Arthy Ahmed Dance Academy: Where adults rekindle their love for dance

When Rajkonna reminisced about how her journey with dance began, her eyes glimmered. One day, while scrolling through social media when she suddenly came across a video of Arthy Ahmed, an internationally acclaimed dancer, moving across a stage with grace and precision.

She thought to herself, "I wish I could dance like that."

From the passion and nostalgia with which Rajkonna spoke, you would think her love for dance stretched back to childhood. Yet her journey actually only began a year or two ago. She had never had the opportunity to learn as an asthmatic child, with parents hesitant to put her through an activity as demanding as dance.

It did not take long for her wish to come true, as she discovered that Arthy Ahmed was accepting students for her Adult Beginner classes – a concept she pioneered in Bangladesh.

Like Rajkonna, many adults are rekindling their love for classical dance through the Adult Beginner course at the Arthy Ahmed Dance Academy.

Arthy herself is an internationally acclaimed dancer who studied Bharatanatyam in India, earning both a Bachelor's and a Master's degree in the subject. She also holds a specialised diploma in dance psychology.

However, her work with adult beginners only began in 2020, during the Covid-19 lockdowns, when the strain on people's mental health was becoming apparent. While teaching young dancers online, she began receiving requests from adults to introduce a class specifically for them.

"There weren't many course outlines or fixed curricula for adult beginners to follow back then, so I had to build it from scratch," Arthy recalled.

She began teaching adult beginners online and conducted her first in-person class three years ago.

At the time, she never anticipated the classes would continue for long. What started as a group of 25 students quickly grew into a community of around 600, with another 2,000 on the waiting list. Arthy continues to teach her adult beginners with the same passion as on the very first day. Her classes now include students ranging in age from 18 to 70, with both men and women represented.

The journey has not been without challenges. Arthy describes the difference between teaching adults and children as "day and night." Adults often begin with a solid base of knowledge but struggle to devote enough time to their passion.

Her adult students usually only have an hour or two in the evenings, after work and family responsibilities. "I teach adult beginners the adavus within one to two weeks, which I usually teach children over the course of a year. The difference is huge," she noted.

With limited time and limited slots, Arthy noticed the growing demand among adults eager to learn classical dance. When fellow teachers reached out to her for help creating a course outline for adult learners, she shared it freely.

"I always share the course structure with joy. I want to create more opportunities for students to learn dance. I don't want to just keep it to myself," she explained.

Her efforts have not gone unnoticed. Instead of "training" her students for competitions, she focuses on nurturing their love for dance through productions and showcases.

Each production by the academy generates greater attention on social media, with videos and photos widely shared. Their sixth and most recent show, Ghonoghota, created quite a stir online. The key, Arthy says, was simply replacing competitiveness with passion.

"I do not keep any selection process in my productions. Also, through my choreography, the dancers alternate positions—giving each person a chance to dance at the front. I never let any of my students feel like they're doing a bad job," she said.

Arthy recognises that the motivation driving her adult students back to class after long, tiring days is not pressure but love. That is why she pushes them to strive for excellence.

"I wanted to create a community and a breathing space for my students. Every single day—whether from work or home—is stressful. My students call the classes their 'happy place', and over time, it has also become a happy place for me," she shared.

This sentiment echoes in the classroom, where students laugh and joke during warm-ups, but then pour every ounce of energy into each move.

Nova Ahmed, a professor and student at the academy, gleams with joy while dancing, often laughing at her own mistakes. "I started this class with a few friends out of curiosity, and thought it would be a great way to move. It's been over a year now, and I still keep coming back. I feel so happy dancing, and that's what keeps pulling me back," she said.

Beyond mental health benefits, the students have also built a community of their own. The orientation class, for instance, allows them to share personal journeys while sitting together in a circle. Many bond over shared experiences, while others gradually open up about deeply personal struggles such as domestic violence, divorce, or harassment.

"Many have shared that my classes helped them through difficult times, but I will say, none of the credit goes to me. It's a collective effort," Arthy reflected.

The classes have also brought physical benefits. Rajkonna shared how, after joining, she was able to shelve her inhaler. Thanks to new breathing techniques she learned, she felt her health improve significantly.

Looking ahead, Arthy plans to expand the dance academy while still keeping classes intimate enough to maintain personal connections with each student. As she prepares for new productions—including a full Bharatanatyam showcase and a folk performance—the academy remains more than just a place to learn dance.

It has become a space where adults rediscover joy, heal through movement, and build a community bound by passion.