SHE glides gracefully across the stage with ease. During her performance segment for Dua Space Dance Theatre's recent show Roads Await at the Kuala Lumpur Performing Arts Centre (KLPAC), her movements are fluid and purposeful.
The joy on her face is easy for all to see, but unlike most dancers, Nerosha Krishnan's performance is executed in a wheelchair.
"Dancing is my passion and I've always been interested in it, but there is always something getting in the way like work and my studies," said the 30-year-old from Klang in a recent chat.
The biggest challenge that got in her way was in 2014, when she became a victim of a hit-and-run accident while riding on a motorcycle, which left her in a coma for two weeks. One after another, her life began falling apart.
"My left leg had to be amputated. While I was in hospital, my father passed away. It was a tough time and it took me about 18 months to recover."
Nerosha, who is the eldest of six siblings, didn't give in to despair and was determined to be as independent as she could be.
"It's in my nature. Before the accident I was an independent person and was the one helping everyone.
"So, I made the effort to get back up and quite early on in my wheelchair I was already doing things like housework and bathing by myself, which surprised my family.
"I had been driving before the accident and in 2017 my friend, who believed in me, let me use her car so that I could get around.
"I'm a fulltime Grab driver and I also have a small catering business to get by."
OVERCOMING THE ODDS
Nerosha's optimism and can-do spirit bore fruit when she chanced upon an IG entry calling for participants in a beauty queen competition.
"It was a good opportunity and I eventually became the 2nd runner-up of the Wheelchair Queen Competition in 2018."
She impressed the judges with her dancing skills and was also named "Most Talented and Most Glamorous".
"That gave me a boost in my confidence. They encouraged me to follow my passion so I continued to do my own choreography and watch lots of wheelchair dancing videos on YouTube."
From then on Nerosha began to receive invitations to dance at several events.
In 2019, she auditioned for Dua Space's Hand In Hand: Dance Drama Breakthrough Journey project.
This was part of an initiative by the Big-I International Communication Centre for Persons with Disabilities in Japan.
"It was hard but I've always been a person to take up the challenge and to try and try without giving up. I was very happy and grateful when I was chosen."
Unfortunately, the Covid-19 pandemic and its subsequent lockdowns happened, and the team was not able to travel to the Land of the Rising Sun in 2021.
Instead, a video was recorded of their performance and streamed online for the event.
But last year, Nerosha and Dua Space were able to finally travel to Japan to perform at the same event.
"We spent two weeks there. It was a dream come true for me since I have never really travelled before even within Malaysia."
"I love to collaborate with the dancers at Dua Space because they're very friendly, patient and treat me so well. It's a very good experience and I learn a lot from them."
Nerosha has performed in Roads Await in July at KLPAC and in Ipoh, Perak in August.
If everything goes well, she will accompany Dua Space to Japan again in November to conduct a workshop at the Big-I event.
"My dream is to open a studio to teach disabled people to dance. That's my long-term goal."
