For kids at The Russian Centre Of Science & Culture, ballet is the latest fad to get the sophisticated tones of life

The ballet dancers who entertained the kings of the Renaissance were unaware that they were sowing the seeds of a dance form, which, in future, would be patronised by millions. The art is finally picking in the capital, and not just from the spectators' point side but also on learners' front. And some of the early patrons are young kids who are being trained at The Russian Centre of Science & Culture. We recently visited the centre to witness one of the classes. Read on as we wrap up the session.


Staying on toes: Young ballerinas look more like Barbie dolls dressed in
tutus and wearing 'toe-shoes'u00a0u00a0PicRajeev tyagi

Not just the looks
'Pas' and 'devant'u00a0-- you won't find these words in an English dictionary but here, they keep knocking your ear drums. Kids, like always, amaze here too. However hard you try, you would always fail to shift my focus away from these young seven-year-old ballerinasu00a0 who look more like Barbie dollsu00a0 dressed in tutus (short skirts made in net) and wearing 'toe-shoes' (stiff toed slippers). It's not just the get-up that attracts eye-balls,u00a0u00a0 to see the kids balancing on an iron-pole fastened horizontally to the wall, about 35 to 40 inches above the floor is a sound testimony of the skill needed and acquired. To feel the melody in air and witness synchronised movements gives you a different high. It's like an entry ticket to a fairyland.