THE JUNOON GURUKUL COMPLETES A YEAR

As we sat down and stood up to our final session of the year in Gurukul, we had many thoughts, emotions, tiredness, relief and happiness to share.

Our Girls have been rock solid and we really got lucky with a bunch that stuck it out all year to make the Gurukul a reality in today's day and age.

It is not easy being on a parallel Arts curriculum despite the rigours of one's academic life and everything else at school. But this relentless squad of our Girls in Grey made it happen! By entering into an immersive Arts education and owning and belonging to the Classical Dance it is centred around. They have made an ancient, albeit most advanced, system of learning thrive in the modern day!

The support we have found in the staff, administration and faculty of Avasara, especially in the constant presence of Ms. Maneesha fills us with gratitude and hope for the future of the Classical Arts.

And so, after our rehearsals for the final showcase, we huddled together to discuss all this year has been for us and all that we'd like to carry into the next one. What a beautiful coming together of young talent, potential and insight this year in The Junoon Gurukul has been!

We couldn't wait to present our "LOVE LETTER TO NATURE", in performance, the very next day!

THE PERFORMANCE OF THE YEAR

Our "LOVE LETTER TO NATURE" was conceived from our conviction that Art can be an instrument for social change. It is also our collective apology for the unforgivable exploitation of Mother Earth.

Art has always been able to communicate the subtlest and most conspicuous ideas in the most efficient manner. Given the debased and dreadfully dynamic climactic conditions we find ourselves experiencing - a consequence of our own carelessness and apathy, we thought Classical Dance could help more forcefully and effectively express how much we owe to Mother Nature and the necessity to protect her and thereby, ourselves.

This performance showcases concepts in nature. Every gesture, every move is a symbol of beauty in nature. It has been a journey in understanding the language of gesture that corresponds to imagery and arriving at a clarity of movement that does justice to its beauty and bounty. Along the way, it has made us love and want to preserve all of it. Because a thing of beauty is a joy forever.

And this "thing of beauty" deserves all the love, care, attention and readiness it has provided us with, right back. And then, some more.

THEY BROKE A LEG!

From the time they introduced their own act to their final bow, our Girls in Grey rocked!

The performance was a treat and testament to a year's worth of work, effort, sweat, toil, smiles and everything in between.

They performed to an instrumental that was soft and strong, allowing us to incorporate both Bharata Natyam and Classical Ballet's gestures and movements for nature.

It had everything. Posture, poise, grace and the mandatory: co-ordination and smiles! Above all, it was put up by a team, by a spirit and by a unified force that made Classical movement (both Bharata Natyam and Classical Ballet) their own.

There couldn't have been a better reward than watching them in performance, come so so far from when we began at the start of their academic year last year.

The Junoon Gurukul is proud of its shishyas and grateful just as well. Onwards and upwards, our girls! You have such a way to go!

We hope Mother Nature will gladly receive our girls' heartfelt LOVE LETTER to her. She will! She already has!