#Ad. The idea of beauty over the years has become something that has led to a lot of insecurities because of unreasonable parameters propagated by media. It has become common to judge others based on height, weight, skin colour, choice of clothing amongst many other criteria. I was always taught never to comment on the way someone looks when I was young. Choice of clothes and physical attributes are of no consequence in reality.
Beauty lies in ones thoughts, intentions and attitude. Join me and #DoveIndia to #StopTheBeautyTest. Use the AR filter and share your story with others in society who needs to hear!
#judge #beautyparameters
“Expectations”
The dance film is centred around the idea of how our lives are twofold in the modern world. The lives we lead and the lives we project to the external world through social media, digital platforms, photographs and emojis. There is an expectation that one must always show what is beautiful and perfect to the people that surround us. Perception takes priority over honesty to a point where life itself may no longer be truthful.
The full version is on Raadha Kalpa’s YouTube channel
https://youtu.be/wKkrKxSawvA
Choreography, Concept & Performance: Rukmini Vijayakumar
Music:
Presto from Vivaldi’s 4 seasons
Mixing & Mastering: Ambi Subramaniam
Violin: @ambisub Ambi Subramaniam
Harpischord: @tbvong Tiffany Vong
Video & Editing: @vivianambrose
Vivian Ambrose
#bharatanatyam #expectations #dancer #dance
This is one of my most favourite pictures of my mom and dad. They were laughing at me… 😊
I’ve been thinking a lot about this idea of “sustainable living” that seems to be in everyone’s vocabulary.
People are thinking about clothes, and food and reusable plastic etc , but I think it’s much more than that. It’s a mindset. A mindset that my parents had. They lead simple lives. My father had a single closet of clothing when he passed on. Neatly folded, with hardly any belongings.
As children, we were taught to take only one tissue from a box, if we absolutely needed it. We had bucket baths often and used the shower sparingly. We used thin cotton towels for a bath, so it wouldn’t waste water when being washed. My dad would repeatedly turn off the tap when I was brushing my teeth. Both my parents have clothes that are more than ten years old. They were never swayed by fashion, and never bought new clothes unless something was completely worn out. They reused old clothes as mopping cloths. My mother will never throw away a glass bottle/ a plastic bag/ a paper bag. Everything is valued and respected and reused.
She always cooks with vegetables that are currently in season, so that there is no waste in cold storage etc.
This is a lifestyle. It is not something that they did to save money. They just did it because they felt it was right.
If I look at my life, I’m sure I emulate some of these values, but a lot of us in my generation don’t consider these things. Most of it has become essential to our lifestyle, a part of the luxuries that we must have.
I have a lot of clothes! I always take a shower. I definitely feel guilt when taking that extra tissue, but I take it anyway.
Just my thoughts for the morning after meeting my mother. A reminder to myself … to remember that sustainable living is about caring and respecting everything and everyone.
I’ll try to be better
#sustainableliving #lifestyle #respect #love #environment #family #simplicity
Join me on Raadha Kalpa’s YouTube channel. For the premier of TIME .
(Link in bio)
As we transition to a new world, the pandemic changing so many things that were once routine, most of us grapple with grief, loss and the discomfort of being thrown into situations that are no longer familiar. Time persists, changing everything, the only constant in our lives. The ticking clock, creates new life and takes life simultaneously, and our universe changes in just a moment. Everything repeats cyclically, one for another, another for another, leaving and returning – fortunes, emotions, lives – riding on waves that have no end in sight.
Produced by:
Raadha Kalpa Dance Company
Choreographed and performed by:
Rukmini Vijayakumar
VIDEO CREDITS
@vivianambrose
MUSIC CREDITS
Produced by: Raadha Kalpa Dance company
Excerpt from ‘MALA’
Composed by: Rajkumar Bharathi
Music arrangement: @saishravanam, Resound India
Violin: B. Ananthakrishnan
Keyboards: Navneeth Sundar
Mridangam: N Kesavan
Costume partner: @turnblackofficial
#dance #contemporarydance #indianclassical #talam #jathi #bharatanatyam #indiancontenporary #time #transience #cyclical #ocean #waves
Some behind the scenes photos and videos from work the past year…. Can’t say I’ve got bits of everything… but I scrolled and picked ….
