always loved Indian classical dancing and music and when I was little I would go to Mehefils with them and so I was quite immersed in that culture."
Inspiring
Azal Khan says she never faced resistance, "I guess people were very curious especially in my community, the Pakistani community, people were curious to know what it is, they hadn't really seen it before, so yes people really embraced it, especially when Anagha and I did my Arangetram (Bharatnatyam graduation), it was the first time that anyone had ever seen a Pakistani and an Indian on stage together (performing Bharatnatyam). So people were really inspired and they loved seeing the Indian and Pakistani communities come together in one place to enjoy this art form so I never faced any resistance"
"It would be amazing to perform in Pakistan one day," she says. "I guess there is a sort of class in Pakistan which is slowly appreciating the arts, I mean there has always been appreciation there, it's just how open it is being the sort of country that it is. I hope one day I can perform there and there are schools there, there are teachers there very well renowned, well-respected teachers but in Pakistan its not widely known but I guess with things like Bollywood and this sort of thing crosses borders so people do get to know about it especially when it is popularised in Bollywood movies and songs and things like that"
Azal further adds "Art transcends boundaries, it transcends borders, country lines, its something that really brings people together and that's something we have seen together when we performed, Anagha and I and it really added an amazing extra icing on the cake...to bring people together as well through art was incredible"
Anagha Bidkar has also been learning Bharatnatyam since she was 9 years old. She tells SBS Hindi "I think that by learning this art form you get an insight into a really rich cultural world that India has to offer. Bharatnatyam is over thousands of years old and the only way that you can stay in touch with such an old and beautiful art form is by each generation discovering their own individual love for it."
Source: Neeta Sura
'Connection with culture'
She adds "I would say that learning this art form not only gives you an incredible opportunity to engage with India's rich culture but also gives you an opportunity to develop a connection with your culture which I think sometimes the India diaspora may feel that it may lack.
I think this dance form has really strong storytelling culture and it gives insights into Hindu mythology."
The NrityaNiketan School of Dance was started by Neeta Sura in Sydney over 25 years ago.
Source: Neeta Sura
Neeta Sura is a trained Bharatnatyam dancer and strongly feels that "It is our responsibility that we give our knowledge to the young generation" and adds that "they also have an interest".
She also says that for those who want to learn age is not a barrier, "I know a lady in India who started learning Bharatnatyam at 35 and did her Arangetram (Bharatnatyam graduation) at 45 so age is not a barrier if you really want to learn"
