Returning to the Self Through Dance | Aruna Rekha | TEDxXIE

Quick Overview

Aruna Rekha, a Kuchipudi and Natya Rasika dancer, shares her personal journey overcoming the societal expectations and dual roles of being a mother and a professional artist, emphasizing that success is not final and failure is not fatal, as the courage to continue is what truly counts.

Key Points: Aruna Rekha was crowned in 1993 before touring globally with her dance school, which started in a tiny room after her children were born. She quotes Winston Churchill: "Success is not final, failure is not fatal: it is the courage to continue that counts." She felt she missed the bus regarding her dance career after having children, feeling rejected by alliances that did not approve of her being a dancer. She realized that her dance school, which began in a tiny room, now thrives online and in the Gulf countries, teaching students worldwide. She emphasizes that the true essence of dance, as explained in Natyashastra (the fifth Veda), is the transfer of emotion, or 'Rasa', through the body and soul. She notes that societal expectations regarding gender roles demand women juggle multiple roles, but the important thing is the consistent pursuit of one's passion.

Context: The video features a TEDx talk by Aruna Rekha, an artist specializing in Kuchipudi, an Indian classical dance form originating from Andhra Pradesh. She discusses her personal struggle balancing the roles of mother, wife, and professional dancer, contrasting her early career aspirations with the realities imposed by societal expectations, particularly after having children.

Detailed Analysis

Aruna Rekha opens her talk by quoting Winston Churchill: "Success is not final, failure is not fatal: it is the courage to continue that counts." She shares her personal history, starting with her crowning in 1993 and subsequent world tours with her dance school. She reveals that after having children, she felt she had missed her opportunity to pursue dance professionally, feeling rejected by families who did not approve of her career choice. She felt a void because of this societal pressure that forced her to juggle multiple roles (mother, wife, caregiver, etc.). She mentions that her initial dance school was small, operating out of a tiny room and later functioning online, but it has since grown significantly, now serving students globally, including in Gulf countries. She credits this growth to her unyielding passion. She explains that dance itself, as described in the Natyashastra (the fifth Veda), is about transferring emotion ('Rasa') through the body and soul. She concludes by reinforcing the idea that growth should be a continuous process, not something that stops due to perceived failure or societal constraints.