Author: Sukanya Mohapatra
Publication: PTI News
Date: September 24, 2004
URL: http://www.ptinews.com/pti/ptisite.nsf/$all/2E97E1CE21005E1A65256F19001B0DEA
Spectacular spins, rhythmic footwork,
graceful detailed movements, this Kathak dancer has it all. Meet Masako
Sato, a Japanese chemical engineer, who has dedicated herself to Indian
classical dance, her passion and now her life.
"Since childhood I was interested
in dance, but my family couldn't afford it. My mother taught me Japanese
classical dance and Ikebana, flower arrangement. I also learnt piano,"
says Sato who lived in countryside town of Niigata, 200 kilometres from
Tokyo.
When Sato was nine years old she
saw a Russian Ballad for the first time, but could not express her desire
to her parents, for fear of being refused.
At the age of 15 during her final
year in engineering, Sato went to Spain where she started learning Flamingo
dance during her holidays. She joined Toshiba company in Tokyo as a chemical
engineer.
Her visit to India in 1996 changed
Sato's life forever.
"In February 1996, on an official
trip to New Delhi, I saw Kathak dance for the first time at Kathak Mahautsav,"
recalls Sato.
"It was amazing, the graceful and
crisp movements fascinated me," says Sato. "I stayed back for three-four
months and learnt Kathak from Marutishyam and Saswat Sen, the two dancers
whose performance hooked me to this classical dance form," she adds. PTI
