All eyes were on the stage at the recently held Woman of the Year Awards 2024 launch event as the dance troupe PRISMBLISS by Abhirami performed. Lisa Daniels meets with the troupe’s leading lady, Abhirami Saharajan, to discuss dance, her source of inspiration and her switch from being a Chartered Accountant to a dance tutor.
Can you tell us about the kind of dance instruction you offer?
I have been a dance instructor for over ten years. I train students in Indian Classical forms like Bharatanatyam, Kuchipudi, as well as Bollywood, Western, contemporary, semi classical, folk and fusion forms. I believe that anybody can dance! I strive to encourage passion, focus and discipline in all my students. I have also been a licensed Zumba instructor for four years.
I find it essential that I focus on body positivity and women’s fitness. In fact, I am building a community of women who can dance their way to fitness and regain their lost confidence, mobility, strength and health.
What styles of dance do you choreograph and what kind of events do you perform at?
Choreography is something I enjoy the most. I choreograph many styles such as Indo-Western fusion, contemporary fusion, and Indo-Arab fusions. My choreography involves lots of expression, formation and storytelling. We have performed at a lot of private and public functions in Bahrain, Saudi Arabia and India. Private functions include sangeeths, marriages, Eid functions, mehendi etc.
You recently performed, with your dance troupe, at the Woman of the Year Awards 2024 launch event. Can you tell us a little about the performance and how you drew inspiration for this particular dance?
My performance was dedicated to all women. The message I wanted to portray is that women possess such strength, beauty, determination and passion. I believe being a woman is a true blessing. A woman has many roles to play in her life and does so with immeasurable beauty, strength and balance.
You had a huge turning point in your career when you went from being a chartered accountant to a dance tutor. Was there a defining moment that led to this decision or was it a long-held ambition?
My parents enrolled me for dance classes when I was just three-years-old and since then dance has been my passion. When I finished my schooling I started teaching dance in the evenings for some pocket money. I never stopped dancing throughout my studies, or corporate work life. I always dreamt of running my own business and then finally, during the pandemic, I decided to try and pursue my passion. I haven’t regretted a day since then. Teaching comes naturally to me and I also learn a lot from each student that comes to me, no matter their age.
Finally, what are your next steps for the future and how do you see your career progressing?
I am in the process of setting up a bigger arts and movement studio with new branding. I also definitely want to venture into introducing more art forms and instructors to Bahrain. I started my social media journey three years ago with dance routines, make-up routines, lifestyle vlogs, modelling for brands and much more. I definitely want to dedicate more time to work with more brands and grow my presence on various social media platforms, such as Youtube, TikTok and Instagram.
You can follow Abhirami’s journey on Instagram @abhirami.prismbliss.
