Students of GIIS Tokyo were enthralled by the Bharatanatyam dance performance by former student Swarali Parasnis who was invited to perform at the morning assembly and inspire students with her success story in June 2018.

Swarali has been learning the Kalakshetra style of Bharatanatyam for the last 11 years, under the tutelage of Guru Gayatri Sriram in Singapore. After graduating with a IB diploma, she is now majoring in Life Sciences at the National University of Singapore.

The young woman says that over the years, she has had the opportunity to learn Bharatanatyam under the guidance of different gurus. Her dance journey began with Nobi sensei at GIIS Tokyo, whose guidance has led her to perform in Japan on various occasions.

The next page of her story reached a new peak after she moved to Singapore. She began dance classes with Guru Smt. Gayatri Sriram and performed in several productions such as Ramakatha, Badrinath, Ganga, and a fusion of contemporary and Bharatanatyam dance - ‘Through the Eyes of My City’.  

She has also participated in group performances at several temples, Esplanade theatre, and Victoria theatre.

In January this year, Swarali had the opportunity of performing at the Pravasi Bharatiya Divas in Singapore, as part of the top 10 contestants of the senior classical dance category.

Swarali has travelled across shores to perform in Bangalore under the guidance of Guru Minal Prabhu and at the Chidambaram Natyanjali Festival in India.

After her performance, Swarali advised the students on tips to efficiently manage time. She spoke about how she manages her time with dance, work and studies, and added on how dance helps her to live a healthy lifestyle.

“Performing at GIIS felt very nostalgic for me. It felt great to see familiar faces of the teachers and students. I’m truly grateful for the opportunity given to me by the school”, Swarali said, reflecting over her journey.

At present, the GIIS graduate is preparing for Bharatanatyam Arangetram, which will take place in December 2019.