At Junoon, our Dancers in Dhasa are stepping into a new chapter – evolving from semi-professionals to committed professionals. This shift reflects their unwavering dedication and love for art, and their journey is a powerful reminder that professionalism begins with passion, perseverance, and purpose.
Our Dancers in Dhasa, who began as curious learners and grew into semi-professionals, are now taking their next bold step—training as professional dancers. This transition is not just about technical refinement; it’s about embracing discipline, building stamina, sharpening expression, and stepping into the world with clarity, confidence, and an unwavering commitment to the art.
At Junoon, we’ve always believed that professional training is not reserved for a select few. It is earned through perseverance, humility, and deep love for the form. These girls have danced through early doubts, family pressures, academic responsibilities, and the sheer physical strain of daily practice. And today, they stand at the threshold of something bigger—not just a performance, but a life shaped by Dance. We are very proud of them.
This next chapter demands more from them—more rigor, more repetition, more self-awareness. The training room has transformed into a space of sharp focus and detailed observation. Every movement is broken down and re-built with precision. Every breath, every eye movement, every pause is studied. As they now learn to dance not just with energy, but with efficiency and intelligence, their bodies are being conditioned to carry the weight of longer pieces, sharper transitions, and deeper emotive work.
Ms. Mythili stands with them through each step, as mentor and mirror. Her guidance stretches beyond choreography and counts—it shapes their daily choices, their mental fortitude, their sense of time. These young dancers are learning that to become professionals, they must also become caretakers of their own bodies and minds. They eat with awareness, stretch with patience, rest with purpose, and hydrate religiously—sometimes reluctantly but always with discipline. They are learning that nutrition isn’t a choice, it’s a need; that sleep isn’t a break, it’s preparation.
Recovery is no longer a luxury—it’s a necessity. Their bodies ache from repeated jumps and deep ‘Aramandis’, and yet they return each day with determination. Soreness is no longer a complaint; it’s a marker of growth. They now take active rest seriously, understanding that what they do between practices is just as important as what they do during them. Cold compresses, warm-ups, cooldowns, and breathing exercises are part of their vocabulary. This is muscle memory in the making.
The decision to move from semi-professional to professional training came not only from technical growth, but from emotional maturity. Over the last year, we’ve seen these girls hold themselves differently—more grounded, more assured, more willing to lead. They no longer wait to be taught; they observe, absorb, and attempt on their own. They stay back after class to clarify a movement, repeat a phrase until it feels right, and take feedback not as criticism, but as a gift.
They are learning to choreograph, to teach younger students, to think spatially, to make artistic choices. They are beginning to understand what it means to hold space—for themselves, and for others. To carry responsibility not just for a performance, but for a process.
This journey into professionalism began with quiet conversations—Ms. Mythili listening carefully, watching intently, and encouraging them to listen to their own readiness. She didn’t push them forward; she invited them to step in when they felt ready. And they did.
From that first spark of curiosity to now—a group of focused, resilient, and expressive dancers—this path has been anything but easy. But it has been deeply joyful. Dance is no longer an after-school activity; it is a way of being.
As they now enter this double-intensive program in Bharatanatyam and Ballet, we know it won’t be easy. But we also know they’re ready. They have chosen this path, and they walk it with purpose.
This is not the end of their journey; it is a beginning.
A beginning marked by more strength, more intention, and a deeper commitment to both the Art and the artist within.
Written By:
Hema Devika,
Social Impact Strategist & Business Development,
The Junoon Foundation,
India.
This is Junoon
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