More than the work that’s been done, I’ve enjoyed the company of the people that I work with.
@anupjkat @vivianambrose @saishravanam Dr Rajkumar Bharathi have had calls and messages from me continuously for the past few years 😂🤣😂
@keerthanavaidyanathan @somyarout2806 @reef1884 – friends and teachers who have looked out for me.
@raghu21 @raghuramvocals @harshasamaga @harr.evilcoach @d.v.prasanna @mahesha swamy @rohithbhat_u @niralabopanna
Collaborators and friends who have worked with me over the years and especially the past year ….
Happy new year everyone!!
#bharatanatyam #dancer #work #indianclassicaldance #2021 #2022 #indian #culture #carnatic #musicanddance #music #indiandancer #waterlover #underwater #dance
The Palani Tillana, composed by @madurai.r.muralidaran is something I choreographed to many years ago. The choreography doesn’t follow the standard pattern of korwes and muktayams like Tillana choreography normally does. I have flowed to the music and taken pauses where I felt necessary.
It is beautifully sung by @osarunofficial and the video is by @vivianambrose
https://youtu.be/t-ROGR1K0XI
The full version is available on Raadha kalpa’s YouTube channel.
Wish you all a very happy Onam!!
Hope you all have a wonderful celebration today!
(also as a side note… it’s really hard to do footwork in the mud with stones… I watch my videos and am critical of it, but at the same time, I love dancing outdoors…. We gain some, we lose some 😊)
#bharatanatyam #tillana #onam #rama #hanuman #dance #joy #margam #indianclassicaldance #carnatic #osarun #madurairmuralidaran
The kamala (lotus) blooms gently, and the goddess appears in all her glory, draped in flowing silks. The flower adorns her, becoming the seat she sits on. The kamala (lotus) resonates her beauty, her charm, her grace.
The goddess that wins over all, ending all conflict, showering love and harmony – Vijayalakshmi.
The Legacy
Today, @vijayalakshmisilks, anointed after the great goddess, is rediscovering its silk heritage with a new identity. It has stood tall as a timeless symbol of elegance since 1920. The 100-year-old legacy, woven with passion and inspiration over generations, pursues its journey of great craftsmanship, embracing its traditional roots and stepping into the world contemporary. A brand forever young, forever evocative.
@vijayalakshmisilks
@dontbecontent
#RediscoverVijayalakshmiSilks
#100yearsofVijayalakshmiSilks
#TimelessVijayalakshmiSilks
#EternallyVijayalakshmiSilks
#Lotus
#Bloom
#Kamala
#100daysofinnergrowth
Day 1
“Find time to spend with myself”
I’ve realised that self love is most important in being able to grow as a person. We are always encumbered with the inadequacies that we lay upon ourselves. We never consider ourselves whole or full, but that is far from the truth.
I want to start today by finding time to spend with myself. 5 mins in the morning and 5 mins in the evening. With no music, no electronics, no phone. Just me, myself and my thoughts.
Let me know how it goes if you do this for yourself. I’m so glad that so many of you wanted to join me on this! ❤️❤️❤️
(I prefer comments on the post/ tags or email- sorry DMs are very hectic)
#dancer #innergrowth #spiritual #yoga #quiet #selflove #celebrateoneself
Whenever I watch these rehearsal videos of us figuring things out. Where all of us are stepping into the rhythm, trying to keep to form, technique, I can see that it’s in our heads.
This phase is important – where all of us are just trying to get the technical precision – because this is what will enable freedom eventually. This jathi was particularly hard for us, and this was the second time we were running it together.
There are small moments where I enjoy the dance and then I keep checking the mirror for form…. While trying to keep the layam.
I can’t say that we were all completely free in performance either, but I know that we will be soon! And I can’t wait to share that with you all.
