Bharatanatyam skating and performs
Bharatanatyam skating and performs

This Hubballi girl can do Bharatanatyam, Yoga and Skating all at once. Multitasking much?

In a chat with the exceptionally talented youngster Roshni Pawar,  We try to find out what it takes to blend three different art forms 

While most of us can think of completing only one task at a time, this 21-year-old from Hubballi can perform three complicated tasks together. Roshni Pawar, a final year BCom student from JG College of Commerce blends Bharatanatyam, yogasanas and skating and performs them all together. Today, she is popularly known as Skating dancer across the state. When Roshni was just four-years-old, her mother noticed her inclination towards dance and enrolled her for Bharatanatyam classes. The youngster has given over 500 performances till date and has won 174 prizes. Under the guidance of her Guru Urmilla Patra, Roshni has completed junior and senior courses in Bharatanatyam. 

Amidst this busy schedule, Roshni was drawn towards skating and yogasanas. It all happened when skating expert Iranna S Kashappanavar noticed this girl perform Bharatanatyam with perfect expressions and posture. He suggested Roshni's parents enroll her in his skating classes. Though her parents did not know much about skating, they enrolled her when she was in class V. "First, we are taught basic skating skills like standing stiff after wearing skates, moving forward and backwards, how to balance the body by keeping hands wide open, stepping forward while wearing skates and so on. After a few months, our skating masters test us on the skills that we have learnt. If we perform well, they grade us and give us an A or a B and if the performance is below par, students are graded and given a C or D. The A and B grade students are promoted and moved to the next level of skating. I picked up the required skills quickly and moved to the next level," she explains.

Beat it: Roshni Pawar poses for a picture with her skating wheels and a Bharathanatyam dress. She has participated in many dance festivals across India

There is one particular story that inspired Roshni to blend all the three different art forms. One day, while she was practising, her master approached her with a newspaper. One of the stories in the paper informed that a girl in another part of India could dance and perform two tasks while skating. "My master showed me the news and asked me if I can develop the same talent and prove it to the world. I took it up as a challenge. Master Eranna, who is also a yoga expert, taught me a few asanas. Now, that I had learnt three different art forms and could perform them all individually without flaws, I started practising yogasanas with my skates on. Later, I included Bharatanatyam as well. I practised performing Bharatanatyam, yogasanas and skating simultaneously. I would spend an hour every morning practising and it took me six months to gain perfection in performing all the three together," says Roshni who has been invited to several occasions like Hampi Utsav, Lakkundi Utsav and Dharwad Utsav to showcase her talent.  When it comes to yoga, Roshni can perform Vajrasana, Padma Mayurasana and a few other complicated asanas with her skates on. She can express all the nine moods or expressions of Bharatanatyam including Shringar (delight), Hasya (laughter), Karuna (sorrow), Raudra (anger), Veera (courage), Bhayanaka (fear), Bibhatsa (disgust), Adbhuta (wonder) and Shanta (peace). 

Blend and bend: Roshni perfoms one of the asanas with her skates on along with the Bharatanatyam dress

When asked about participating in competitions to showcase her talent, Roshini says, "I have participated in several state-level and district-level Bharatanatyam and skating competitions. But I don't think there is a separate competition to showcase what I do, which is, blending three art forms and performing them at the same time. I have also performed for various television shows across Karnataka. Now, receiving an invitation to showcase my talent has become a routine part of my life. I will continue to work on my skills and add new postures to my performance."

Apart from competitions, Roshini has used skating as a platform to create awareness on environment pollution. From Mudhol to Bagalkot, she has skated for 65 kilometres. Similarly, she skated from Gadag to Badami for 75 kilometres. 

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