Article by Neha Chowdhury and Kenisha Rao, and design by Maya Haridas for En Avant Winter 2024
Get a real life insight into the ballet journey – baby steps to ballerina – with a TLFCB senior student and her mum!
Krita Yernool
Krita is 17 years old and is currently in Grade 6 ballet. She’s been a part of TLFCB since she was six and joined the National Youth Ballet (NYB) in 2018, but dance has been part of my life for as long as she can remember. Her mother Deepika, a classical dancer herself, has inspired her from a young age and both her parents have always been incredibly supportive of her journey.
Her parents both work in the business field. They love supporting the dreams of both their daughters and cherish family time together.
Krita
Q. How do you think ballet/TLFCB has helped you grow as a dancer and person?
One thing is that ballet has taught me discipline; coming to class on time, showing up when you’re tired, when you’re sick, and just trying to improve, constantly trying to improve, it just made me more determined in other areas of life as well. I was a school leader, too, and the discipline school takes, it just relates to what I do in ballet. Staying focused and showing up to class on time, punctuality, everything; It’s not just about dance. It’s setting goals and working towards them.
Q. Who is someone who has supported you through your ballet journey?
Definitely Ms. Yana, obviously. I feel the way Ms. Yana focuses on every single student in her class – it’s just so different. I enjoy coming to her classes. Even when my knee injury had happened, I couldn’t dance for what, six months? She was there for me the entire time, and she still constantly checks up on me. You can see Ms. Yana doesn’t just care about what you’re doing in class. She cares about your life outside class as well. I’ve definitely had this special connection to Ms. Yana. I look up to her a lot.
Q. What is one of the most memorable moments of your ballet journey over the years?
Performing at BIC three months ago. I don’t think I pushed myself that much for any other show with NYB. We had around nine dances. By the end of the show, I was just dancing on adrenaline. It wasn’t even energy. I had zero stamina. It was just adrenaline. At the end of the show, the lighting designer, Niranjan, came up to me, and he told me that I stood out and that my performance really translated to him. That’s something I will never forget because he came up to me personally and he said that. That was really nice.
Q. What advice would you give those starting their ballet journey with TLFCB right now?
I would say, don’t be too hard on yourself because ballet takes time. It can’t be perfect right away. Just enjoy the process and celebrate the small achievements that you have in class. Also, don’t compare yourself to others because everyone is different. Everyone has different journeys in ballet. Just have fun with it.
Ms. Deepika
Q. At what point did you realise that ballet was more than just a hobby for your child?
Probably when she got into NYB. I wasn’t very sure because the chances of getting in were so difficult, and I think when Krita got in, probably only two kids got in along with her. Till then, I knew she was always passionate about ballet, but I didn’t know she was good enough to be selected.
Q. If you could give advice to other parents whose children are starting out in ballet, what would you say?
I would tell them not to worry at all. Your children are in the best place for dance, they cannot find better teachers than at TLFCB. There’s no one better than our teachers. Also, don’t force your children into it. If they find their calling, they’ll definitely go with that. Go with whatever your child’s interests are.
Ryka Das
Ryka started ballet, at the age of 3 and a half. Her parents have been her biggest supporters and cheerleaders. They have encouraged her to come out of her comfort zone and try new things including giving the NYB auditions. She has been a part of 7 shows, and has had he wonderful experience of being a teaching assistant at TLFCB for the past 4-5 months.
Presently she is pursuing Electrical and Electronics Engineering at BITS Pilani but is still very much a student of ballet. Ryka flies in every weekend to attend classes at TLFCB. She looks forward to always being apart of TLFCB.
Ryka
Q.What got you into ballet? How old were you when you joined?
I was three and a half. What got me into ballet is a funny story. When I was tiny my shoes would get creased up because I would walk on my toes, on demi pointe. My mom would have to constantly repair the shoes since they would become pinched up. That’s how my mom discovered ballet and thought to put my demi-pointe to some good use. That’s how ballet was introduced to me.
Q. What, if any, are some challenges you’ve faced as a ballet dancer?
I remember being diagnosed with dengue just before my ISTD grade 2 exam. I had to practise ballet in the hospital because I had contracted the disease in October and the exam was scheduled for November. Thankfully, I did make it back.