😊😊😊
With @samagaharsha @d.v.prasanna @raghuramvocals @ maheshswamy
Early morning yoga… follow @the.betta.living for exciting things in the coming months …
#dancer #mornings #yoga #indianyoga #yogini #headstand #split #stretch #bharatanatyam #bharatanatyamdancer
As margazhi masam draws to a close, how can we forget Andal?
The beauty of some of these stories lies in discovering the layers beneath. The idea that intent is greater than a perceived notion of what is right and wrong is what I learned from the story of Andal.
Wish you all a very happy Sankaranti! A very happy Pongal!
The full video of this kautvam is on Raadha Kalpa’s YouTube channel.
Video: @vivianambrose
Music: Kalakriya series @preethy.mahesh
#andal #saint #margazhi #love #krishna #srinivasa #dancer #kautvam #nachiyar #bharatanatyam #carnatic
#Ad
As a dancer, I have to take utmost care of my hair. It goes through so much and the stress never makes it easy for my hair to shine the way it deserves to! But you know what? I have the perfect way to make sure my braid stays strong and healthy through it all – with @dove Hair fall Rescue Shampoo and Conditioner. After all, #enpinnalenpride
#dove #pongal
The year started off very well! On Jan 1st I started my day with yoga and ended it with rehearsals for my performance on the 3rd.
I couldn’t have asked for a better beginning to the year. But within a few day, omnicron has raised its head again and I will no longer be performing in Ahmedabad on the 13th of January.
Lots of things are on hold and I truly hope that all performers and artists find the strength to get through many more months of this uncertainty…
I guess we just need to wait and see ….
But, I had the best time dancing in stage to a live audience with @harshasamaga @d.v.prasanna @raghuramvocals and Mahesh anna
#stage #rehearsals #mohamana #bhairavivarnam #dancer #bharatanatyam #indianclassical #carnatic #tala #raga
Join me on Raadha Kalpa’s YouTube channel. For the premier of TIME .
(Link in bio)
As we transition to a new world, the pandemic changing so many things that were once routine, most of us grapple with grief, loss and the discomfort of being thrown into situations that are no longer familiar. Time persists, changing everything, the only constant in our lives. The ticking clock, creates new life and takes life simultaneously, and our universe changes in just a moment. Everything repeats cyclically, one for another, another for another, leaving and returning – fortunes, emotions, lives – riding on waves that have no end in sight.
Produced by:
Raadha Kalpa Dance Company
Choreographed and performed by:
Rukmini Vijayakumar
VIDEO CREDITS
@vivianambrose
MUSIC CREDITS
Produced by: Raadha Kalpa Dance company
Excerpt from ‘MALA’
Composed by: Rajkumar Bharathi
Music arrangement: @saishravanam, Resound India
Violin: B. Ananthakrishnan
Keyboards: Navneeth Sundar
Mridangam: N Kesavan
Costume partner: @turnblackofficial
#dance #contemporarydance #indianclassical #talam #jathi #bharatanatyam #indiancontenporary #time #transience #cyclical #ocean #waves
#100daysofinnergrowth
The past two years have posed many challenges for everyone. I’ve been forced to look at the choices I’ve made as a person over this time and have slowly learned to consider my actions at every step. This has helped me so much in dealing with unexpected situations and accepting things that are beyond my control.
My book “finding shiva” is also a product of reflecting on my own life and actions in these past two years.
Small, conscious, consistent effort can make a substantial change in one’s inner world. I can see myself remaining calmer, considering others feelings and becoming a better person overall because of this. This is not easy for me to share, and I thought about it a lot. This is very personal to me, and it is not something that I’m advising anyone about. I’m very flawed.
I’m just going to share for a 100 days (May not be consecutive days) what I’m working on for my inner growth. If you do try this for yourself and join me for a 100 days, please let me know how it goes 🙏🏽
You can tag me/ send me a message/ or even email me.
#100daysofinnergrowth #rukminivijayakumar #dancer #artist #spiritual #spiritualgrowth #healing #love #compassion
Last of my 2021 throwback reels!
Very random clippings ….
I haven’t included everything…. 😊 but here’s a quick recap….
