Uma has been practicing Balasaraswati's style of dancing most of her life. She is a kind and passionate teacher who derives great pleasure from being able to teach this rare art to others.
When Uma was nine years old she had a desire to learn how to dance, so her mother took her to the Music Academy in Chennai. Coincidentally, her Guru Nattuvanar K. Ramaiah taught a dance class at the same school where Balasaraswati was the director. For eight years Uma took dance classes five days a week under Guru Ramaiah’s tutelage and twice a week under Balasaraswati.
Balasaraswati had great influence on Uma. She remembers her dance teacher as having a powerful personality and a strong build. Uma was nervous at first about dancing in front of her teacher. However, the rigorous and non-stop dance training paired with Balasaraswati’s humble, polite, and affectionate nature has made Uma immensely grateful for the influence her teacher had on her.
Uma believes that what differentiates Balasaraswati’s style of Bharatanatyam from other styles of Bharatanatyam is the subtle yet powerful Abhinaya (facial expression). Her music has always been very divine and her rendering of the songs and dances was always a delight to watch.
"I get immense pleasure in teaching children and spending time talking about Balasaraswati and my learning experience with her and my guru Nattuvanar K. Ramaiah." -Uma
Uma remembers that in her dance sessions, Bala would focus on Aramandi (half-sitting posture) and the Adavus (steps), and pace of the hand movements. She gave and expected a hundred percent from her students. Bala insisted on perfection and the delivery of the Adavus and demonstrated the dances herself. Uma reflected on how Bala would ask her students to feel her back so they could feel how firm and straight it was. This helped her students correct their posture.
Uma has been practicing Bala's style of dancing since she was 9 years old.