On a sweltering summer afternoon, a group of carefree five-year-old girls are sauntering along the corridor of Delhi’s Jesus and Mary College. Inside the college’s grand hall, an instructor cheerily welcomes the tiny tots decked up in pink leotards, tutus and pointe shoes and chivvies them to line up in a neat formation.
Their trainer Renata Manescu, who is part of Delhi’s National Ballet Academy and Trust of India (NBATI), has been trained in classical ballet. She moves gracefully into position for the ‘port de bras’ arm sweep so the children can mimic her and perform it in sync. Read more…