Santha Bhaskar
Indian Dance Practitioner/Educator
I saw Mrs Santha Bhaskar demonstrating various hand gestures and facial expressions of classical Indian dance in the exhibition ROUTES (2021), and it hit me that she is the original drama mama. So, I invited her to sit for a portrait but had to wait for a month, as she was still working hard at her Bhaskar’s Arts Academy. It was a relatively short session, but she simply presented her craft clearly and succinctly. Respect for a true artist, a true pioneer of dance in Singapore.
Meenakshy Bhaskar, daughter of Mrs Bhaskar (1939–2022): My dearest Amma!
Definitely a special capture! This photo inspires so many memories for me. Amma’s face lit up like this whenever she demonstrated moves to her dancers. We, her children and grandchildren, have inherited her sense of goofiness. We’ve had so much fun with her—her facial expressions, her candid responses, and her unusual perspectives on everyday things. She was “drama” for fun, but definitely not one to create drama or confusion in anything around her! We sure do miss her and her positivity.
Thanks, Dr Tan, for sharing this with all of us. Our family’s relationship with you spans several decades—from you documenting our dear mother’s choreography to photographing her granddaughters in preparation for their arangetrams. They are ALL very cherished captures.