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Vasantham actress Vicknesvari Vadivalagan on her life-long love affair with dance

SINGAPORE — For years, Vicknesvari Vadivalagan has been a familiar face on Mediacorp TV Vasantham as well as on the stage. Last seen on television in the drama Aaram Arivu, or Sixth Sense, she has had a varied career starring in dance-themed shows as well as dancing in countless variety programmes. And she credits dance with not only being an effective tool in staying svelte, but a hobby that keeps her engaged and whole.

Vikneswary Vadivazhagan. Photo: Vasantham

Vikneswary Vadivazhagan. Photo: Vasantham

SINGAPORE — For years, Vicknesvari Vadivalagan has been a familiar face on Mediacorp TV Vasantham as well as on the stage. Last seen on television in the drama Aaram Arivu, or Sixth Sense, she has had a varied career starring in dance-themed shows as well as dancing in countless variety programmes. And she credits dance with not only being an effective tool in staying svelte, but a hobby that keeps her engaged and whole.

Although she specialises in Indian classical dance and Indian traditional folk dance, “any kind of dance is an excellent form of exercise — a fun way to exercise for weight reduction”, said Vicknesvari, who is married to popular actor Vadi PVSS. She dabbles in various genres including multi-ethnic dances, disco, hip-hop and Bollywood dance.

The accomplished performer and choreographer is also an arts educator who conducts dance workshops for schools and organisations, and has trained students of all age groups, races and nationalities. “I have used dance to help my overweight students lose weight as part of my basic, simple weight-management programme,” she said. “This has been successful for many of my hardworking and determined students.”

Apart from being good exercise, dancing is also a form of therapy and meditation, perhaps. “Dance, for me, is something that makes my soul, heart, mind and body work in a very magical way,” she said, adding that she thinks it has also helped her to be a more expressive actress.

Dance is also a bond she shares with her mother, a pioneer in the local arts scene. “My main guru is my mother, Madam Manuneethivathy Muthusamy, who is the first female Indian percussionist in Singapore,” she shared. “She wanted me to go through formal training. My parents sent me for Bharathanatyam (a form of Indian classical dance) lessons at the age of three-and-a-half at the Singapore Indian Fine Arts Society, and I started performing on TV, stage and radio, in local and foreign shows, 
from 1978.”

Currently, Vicknesvari has a very busy schedule, what with teaching, performing and holding various offices such as assistant conductor of the People’s Association Singapore Indian Orchestra & Choir. She will also be involved in Vasantham’s Amarkala Deepavali 2016, which will air later this month on Oct 28, and a Deepavali music video, where she’ll be singing as well.

She remains modest about her craft. “I am still mastering dance as I believe that there is no end to learning anything in life — and that helps me to explore more things in my performances and choreography,” she said.

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