I directed a number of dance films commissioned by various organisations for different festivals.
Nādi, Mallari, Expectations, Time, Srishti, Unspoken, were among many others….
I had the privilege of being able to dance to the music of some wonderful artists that inspired me and these videos made it into Raadha Kalpa’s YouTube channel.
I worked a lot online- teaching workshops, participating in talks and creating recorded educational content that would be helpful to my students in the time of covid .
I also started a series of talks on YouTube that address various aspects of dance – theory to training and philosophy.
I wrote a book, titled ‘Finding Shiva’, about the performative experience and worked with my friends @anupjkat and @vivianambrose to make a coffee table book, ‘Discovering Devi’.
I launched my brand , RUKS @ruks_by_dancerukmini on my fathers birthday. In his memory… though I have no idea what it means to run a brand.
I’ve been working on a few feature films. @dasarathefilm in Kannada is almost done, and the others will be done soon.
I’ve been teaching a choreography course online that was 200 hrs long (it’s almost done!) , regularly teaching my children in the Raadha kalpa professional program and also attending to the progress of my adult students who are all over the world right now.
I’ve been working tirelessly and I finally took 10 days off with my family at the end of the year.
I can’t wait to start 2022!!
This short reel is a product of all my artistic work…. I’ll make two more that are a recap of things that go behind the scenes ….
😊😊😊😊😊
All the people who have supported and participated in my artistic work this past year!!! Thank you so much 😊
Wish you all a very happy new year!
#bharatanatyam #dancer #work #indianclassicaldance #2021 #2022 #indian #culture #carnatic #musicanddance #music #indiandancer
One of the things that helps me the most as a dancer is visualisation and imagery. Very often it’s important to see yourself doing something before you do it. I also find it very healing to imagine nature in my surroundings, feel an imaginary breeze, the rays of sunlight. There is something tangible and physical in the response to this visualisation. This is the first time I will be sharing this aspect of my practise with all of you
We will be working on stretching and strengthening while also using imagery and visualisation.
Join me for 8 classes!
Link in my bio
#movement #visualisation #wellness #stretch #strength #yoga #dance #mindandbody #bodymindspirit
I always enjoyed being in a Saree store as a child. I loved tagging along with my mother and grandmother to look at thousands of colours and fabrics every festival. Vijayalakshmi silks always had such a beautiful collection.
I love this beautiful handwoven brocade Banarasi Silk saree in berry red. The pure golden zari is so soft and intricate.
I can’t wait to visit the new store in Malleshwaram and see the new collection myself!
@vijayalakshmisilks
#vijayalakshmisilks
#100yearsofVijayalakshmiSilks
#RediscoverVijayalakshmiSilks
#TimelessVijayalakshmiSilks
#EternallyVijayalakshmiSilks
Day 2
#100daysofinnergrowth
Sorry I don’t have a video of me speaking today.
We lost our puppy Zorro today. He’s the one looking at me in the mirror. Only 8.5 months old. They might look big in this video, but they’re puppies. My family is devastated. He had a heart arrhythmia in his sleep.
So for today, I’m going to give myself time to grieve, be with family, spend time with little kong who just lost his brother.
No agenda. Only when I feel whole as a person, can I be present for others.
My goal for today is to just be a witness to all the feelings that pass through me.
#day2 #100daysofinnergrowth #puppy #germanshepherd #love
What does one do on performance day? How does one prepare?
Watch this full video and many others on the Conversation series on Raadha Kalpa’s YouTube channel.
The series addresses many aspects of being a dancer and performing.
Link in bio
https://youtu.be/vQkp1jp3bvU
#theraadhakalpamethod #raadhakalpa #dancer #dance #conversationseries #bharatanatyam #dancer #dance
New course for beginners!
A great way to get introduced to the Raadha kalpa system of learning and education.
Link in my bio: for more information and registration.
Call 98454 07574 / [email protected]
(I’m not sure I will be able to check DMs – email / message or call)
Some FAQs
– anybody can attend. Ages 14 and up. You need to have a minimum level of fitness.
