Stepping it up Bharatnatyam dancer and advocate Charmaine Ann Desouza shares her inspirational story Charmaine Ann Desouza, a 47-yearold advocate by profession and classical dancer by passion, was born and brought up in Pune. She completed her Bachelors and Masters in Commerce from Symbiosis College. Later, she completed her Bachelors and Masters in Law from the AK Khan Law College, which is affiliated with the Pune University. A multitasker, she also completed her arangetram in Bharatnatyam in 1990. She now has her own dance academy, which is successfully being run under the banner of Nurpa Bharatnatyam Dance Academy for the past 27 years. She reveres Bharatnatyam as a traditional art form, and she has great respect for the ancient dance style.