There was pain, and I did feel as though I was lacking in technique because I was not in class – I was not fulfilling my potential. But, Ms. Yana and Ms. Elina were there, and they helped me after classes for about fifteen minutes. They would go over the variations, or Jazzie and I would talk and we would go through the syllabus. Naina and I would discuss and help each other out. That’s how I coped.
While on nebulization, I thought to myself, “No, I have to finish my grade 2 syllabus, plies, and grand battements”. Thinking about that today is funny, even though it wasn’t fun back then. Experiencing something like that is never fun, but looking back, it’s just a happy memory.
Q. What are some of the most memorable moments of your ballet journey over the years?
There are plenty. Since it’s exam season, I’ll tell you something related to exams. When I was appearing for my Grade 1 exam, Ms. Yana made my bun. The bun was made so nice that I kept it on throughout the day. I thought, “Oh no, Ms. Yana made my bun”, so I didn’t want to take it off.
Another great memory are the performances that we did as NYB when we would go to different places to perform. The entire journey from getting ready to the performance to the after-performance—that’s an experience that I would want to go through again someday.
I remember when we went to Infosys for the TEDx performance in Bangalore, and we were so excited! At that time we were kids, we were so enthusiastic. We
were like, “Oh, let’s do this! Let’s explore this place”. We had golf carts just to move around. That was a really fun experience!
Q. How has Ballet/TLFCB helped you grow as a person and a dancer?
It’s practically given me everything that is helping me to do well in academics. I don’t know how, but that’s what it has done. And I think I’ve become more responsible with ballet. I think ballet is a place where I am myself.
Ms. Yana keeps saying that when I’m dancing, there’s a different me compared to when I’m studying. So ballet gives me that space.
Q. Are there other forms of art/dance that you enjoy doing that connect to ballet?
So, the thing is, Ms. Yana has introduced me to other forms—for example, we’ve done different dance styles, including hip-hop and jazz. But I’m that kind of dancer who just can’t. Ballet feels locked in for me, and I can’t switch to jazz. Ms. Yana tried so hard during NYB to get me to move, and I was like, “Nope. This is the first position. I am not switching into something else.”
That said, I would like to try Kathak someday.
Dr. Onkita
Q. At what point did you realize that ballet was more than just a hobby for your child?
It was a personally tragic time for me, and Ryka was very, very young back then. I met with an accident that was a near-death experience. I was broken into 21 pieces, quite literally. When I was in the hospital, it was a very close call, and the chances of me surviving were very, very slim.
Because I was going into surgery and her dad wouldn’t be around to pick her up, I called Dev to let him know to ensure Ryka had something to eat in the afternoon. I identified ballet as a very safe place for her, not just physically but also emotionally. At that time, she was a confused kid who didn’t know whether her mom was alive or not. It was a crazy time when you just could not understand what was happening all around you. I mean, at that moment, the difficulty didn’t even cover it; it was just crazy. As a mother, I recognized that ballet was more than just a dance class; it was a physically, mentally, and emotionally safe space for her, where she could feel secure and supported.
While I was in the hospital, Ryka was with relatives, spending the whole day at ballet, which was her happy place. I felt a sense of relief knowing that she was surrounded by caring instructors and friends who understood what she was going through. It was incredibly important for her to be in a nurturing environment where she could express herself freely and find comfort amidst the chaos. As a mother, I felt settled knowing she was in good hands.
Q. How has being part of your child’s ballet journey changed your perspective on the arts or dance in general?
Inculcating discipline is challenging, especially in today’s world, and it must start at a very young age. Ryka has been with Yana since she was three years and four months old, a time when she was unaware of what discipline truly meant. She was just on autopilot, likely not enjoying every moment, but we, as parents, recognize the journey she was on. We’ve thrown them under the bus, and we understand the journey. They have no clue.
Starting at such a young age, she learned discipline and punctuality without consciously thinking about it. I understand the value of showing up, even on tough days, which is why Ryka continued to be in the studio during COVID, spending the whole day there. This commitment instilled in her the notion that she’s a work in progress, emphasising that perfection is unattainable and that each step forward matters.
