Samiksha Diwakar, a student at St Peter’s Catholic Primary School in Woolston, is a child prodigy in Indian classical dance, having already broken a world record in her artform.
At six years old, she was recognised by the International Book of Records for being the youngest artist to perform a Varnam, the longest and most intricate piece in a solo Bharatanātyam repertoire.
In December, she performed her solo recital at several prestigious cultural festivals across India throughout Margazhi Season.
Diwakar Subram, Samiksha’s father, said: “Margam, the complete Bharatanātyam solo repertoire, consists of a minimum of five intricate pieces and typically spans around 90 minutes.
“Performing an entire Margam with precision and poise at the tender age of seven is a rare and extraordinary feat.
“Samiksha has accomplished this with remarkable skill across all four scheduled performances in India throughout December.”
Samiksha has performed in Manchester, London, Paris, Bangalore and Chennai. (Image: Supplied) Samiksha has been dancing since she was four and receives lessons through online tutoring by her aunt Guru Smt Chithra Muralidharan.
The six recognised schools of Indian classical dance evolved as integral components of religious rituals, where dancers honoured the Gods by narrating stories of their lives and exploits.
Bharatanātyam is one of the oldest classical dance forms that originated in the temples of Tamil Nadu, in South India.
Later in the year, the family plans to put on a community performance in Warrington to showcase Samiksha’s dancing.
Diwakar said: “Our goal is to showcase the beauty of Indian classical dance to the Warrington community, especially as performed by a young and talented artist.”
Venue collaborators, event managers, and show organisers are welcome to connect with Samiksha’s parents through Instagram @samiksha_hanvika.