Dance is her lifeline. A trained Odissi dancer, Priyadarshini Nayak also excels in other dance formats like salsa and hip hop. She was one of the finalists on Dance Odisha Dance Super Moms last year. Since then, her popularity has been on the rise.
Born to Pratap and Lina Nayak, Priyadarshini took to dancing at the age of six years and started training under the guidance of Ashok Das. Post marriage, she started training under Odissi dance exponent Saswat Joshi and, today, Priyadarshini is a Visharad in Odissi dance. Besides, she is also an MBA and recently completed her B Ed.
Priyadarshini’s talent was first spotted by her grandparents, who decided that she should be a dancer. “I owe all my success to my grandparents. My father was completely against my dancing. He always felt that girls shouldn’t give public performances. He wanted me to study. He was furious when he learnt that I was attending dance classes. However, he could never say anything so long as my grandfather was alive,” says the young danseuse who hails from Puri.
Not only did Priyadarshini’s grandfather encourage her to pursue her passion but he also sponsored her dance classes. “I was adjudged the winner of the dance reality show Boom Shakalaka-2001. I was in class VI then. This gave a boost to my confidence and I started taking part in every reality show in the state,” says Priyadarshini, who completed her graduation from Sri Jagannath Sanskrit University, Puri.
Later, in class IX, she participated in One Two Cha Cha on ETV Odia and once again went on to win the contest. “I also participated in a competition organised by the NCC in Delhi and won a gold medal. It was a big moment for me,” she says.
Priyadarshini who has a strong creative bent also excelled in other areas like painting, rangoli making and mehendi designing. However, she had to discontinue dancing after her marriage as her in-laws weren’t too supportive of her taking it up as a profession. “For three years, I didn’t dance. Then I decided to discuss the issue with my husband and do what he felt best. He was extremely supportive and tried to convince his parents. Luckily, they gave in to my wishes and I once again started participating in different competitions,” she says.
However, she once again had to discontinue her dance classes after she became a mother. Fortunately, this time it wasn’t a long break. She was advised by doctors to take rest for six months but Priyadarshini took part in Jhoom Odisha Jhoom, a dance reality show that was aired on Tarang TV, just a month after giving birth to her child. And she once again reached the final round.
A few months later, her guru Saswat Joshi suggested that she could start a branch of his dance institution Lasyakala in Jatni, where she had moved after marriage. Today, she is happy mentoring aspiring dancers and has become one of the most sought-after trainers in Jatni.
Last year, Priyadarshini participated in Dance Odisha Dance Super Moms on Sarthak TV. She was one of the most popular contestants on the show, as she impressed both the judges and the audience with her performances. Now, she is gearing up for the Dance India Dance show.
“A lot of things have changed since I participated in Dance India Dance Super Moms. My in-laws, who initially didn’t support me, today are proud of me. Recently, I was at a park and saw a lady staring at me while talking to her child. After sometime, the child walked up to me and asked, ‘Aunty, are you a super mom? Can I click a photo with you?’ These small tokens of appreciation encourage me a lot,” says Priyadarshini, who has been felicitated by several organisations for her achievements.
“In 2005 I was conferred the prestigious Srikshetra Shree award at Puri. The same was given to my first guru, Ashok sir, but that was only in 2012. In fact, sir says he is proud that his student won the award before him,” she says.
Besides, Priyadarshini has also been felicitated at other festivals like Mandei at Nabarangpur, Parava at Koraput and Glory festival. However, she rarely attends award ceremonies, as her child keeps her busy. Priyadarshini has often heard comments about her weight. “I turn a deaf ear to such comments. In fact, this makes me more determined to perform well. Many women think that they will have to bury their desires and interests after marriage. But if they are really determined to do something, they should pursue their dreams even after marriage,” she says.
BRATATI BARAL, OP