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Rendezvous with Guru
South African Kathak dancer meets his Indian teacher at a dance competition in Mumbai, after 25 years
Vinod Hassel, an Indian origin Kathak teacher, was overjoyed when a chance meeting brought him face to face with his guru who had initiated him into the dance form over 25 years ago in India.
Hassel learnt Kathak dance from Arun Chandiwale in Mumbai when he was only eight years old. Hassel now runs the "Radhakrishna Academy of Dance and Music" here and has pioneered Kathak among the black community in several South African townships.
The rendezvous happened at a dance show. Chandiwale had come with the Lavani Dance Group from Mumbai on the invitation of the Indian Cultural Centre.
Hassel told reporters that Chandiwale did not recognise him immediately.
Hassel said after the group's performance, he walked up to Chandiwale and said: "Boomro! Boomro!"
In response, Chandiwale, recognising the Kashmiri folk song he had taught his students to dance to, immediately embraced Hassel and said: "Are you one of my former students?"
When Hassel explained who he was, Chandiwale was overcome with emotion and almost burst into tears.
"This is my guru who taught me my first steps in folk dance when I had to do a Kashmiri folk dance when I was eight years old," said an overwhelmed Hassel.
Chandiwale expressed great pride that his protégé had gone on to not only secure a doctorate in Fine Arts but also to teach Indian dance to people from other cultures free of charge.
"That is exactly what I do in Mumbai, where I teach 50 dancers free of charge, so it makes me really proud that Vinod is continuing that tradition in South Africa, especially since he has also sponsored the first Black African student to qualify in Kathak dance," said Chandiwale.
Chandiwale was referring to Soweto lad Brian, who has just returned from India after completing his studies with a sponsorship from Hassel's academy.
Later during a performance by Zulu dancers, Hassel took Chandiwale onto the stage and the ageing teacher easily followed the traditional African gumboot steps as he joined in with the dancers.
