Discovery Gallery with Coswick. OLGA DEMIDOVA

The Queen of Nine Moods

Model, dancer, TV presenter – this is how Olga introduces herself. But we will go further than that. She is a winner and a regular participant in beauty pageants, an internationally recognized model, a tutor in the National School of Beauty, a welcome guest at the modelling shows and photo sessions shootings in France, Italy, and Germany. For several years she has worked as a TV host and does not rule out the possibility of going back to it. Young, beautiful, successful – a dream to many that seems to have come true.

But in Olga’s case, this is just the beginning – only the first strokes of colour on paper that create a setting for the composition. To bring her image to live and to show her inner self, we need to add the intricate details, the subtle colours and shading.

Our heroine is a pure gem – bright and lively, smart and heartwarmingly direct, creative and spontaneous. Architect by education, she loves art, and she paints and draws, she is a karateka and has over 14 years of professional dancing behind her back. Indian dancing. What a defining stroke to complete her image!

The Fire Dance

Bharatanatyam or the Fire Dance dates back to the 3rd century BC and is the oldest form of classical dance in India. It is thought that this holy dance frees the body and illuminates the spirit. And the women that performed this dance were as respected as the priests. The story is weaved and told through the distinct expression of the body movement that represents the nine moods – love/beauty, laughter, sorrow, anger, heroism/courage, terror/fear, disgust, surprise/wonder, and peace. This form of dance takes years to study, and the balance between the perfection of the movements and their physical expression is something worth admiring.

Only the prepared viewer can fully understand the hidden context of the story. But everyone watching will sense the magical power and the energy of the dancer. You get mesmerized and hypnotized, just like watching a fire burn, because, in essence, Bharatanatyam is a fire dance.

“I think this is why this particular dance is so dear to me, – comments Olga. – It takes you away, the dance has a storyline; it has the depth. When I dance, I fully immerse myself in the image; it is like entering a different world”.

By the way, the performance only looks easy!

“The dance requires deep concentration, perfect body balance, flexibility, and endurance. When I was studying this dance, my previous karate experience really helped, – explains Olga. – I think it is my destiny to be an Indian dancer. India, its monasteries, mountains, bright colours – all of it is a part of my soul”.

The Dark Side of the Moon

Olga does not pose a question of what is more important to her: dancing or the career as a model. She perfectly manages both roles: the queen of the runway and the queen of the nine moods of the Indian dance.

“On one hand they are not compatible, but they are also inseparable”, – comments Olga. She admits that the perfect posture that is so important in modelling is the direct result of her dancing.

A long time ago, the Indian dance started defining who she is: mysterious as the dark side of the moon: “I love the moon. It is a mystery and a feminine e symbol. It inspires me. I love the full moon: the big yellow discus hypnotizes me. But the moon is cold. Maybe it is the contrast to my inner warmth?”

 In project used hardwood floor Coswick Oak Milk Chocolate.