``Nupur was always fascinated by the dances she saw on the telly. I observed that she was good at picking up dance steps and felt that she had a strong inclination for dancing,'' says her mother Jaya. Nupur gets her inspiration from the fact that Jaya dedicates all her attention to her daughter's passion. The support that Nupur gets from her parents is the primary reason that she is actually able to pursue her interest and very confidently at that. Nupur set her feet on stage for the first time when she walked the ramp at a Christmas party at Portico Restaurant at the age of two and a half. She's never looked back since then.

A course with the Career Forum, classes in Jazz Dancing for three years, Kathak for two years at Kalachaya and now learning Bharatnatyam for two years. That's some involvement in dance!

Does'nt she ever get confused with the different dance forms that she is involved in? ``Never'' she replies emphatically. In fact here's where one sees the exclusiveness of this ten year old. ``I try to incorporate all the dance styles that I have learnt or am learning when I choreograph my dances.'' She's gradually developing a style of her own and she's winning laurels for the same. Ask her names of the songs that she has set her own dances on and she has a long list of songs - Jiya Jale, Deewaana, Resham Ka Rumaal, Chaiya, Chaiya... the list goes on.

Her accumulation of certificates in varied dance and choreography competitions in the city is commendable. The latest feather in her cap is a special proficiency prize at the MITEEH choreography competition held in January 1999 and there's more... she was placed second at the Hallmark Bang `99, organised by the Cultural Academy of Pune. Her rendition of the popular Hindi film number Chaiya Chaiya won her an award at a competition conducted by the Indian Search for Harmony Through Art. She was adjudged best choreographer at the Yeh Hai India dance competition and the list goes on. So much for a child of ten.

When asked if her school studies suffer due to her dance, pat comes the reply from Jaya, ``Not at all !'' A std. IV student of the Symbiosis Primary School, Nupur does not abstain from classes and is good with her grades at school. Says Jaya, ``I make it a point that Nupur has no backlogs in academics and also that she does not lose out on her friend circle. These things are indispensable for a child's growth.'' Nupur's mother designs her costumes for her dances and her father, is her official photographer. As for her plans for the future she is interested in acting in music videos and if luck favours her, she wants to become a film actress.