Dance champs from the city may cross luggage limits again as they keep winning many more trophies at National and International trips – now they proceed to Bali.

From therapeutic to cathartic to fitness-boosting – there is no shortage of reasons to explain why Classical dances such as Kathak are witnessing a surge of interest and learning in the last one or two years.

Director Dr. Saroj Sharma, Kala Ashram College of Performing Arts, has been happily trying to cope with the surge of students from all genres and ages – there are housewives, working women, tiny toddlers and even people bravely fighting health issues. But when it comes to some hard-core competition, it is a sight and delight to see how feet of various sizes and stamina fall in an inexplicable rhythm.

They did this extraordinary ‘coming together’ again under Dr. Sharma’s inimitable direction at the 5^th All India Dance Competition in Ahmedabad last week; and while they added different feathers in Kala Ashram’s hat, they also clinched a seat for the International Dance Battle happening in Indonesia very soon.

This feat becomes all the more significant as this group happened to be the first to represent Udaipur at a National level. At a stage and league where 550 participants from 18 states were present with some extreme dance performances, this group effortlessly bagged the first three rungs besides tucking in prizes in various categories like Duet, Junior Group, Senior Semi Classical, Junior Solo, Minor Group folk, Junior Folk, Senior Solo and others. If you, however, ask winners Preeti Kanan, Chirmayi Nagda, Tejaswani Rana, Hridaya Khatri, Madhuram, Shloka Agarwal, Hina, Dhun, Manya, Shreya, Ada, Priyanka and others; they are hardly allowing themselves any time for celebration yet.

Toughened with the level of challenge experienced at this fest and injected with a well-earned confidence at this extraordinary success, this team from Kala Ashram is already tying up its socks, and Ghungroos, for the ultimate challenge at an International stage next. And that’s another good reason to get passionate about Dance, isn’t it?