Senior Spotlight 6

Senior Profile: Ishita Vinay

by Sonia Ivancic

As a child, Ishita loved to dance. Her mom, also a Bhartanatyam dancer, thought the dance form would be a great fit for her and this started Ishita’s Bharatanatyam journey at 6. Bhartanatyam was certainly the right choice for her as she remembers being captivated by her first adavus, mudras, and postures and curious to keep learning. Her favorite piece to learn was the classic Swarajathi, a right-of-passage Shishya item where she learned to combine adavus and abhinaya for the first time for a full length-piece. 

After years of her regular Saturday group classes, the Zoom years were definitely a change but it did give her a chance to refine her technique and self-discipline. She was very relieved to come back to the studio and is learning one of her most challenging yet rewarding pieces this year: the Ganga Padam. 

Her favorite memories are from the annual days. She finds them to be a really special moment to come together with friends to perform. Not only do they get to showcase everything they've learned throughout the year, but it’s also a time for bonding and creating lasting memories. Dancing alongside her peers, sharing moments of excitement and nervousness, has made these moments meaningful. It’s always a chance to see how far they've come and celebrate growth as a group.

Ishita loves most the strong sense of community we have here. She has found Shishya not just a place to learn dance, but a family where everyone supports and encourages each other. She wants to thank Guru Sukanya for being so dedicated to teaching in an environment that fosters growth, not just in dance, but as individuals.

Ishita will be attending Rutgers University to study Supply Chain Management and hopes to continue dancing. Congrats Ishita!