Ballet in Bombay

At a program entitled "Reflections of Dance” at the Sophia Bhabha Auditorium in Bombay on June 15-16, 2007, Khushcheher Dallas and the students of The School of Classical Ballet and Western Dance delighted audiences with their nimble footwork, overall grace, rich costumes and sets. The eclectic program under the direction of the School’s founder Tushna Dallas (Khushcheher’s mother) included Chopin’s white ballet Les Sylphides, Cygnets from Swan Lake, The Passion of Persia, Swedish Duet, the popular Autumn Leaves and Jazz, an item choreographed by Shiamak Davar. Among the dancers were Sarah Bhot, Shanaiya Maloo, Mahafreen Sarkari, Lyla Wadia, Urveez Kakalia, Mehera­zade Sumariwalla and Pia Sutaria. Partnering Khushcheher in the pas de deux was Miral Durlabhji, the only male ballet dancer in the troupe.

"These students are not professionals but they bring professionalism to an art form they dearly love,” wrote Tushna in the brochure, about her charges. The young students, most of whom are schoolgirls, had earlier showcased their terpsichorean talents in the well-known ballet Nutcracker with the New Jersey Ballet, performed at the Jamshed Bhabha Auditorium in September 2006 despite the limited practice time made available to them.

Founded in 1966, the School is the only center in India conducting Royal Academy of Dance (RAD — London) and Imperial Society of Teachers’ of Dancing (ISTD — London) examinations with examiners flying down from the United Kingdom. Ably raising the bar, the School also teaches other dance forms — modern, jazz, Latin American and European character, with students appearing for international examinations.

Tushna is an Associate of RAD holding an advanced certificate of the academy. She is also a Fellow of the ISTD and the only Indian qualified to teach eight disciplines of the latter. Khushcheher holds a Licentiate and Associate degree of RAD as well as an Associate of London’s ISTD.

Khushcheher Dallas (centre) and troupe perform Chopin’s Les Sylphides; (left) young ballet dancers from the school

The Dallas duo can be contacted at The School of Cla­ssical Ballet and Western Dance, 41, Casa Grande, Little Gibbs Road, Malabar Hill, Bom-bay 400036, tel: 91-22-23676534/23612275.