Anuradha Venugopal: Creative Lead
They say make hay while the sun shines. Some wait! Some of us seek that sun.
True to the name Second Chance, Anuradha’s journey so far has been a continuum of seeking opportunities and pursuing dreams regardless of norms and convention.
Anuradha hails from Bengaluru, India. She is training as a Vascular Surgeon in the Northwest of UK. She lives in Manchester with her husband and 2 kids- her family is her bedrock upon which she dares to dream.
Initially a qualified dentist, Anuradha completed her master’s degree in London, UK with a Distinction. She turned down a scholarship to pursue a PhD as she was not convinced it was the right thing for her. This would be a recurring pattern. Instead, driven by determination, strengthened by her husband’s support and opting for a risky gamble, she persevered to fulfil her yearning to be a qualified doctor. She graduated in Medicine with Honours in 2014 in the same year they had their first child.
Today, two children later, balancing a demanding career and pursuing her practise of Bharatanatyam, Anuradha continues evolving through her experiments with Truth.
As a Dancer:
Anuradha took up Bharatanatyam at the age of 30 under the tutelage of Smt. Chitraleka Bolar (MBE). Completing all 6 grades of ISTD examination with Distinction, she performed her arangetram at the age of 37 in the presence of family including her 3 year old boy, in Bangalore, India.
The initial high after the arangetram soon waned as she found any further opportunities were sparse. The frustration led Anuradha to envisage a platform where the true value of an artist is celebrated through their art and the seed of Second Chance was sown.
Anuradha currently trains under Smt Deepa Ganesh of Upasana Arts. She has participated actively in Upasana Arts’ Ojas Sangam project and produced her first solo online production titled Mother’s Pride. She has developed greater appreciation of artistic nuances and aesthetic awareness and continues to evolve as a dancer with a sense of self synthesis and satisfaction despite still wanting to be a performer. Anuradha credits her Guru and acknowledges her important role in her evolution and growth as an individual, mother, wife and surgeon.
Under the guidance of her Guru, Anuradha fulfilled her vision of bringing Second Chance to life along with the help of friend and fellow dancer, Gayathri Chandar. As Creative lead and curator, Anuradha has now successfully envisioned and delivered 2 successful seasons of Soham.
Anuradha composes poetry and enjoys creating spoofs of her favourite Bollywood songs. She has hosted and compéred for classical and Bollywood concerts in Manchester. She loves the process of choreography and is keen on yoga. Her favourite times are with her family, preferably travelling or indulging in an exciting creative venture.
Deepa Ganesh: Executive lead
Deepa Ganesh is the artistic Director of Upasana,UK; an organisation that reaches out to diverse audiences and artistically improves lives. As winners of Greater Manchester Youth Dance Competitions, Upasana is heralded as a trendsetter in UK.
A student of Adyar Lakshman and Kalanidhi Narayanan, Deepa Ganesh is a senior Bharatanatyam dancer and teacher bringing with her a wealth of experience in all aspects of Bharatanatyam. Feted by the then then President of India Late R. Venkatraman, Deepa has won numerous accolades and awards in India, including the Hind Gaurav Award and Gem of India award.
Adept in nurturing local talent, Deepa advocates Indian culture and dance in a holistic manner which encourages appreciating beauty and art in all walks of life. Through a combination of workshops, classes and performances, Deepa fosters a unique experiment in teaching emphasising that ‘traditional is not passe.’