Ayush Jaiswal Interview
Q. For those discovering your work for the first time, how would you describe your journey in Bharatanatyam and what drew you to this classical art form?
My journey in Bharatanatyam has been a profound evolution of surrender, rigorous self-discipline, and inner discovery. While my early academic path led me through hospitality management and training at ITC Maurya, the call of classical arts was absolute. What drew me to Bharatanatyam was its magnificent architecture: the perfect marriage of geometric precision, sacred geometry, and spiritual depth. Over the years, evolving from formal institutional training (earning my Visharad and first-rank honours at Bhatkhande) to performing, choreographing, and establishing Ayushvam Collectives, this art form has transformed from a passion into my ultimate life’s anchor and meditative practice.
Q. Bharatanatyam demands both discipline and emotional expression. How do you balance technical precision with storytelling on stage?
Technical precision (Anga Shuddhi and structural postures like Arai mandi) provides the skeleton, while emotional expression (Abhinaya) gives the soul. True storytelling cannot exist without deep physical grounding. When your body is completely attuned to the rigorous grammar of the dance, physical limitation dissolves, and the body becomes a transparent, fluid medium for emotion. The technical rigor frees the mind, allowing Bhava to flow organically and authentically on stage.
Q. As a Performer, Educator, and Researcher, how does each role influence the way you understand and present dance?
These three roles act as a continuous, synergistic feedback loop for my artistry. As a performer, I experience the visceral, live energy of the stage and the pulse of the audience. As an educator at Ayushvam Collectives, teaching young minds forces me to deconstruct complex movements back to their elemental science, keeping my roots fiercely intact. As a researcher and author (through my work on independent practice and my book Internal Guru: The Science of Self Training), I dive deep into the ergonomics, psychology, and mechanics of self-mastery. Each role deepens my reverence for tradition while granting me modern clarity.
Q. You have earned 11 Global and National Titles. Which achievement changed your perspective on your own artistic journey, and why?
While every recognition is deeply humbling, the real shift in perspective didn't stem from an external title, but from the realization of independent self-training, the core theme of my book, Internal Guru. Realizing that an artist's ultimate growth happens in the absolute silence of an empty studio, through the honest, unobserved dialogue they maintain with themselves, fundamentally reshaped my view of success. It taught me that mastery is an inward migration, far away from applause or validation.
Q. What do you think young dancers often misunderstand about mastering a classical dance form?
I often see young dancers rushing towards speed, complex choreography, and flashiness before cementing their foundational grammar. True mastery is not about how rapidly you execute a jatiswaram; it is about the unwavering depth of your Arai mandi, the alignment of your spine, and the immense patience to repeat a basic tatta adavu with absolute consciousness for hours. Classical dance is a lifelong marathon of neuromuscular conditioning, not a sprint of visual tricks.
Q. As a cultural entrepreneur, how do you envision creating sustainable opportunities for artists while keeping tradition relevant to modern audiences?
Cultural entrepreneurship in the classical arts requires building a robust bridge between traditional sanctity and modern institutional infrastructure. Through Ayushvam Collectives, my vision has been to create structured, transparent frameworks, such as comprehensive professional curricula, digital integration, rigorous assessment models, and ethical global standards, so that classical artists never have to choose between artistic integrity and financial sustenance. Tradition stays alive when communicated with structural professionalism without diluting its core.
Q. Your work spans performance, education, and research, what is one aspect of Bharatanatyam you wish more people outside the classical arts community understood?
I wish people outside our community understood that Bharatanatyam is not just a regional performing art, cultural entertainment, or a narrative medium: it is an absolute science of mind-body integration, spatial geometry, and cognitive focus. It functions as a profound physical yoga and psychological anchor that trains breath, core stability, and mental stillness in ways that modern fitness science is only beginning to acknowledge.
Q. If you could perform one Bharatanatyam piece anywhere in the world, what would you choose and why?
I would choose to perform an intense, deeply meditative Shiva Tandava or a traditional devotional Keerthanam within the quiet stone corridors of an ancient temple at dusk—a heritage site where the physical architecture mirrors the sacred geometry of the dance itself. In a space charged with centuries of history, the boundary between the dancer, the spectator, and the divine completely vanishes.
Bio
Aayush is a distinguished Bharatanatyam performer, educator, researcher, and cultural entrepreneur dedicated to preserving and evolving the rich traditions of Indian classical dance. With a deep-rooted passion for the art form, he seamlessly blends tradition with contemporary perspectives while inspiring the next generation of performers and learners. His remarkable journey has earned him 11 Global and National titles, reflecting his artistic excellence, dedication, and contribution to the world of Bharatanatyam.
Interviewed by Vanshika Gupta
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