How her journey in ballet has helped her academically is something I must reiterate. I would be a fool not to speak about it. Cracking an IIT examination is not easy. She has technically not taken any breaks from ballet; she only took a six-month break because it was becoming physically strenuous. That choice was not just Ryka’s; it was her dad’s and mine. We decided to take that little hiatus because the other part of her life—ballet—would be with her for the rest of her life. Even now, when she’s flying in from Hyderabad every weekend.
Q. How do you think ballet has helped shape your child as a person?
Ryka tells me she’s a Virgo, and while I don’t really know what that means, I’ve come to understand that Virgos are professionals and perfectionists at heart. With Yana, she’s been meticulous—whether it’s ballet, food, or academics. These are the three things shewon’t compromise on. That part of her has made her grow, though it can get annoying for someone like me, who’s a bit more casual.
She’s aware now that this can work both as a strength and a weakness, and she’s learning to navigate it. Ballet has kept her grounded because it teaches you there’s always more to improve—like making an arabesque a little more squared. That drive to always do better has kept her focused on herself and away from distractions. Honestly, I feel happy about it because it means she has less time to waste on other stupid things.
Her confidence has definitely gone two to three notches higher. She can walk into a room and have a space for herself. Physically, she has that presence, which I’ve seen her develop over time and when she has wanted or needed to step up, she can do that beautifully. That confidence is definitely coming from her deep understanding of herself, not just where she is. She’s aware of herself.
Keya Matthew
Keya started dancing with TLFCB at 4 years old, and left when she went to university at 19 years old, at which point she did Grade 6 and Intermediate classes and NYB. She’s now doing a degree in Zoology in the UK but she loves that TLFCB and Miss Yana and Miss Elina always welcome her with open arms when she’s back home on break.
Her mother Melissa, works in public relations and communications, and has always pushed and encouraged Keya to explore what she loves in whatever ways possible – whether that was driving her to class at 7am on a Sunday, or being at every single one of her performances, or even fighting her teachers at school when they told Keya she should quit to focus on academics!
Keya
Q. How do you see ballet as part of your future?
I don’t know that I see it as part of a career because I’m in university studying zoology, and I love that, but I think what I’ve realised, especially since leaving Bangalore and leaving TLFCB, is that my life is really not complete without ballet in it.
Q. At what point did ballet go from a hobby to something more serious?
When going from Grade 3 to Grade 4 in ballet something just switched. I think when you start doing more advanced technique and more fun steps, it draws you in more. I always say that even when I have a hundred other things going on and my brain is just moving at a hundred kilometres an hour, I feel like I can step into the studio and all of that is just left at the door, because you don’t have the time or space to think about anything other than your alignment, body and your muscles and how you’re moving. My brain just quietens down for that hour, so I think for me that’s really important because it’s a nice break from everything else.
Q. Who is someone who has supported you through your ballet journey?
I learned this from my dad, who is a musician. He always warned me that, at some point in your artistic career, there comes a plateau where you’re just not as motivated because you’re not seeing a lot of improvement. I also think doing that many classes a week can sometimes cause burnout. I especially remember during exam preparation there was always more pressure. But I think there are just moments during class or after my exams that kind of bring you back into it, or remind you why you’re there. That really did it for me.
Q. What advice would you give those starting their ballet journey with TLFCB right now?
To stick with it. It is a very long journey, it’s sometimes hard to see that end goal when you’re still in Grade 1 doing just plies and tendus. Trust the process and eventually, you’re rewarded with something that you can never let go of.
Ms. Melissa
Q. How has being part of your child’s ballet journey changed your perspective on the arts or dance in general?
I think, for one, you realise how much more goes into being a ballerina than what you see on the surface. If I had not been part of Keya’s ballet journey, I wouldn’t have realised how much effort, time, discipline, and all of that really goes into it.
Q. How do you think ballet has helped shape your child as a person?
In particular, When Keya took a gap year, the reason she took one was to be able to do her ballet exam. If she had gone to college, then she would’ve missed it and they do the exams only once every two years. So she gave up a whole year of being able to start a new life and she was a step behind her classmates, but that didn’t deter her, she was doing it out of her own choice and desire to do that exam. I think I’ve just been inspired by how hard she has worked for it.
Q. What do you find to be the most rewarding aspect of supporting your child throughout their ballet journey?
I think that she just derived joy from it. She studies overseas, right? So when she comes back, she goes back to ballet. It’s like her second home.
Leave a Reply