Monica Balsara (MB): Neenaji, How old were you when you first began dancing?
Neena Gulati (NG): I was four years old.

MB: Why did you begin learning this art form?
NG: My mother enrolled me in classes in New Delhi. Most of the girls my age were taking dance lessons at that time.

MB: What made you decide to teach dance?
NG: Actually growing up, I never thought I would be teaching dance. However, after I was invited to the United Nations General Assembly in 1964 I realized I wanted to come to the US and teach. I am very lucky to be able to have a career in something I love so much.

MB: How is teaching in the US different from teaching in India?
NG: The teaching technique is very different over here as opposed to in India. In India, most people learn dance as a career. Dance becomes their life. Students take intensive lessons everyday for most of the day. In the US, dance is usually considered a hobby. My students usually come for one hour once a week. My senior students come for two hours. Life is so busy here, there is not enough time to devote even one tenth of the amount of time that is devoted to dance in India.
 

MB: Do you find this to be a significant disadvantage to your teaching style? NG: No, although I would like for all my students to spend a significant amount of time on dance, I do realize the constraints that they as well as their parents have to face. I want my students to enjoy dance and appreciate all the aspects that dance has to offer. I try my best to give them the best in that one hour they have.

MB: Do the majority of your students understand the significance of each dance piece that they learn? NG: I believe it is very important for my students to understand the background of each piece I teach them. If the dance is a story, which is usually sung in Sanskrit, I have copies of the story and it's meaning typed for them in English. I teach my students the significance of every hand gesture and the meaning of the words in the song. The only way a dancer can express feeling is if they understand the true meaning behind the dance piece.

MB: Do you feel your students learn more than just dance from coming to your class? NG: Yes, I believe my students learn the roots of Hinduism and the many epics and stories that coincide with the religion. I have put on several dance dramas, some of which are the Mahabharata, and the Ramayana. My students learn history and religion through dance. The majority of the dances that the dancers learn are dedicated to a specific God or Goddesses. In this way the students learn about whom we praise and why we praise them.

MB: Where do you feel the art of Indian Classical Dance will be headed in the future? NG: I feel that Indian Classical dance has become very popular. When I began teaching in 1971, I had a handful of students. Now I have close to 200 students from all different nationalities and religions. Although my main goal is to teach dance the way it was taught to me, I understand the need to modernize and make it appealing to the public as well. In this respect, I have always tried to have performances with a western spin on it such as performing dance along with the poetry of Robert Blye. In order to appeal to a larger audience, I realize that Triveni will have to be creative along with keeping the roots of Indian classical dance as the base for each endeavor.

Amy Chacko is a 3rd year student at Northeastern University. She has been dancing for 15 years will Neena Gulati. Amy has also had her arangetram and has performed at several venues with Triveni School of Dance. In her spare time she teaches some beginner level classes of Triveni.

Monica Balsara (MB): How old were you when you first began to dance?
Amy Chacko (AC): My parents enrolled me in Neenaji’s class when I was five years old.

MB: What made you decide to learn dance?
AC: Actually as a child I never wanted to learn dance, I never appreciated it. My parents kind of forced me to join because all of their friends’ daughters were joining as well.

MB: How do you feel about dance now?
AC: Dance is my life. I was born here in the US. I never really knew what my roots were. The only thing I have is what my parents teach me at home. In the United States it is very easy to get disassociated with your culture. Dance is spiritual. In school I am surrounded by many different cultures, therefore I use dance as a way of connecting to my Indian Culture.

MB: Has taking India Classical dance lessons taught you something besides the art form itself?
AC: Well besides learning so many different dances and style, I have learned a lot about Hinduism and the history of Indian and the roots of it’s culture. I am a South Indian but I am also Catholic, therefore at home I do not learn many aspects of Hinduism. Through dance, Neenaji has taught me the stories and epics of Hindu mythology. With every dance, I learn the roots of the Vedas, the Gita, and stories such as the Mahabharata and the Ramayana. Furthermore, Indian dance has taught me the true meaning of respect for elders. The guru-shishya (teacher-student) relationship is very important in dance. I feel that Neenaji is a tremendous influence in my life and also guides me in many ways.

MB: How do you think a traditional art form such as Indian Classical dance can be made more appealing to a westernized audience?
AC: I believe that Indian dance has become more appealing to the western audience over the past few decades. They are learning to appreciate something different and are also trying to take lessons as well. I feel that Indian classical dance can teach the western audience about the Hindu religion and the Indian Culture. I believe if we incorporate diversity and creativity in our performances, this will appeal to a western audience. Triveni has already proved to meet the requirements of a well-known dance company Dance Umbrella, in Boston. Although the performances today are not as traditional as those performed in the temples long ago, I do feel that in order to keep this art form alive, we need to adapt to the changing times.