Dance like Daksha, dance in a trance

The pulsating positions of the body beautiful are almost esoteric. The rope twirled around the body enhances the sense of passion, heightening it to a moment of sheer visual bliss in which the dancer actually merges with the dance.
Welcome to the world of Daksha Sheth and her dance group -- a world which epitomises fusion dance in the meeting of many virgin classical and martial-art forms.
Currently in town to present her latest choreographed production, Bhukham, Daksha is exploring new flights of fantasy, which will be staged at the Hamsadhwani Theatre on November 24 and 25. "This production is the celebration of the human spirit. For, the year 2002 marks the completion of a century since the Wright brothers flew for the first time. We will celebrate this great achievement through ''bhu'', meaning earth, and ''kham'', which is space," she elaborates.
The meditative involvement which started with kathak, along with the influence of kalaripayatu, paved the way for Daksha''s experiments with traditional forms. Now, the incertitude of the initial trial and error has crystallised into a passion-plus-profession for her entire family. Daughter Esha, all of 18, has followed nimbly in her mother''s footsteps. "I simply love to dance. And the best part is that I only started off at the age of 13. For me, it was a sudden decision. One fine day, I just got up in the morning and told Mom that I wanted to dance. She thought it was temporary. But it has lasted and I love every moment of it," enthuses Esha.
Esha, her 11-year-old brother Tao and Daksha''s husband Devissaro now form a part of this extended cultural-personal-and-professional set-up. "I met Dev when I was learning kathak under Pandit Birju Maharaj and he was learning Dhrupad from the Dagar brothers. It was my Australian room-mate who introduced me to Dev," recalls Daksha.
But the rest was not cliched history, but a new way of life. "Not only do Mom and Dad get along very well personally, they also share an incredible understanding in their professional approach. While Mom has a clear idea about her choreographic interests, Dad manages everything else. In fact, minus the performance bit, he is in charge of everything else," offers Esha.
Tao, on his part, has already started making contributions to the family''s creative bank. "Tao is an excellent drummer. The last time we performed in Singapore, he was given a curtain call as the youngest technician. But his real interest lies in tennis — he wants to be India''s first Wimbledon champion," says a proud Daksha.
The lights grow dimmer, the rhythm slowly ascends to awaken the finer sensibilities. Daksha Sheth is in her in element. The other performers follow... leaving a frozen moment in time. Sometimes, dance leaves one in a trance... and the heart beats to the rhythm of life.