Anna Kaval I am a dedicated dancer of one of the oldest Indian classical dance forms – Bharatanatyam. I came to know about this dance form in 2000 and in the same year I joined Bharatanatyam dance studio ‘Indivara’ in Belarus, Minsk. There I received primary trainingunder the supervision of Ludmila Khatuleva, a graduate from Ganesha Natyalaya, New-Delhi. After a couple of years we started to perform on different stages of Minsk. I was an active member of ‘Indivara’ dance studio till 2006, participating in all workshops,programs and concerts performing in solo and group recitals. In order to understand Indian culture better and penetrate the meaning behind artistic images I started to learn Indian philosophy and languages – first Hindi and then Sanskrit. In 2006 I went to India to study Sanskrit in Sampurnanad Sanskrit University in Banaras, UttarPradesh. In India I continued dance education in at Art College Pt.Ram Sahai Sangit Vidyalaya, affiliated to Prayag Sangeet Samiti, Allahabad. There I completed Bachelors degree in Bharatanatyam under the guidance of Mala Hambalji. I participated in concerts and programmes organized by Pt.Ram Sahai Sangit Vidyalaya and at the faculty of performing arts in Banasas Hindu University. In 2009 I moved to Copenhagen, Denmark in order to continuo Sanskrit education at Masters level at the University of Copenhagen. In Copenhagen my Bharatanatyam training took place under guidance of Annemette Karpen, a famous Danish Bharatanatyam dancer and a teacher. I had several Bharatanatyam performances in Denmark such as at the Conference presentation in the University of Copenhagen, at the Ansgar Church organised by Annemette Karpen. I try to keep connection with Indian culture not only through the dance form and scholarly work but also with living representatives of these cultures and traditions. For this purpose I am happy to be invited to Indian communities in Copenhagen and actively participate in the festival and cultural events organised by them.
Bharatanatyam for me is not only a wonderful way of artistic self-expression, but also a form of yoga and a spiritual practice. It is in dance and music divine is manifested on the earth in the form of inspiration and beauty. Classical dance forms are closely related to religious and spiritual values of Hindu. A dancer like a yogin seeks harmony between body mind and spirit and experiencing elevated states of being. Dance is a discipline designed so that one's better self could be manifested, It is a systematic and complex physical training combined with techniques of concentration which lead to better health and clarity of mind. Finally it is a never ended journey of joy.