– once you are done with the 3 months, based on your progress and interest level we can look at options for you to continue
– you can attend online or in person.
– if you have prior training, no problem. We always start with the basics of the Raadha kalpa method for all levels. This is a perfect course for you to start with before you join the intermediate class.
– all students will have access to the online streaming program. www.theraadhakalpamethod.com so students will be able to supplement classes with practise routines that have clear structure and instruction.
– there is limited space in the class
– I will oversee the structure and format of the class and periodically check progress. My senior student, a wonderful dancer and teacher @padmashree.ks will be the primary teacher of this class
#bharatanatyam #bharatanatyamonline #bangaloredance #dance #bharatnatyam #indianclassicaldance #classicaldanceclasses #theraadhakalpamethod #rukminivijayakumar
#100daysofinnergrowth
(Reels can’t be on a series- just realised. So I’m posting again and adding to a series)
The past two years have posed many challenges for everyone. I’ve been forced to look at the choices I’ve made as a person over this time and have slowly learned to consider my actions at every step. This has helped me so much in dealing with unexpected situations and accepting things that are beyond my control.
My book “finding shiva” is also a product of reflecting on my own life and actions in these past two years.
Small, conscious, consistent effort can make a substantial change in one’s inner world. I can see myself remaining calmer, considering others feelings and becoming a better person overall because of this. This is not easy for me to share, and I thought about it a lot. This is very personal to me, and it is not something that I’m advising anyone about. I’m very flawed.
I’m just going to share for a 100 days (May not be consecutive days) what I’m working on for my inner growth. If you do try this for yourself and join me for a 100 days, please let me know how it goes 🙏🏽
You can tag me/ send me a message/ or even email me.
#100daysofinnergrowth #rukminivijayakumar #dancer #artist #spiritual #spiritualgrowth #healing #love #compassion
New course for beginners!
A great way to get introduced to the Raadha kalpa system of learning and education.
Link in my bio: for more information and registration.
Call 98454 07574 / [email protected]
(I’m not sure I will be able to check DMs – email / message or call)
Some FAQs
– anybody can attend. Ages 14 and up. You need to have a minimum level of fitness.
– once you are done with the 3 months, based on your progress and interest level we can look at options for you to continue
– you can attend online or in person.
– if you have prior training, no problem. We always start with the basics of the Raadha kalpa method for all levels. This is a perfect course for you to start with before you join the intermediate class.
– all students will have access to the online streaming program. www.theraadhakalpamethod.com so students will be able to supplement classes with practise routines that have clear structure and instruction.
– there is limited space in the class
– I will oversee the structure and format of the class and periodically check progress. My senior student, a wonderful dancer and teacher @padmashree.ks will be the primary teacher of this class
#bharatanatyam #bharatanatyamonline #bangaloredance #dance #bharatnatyam #indianclassicaldance #classicaldanceclasses #theraadhakalpamethod #rukminivijayakumar
New course for beginners!
Last few days to register!
A great way to get introduced to the Raadha kalpa system of learning and education.
Link in my bio: for more information and registration.
Call 98454 07574 / [email protected]
(I’m not sure I will be able to check DMs – email / message or call)
Some FAQs
– anybody can attend. Ages 14 and up. You need to have a minimum level of fitness.
– once you are done with the 3 months, based on your progress and interest level we can look at options for you to continue
– you can attend online or in person.
– if you have prior training, no problem. We always start with the basics of the Raadha kalpa method for all levels. This is a perfect course for you to start with before you join the intermediate class.
– all students will have access to the online streaming program. www.theraadhakalpamethod.com so students will be able to supplement classes with practise routines that have clear structure and instruction.
– there is limited space in the class
– I will oversee the structure and format of the class and periodically check progress. My senior student, a wonderful dancer and teacher @padmashree.ks will be the primary teacher of this class
#bharatanatyam #bharatanatyamonline #bangaloredance #dance #bharatnatyam #indianclassicaldance #classicaldanceclasses #theraadhakalpamethod #rukminivijayakumar
