Our Story
Taking up a new classical art form at a stage not considered usual can be daunting. And so is the prospect of returning to an art form one gave up years ago. Yet revelling in the new found joy of the art form we have come to love soon became a disillusioning when there was a dearth of opportunities mainly based on the unidimensional criteria of age along with other tangible barriers to our learning and development as artists. We were a lost tribe.
It was this revelation and yet the unsatiable thirst for learning and performing that provided the impetus to two mature students of Bharatanatyam- Anuradha Venugopal and Gayathri Kumar. Whilst led by Anuradha’s impulsive zeal and enthusiasm to convert frustration into opportunities and foster the brainchild that was ‘Second Chance’, Gayathri’s cautious and tactical approach ensured the foundations of this dream were well rooted on the grounds of reality. It is the product of their yearning to be true to themselves as individuals, as parents, as professionals and as dance students that propelled the idea of ‘it is never too late’ into the vision called Second Chance.
Their first tangible and mark-making initiative came during the pandemic in 2021 with the launch of their first global, online festival of Indian Classical Music and Dance- Soham. They had gone beyond seeking opportunities. They created them.
Why Second Chance
In a world that often categorizes art within predefined boundaries, Second Chance stands as a testament to the idea that dreams don’t have expiration dates and creativity has no limits.
Growing up in a society where arts were encouraged up to a certain age till academics had to take precedence, it was a norm to fall out of an art form one trained in as a child. But the seeds sown can be so deep that for a few of us, it beckons us long after we imagine. For others, it may just be something we never got to explore but were always curious. So does that mean we cannot train the mind and body just because it is considered past the prime? And should we silence our yearning as an artist to perform? The seemingly momentary spell of revelling under the spotlights makes way for the quietness and the solitude that is also our cathartic bridge. A means to the end, it is our calling which we embrace- with defiance, with pride.
As a young mother, it was also daunting to see the tall order of dreams children had to fulfil because that was what the parents would have liked to do. Whilst it is great to live our dreams through our children, realising our own dreams despite the ‘valid’ excuses of age or opportunity is to lead by example and live in the satisfaction of realising our creative potential- a leaf that certainly needs to be passed on to our children.
The need to create child prodigies in an age that is frenzied with social media further encourages the notion that if you have not cracked it early, you don’t stand a chance. To be a prodigy is a phenomenon, to be a realist is a process.
At Second Chance, we celebrate the process of coming into our own- of choosing but never having to make a choice, of living but never having to exist, of realising but never having to resign. We celebrate the artist through the arts and present them with their art. Our battle is the triumph of our indomitable spirit!
Our Vision, Our Drive, Our Promise
We envisage to create our space in a world that is rife with competition, laurels and consumed by social media validation. We want to glorify the special connect arts has in our individual lives that is well beyond the remit of accolades. But we remain unapologetic about our desire to perform and yearn the joy of owning the stage. Despite full-on responsibilities with careers and active home lives, we spin a web of dreams into patterns of reality that many aspire but seldom realise. While the world may have stoic or even doubtful predispositions to our passions, we make a space for our voice, our art and ourselves.
Fuelled with a sense of realisation we do not merely seek opportunities, we want to create them armed with nothing but want, zeal, passion and enthusiasm. Second Chance is a resolution- a promise we make to respect age and arts.
What started in defiance now simmers as a calm resolve, intent on bringing our experience of finding ourselves through the arts and looking for gratification of a far more intangible kind- that which comes with the maturity of artists who have recognised and returned to arts.
We are committed to providing a nurturing space where passion triumphs fears, perseverance begets productivity and intelligence meets creativity. A space where we can be as unapologetic of our artistic pursuits as we are unburdened by societal expectations.
We herald our unique approach embellishing our love for the arts with the experience of our varied journeys to becoming artists. Through opportunities for artistic development and performance catering to this niche cohort of artists, we aim to establish our role in preserving and continuing the legacy of our arts.
Our Aim
Second Chance aims to bring together performers who either have taken up formal training in the Indian classical music or dancing at a stage later than ‘usual’ or have returned to it after a hiatus when they found their calling.
We advocate for the right of every artist to continue evolving, learning, and expressing themselves, regardless of where they are in their artistic journey. Second Chance is an emphatic bid to redefine the narrative surrounding the age and stage of artists.