Shovana Narayan is a renowned Kathak danseuse. She is well known as both a choreographer and a performer and has enthralled audiences all across the world. While she has learnt the dancing art from Kathak maestro Pandit Birju Maharaj, she herself is one of the most revered Kathak gurus in the country and has trained many, some of whom are prominent artistes of the young generation. She has produced international collaborative works with leading dancers of western classical ballet, Spanish flamenco, tap dance, Buddhist chants with monks as well as to the works of western classical composers. She was awarded Padma Shri (1992) as well as the Sangeet Natak Akademi award, Rajiv Smriti Puraskar, Bihar Gaurav Puraskar, Indira Priyadarshini Samman, Dadabhai Naoroji Award and other honours. Apart from a successful career in Kathak, she was a career officer in the Indian Audits and Accounts Service.

Dance for me is: Life. It is everything.

Without dance my life would be: I don’t think I would be surviving. The day I am not able to dance, I think that would be the last day of my life.

If I were not a dancer: I would still be a dancer.

If not Kathak: It has to be Kathak.

When I started learning dance: It was like fish had found water.

The person I admire the most: They are many. There is so much goodness and there are many lovely aspects about most of the people.

My support system: My parents, till they were alive. After marriage, it was my husband. He supported understanding that I had two parallel careers. And the third person who supported me the most is my son.

Other than dance I am attached to: My family. Dance for me is my breath but my family is my world.

My comfort food: Home-cooked dal chawal.

Advice for aspiring dancers: Don’t believe in shortcuts. Mehnat aur paseene mein jo anand hai woh kisi cheeze mein nahin hai. Uss anand ki khoj karein.

Reality shows are: They have managed to display lots of talent from various parts of the country. However I wish parents give proper balance to the children so that immediate materialistic success does not become indolent of the existence.

High point in my life: A smile from my parents. A warm hug from my son and husband.

Low point in my life: Several.

My weakness: I am usually slow to get angry. But once in a while when I erupt, it’s like a volcano.

I want to be remembered as: A good human being.

My favourite piece of dance: Anything or everything that comes from heart.

Happiness to me means: Anything that brings a smile on my face. It could be a beautiful flower blooming or it could just be a dew drop.

My favourite TV show: I don’t watch any TV show.

My favourite quotation: It is from the Gita: ‘Karmanye Vadhikaraste Ma Phaleshu Kada Chana’.

My favourite book: The Bhagavad Gita. Every time I read it, I discover new interpretations and meanings.