Everyone has certain events in their life that they want to freeze -- events so personal and culturally important that they define who we are. My Bharatanatyam Arangetram -- a three-hour Indian dance recital -- was one of those events. It was the culmination of 10 years of work and training, a veritable journey from childhood to young adulthood, and it could not have been more bittersweet. However, after my Arangetram was complete, my mind could only dwell on the mountain I had climbed to reach the peak -- the past 10 years of my dance training.
My Arangetram journey began when I was 6 years old and now, 11 years later came to a slow stop. By now that journey of a thousand steps has been filled with God's blessings and my Guru's multi-faceted guidance. It has been an incredible experience for my family and me. It is an unforgettable experience, partly for what it has taught me about overcoming challenges and setting goals and partly for realizing the direction and support I receive from so many wonderful people in my life.
I thought about my first class and how I could barely strike the floor and then I thought about my last practice and how my floor strikes echoed throughout the studio. I thought about how at my first recital I started a conversation with some girls in my dance, and then I thought about how those girls had become my best friends. I thought about the time I was handed my first dance trophy and then I thought about being handed my plaque of graduation by my guru just a few hours back. And then I thought about all the moments between those first and last steps.
The dream of completing my Arangetram is one I would never have imagined being true. In the beginning, dance class was a weekly nuisance that I only attended to see my friends. But in the past couple of years, it had become a weekly intermission in which I could completely be myself and truly let loose. I would not have the chance to complete this dream if it were not for the support of my Kruti sisters and my guru’s continuous exchange of wisdom, and every nook and cranny of Kruti Dance Academy. The sense of solidarity my Kruti family and I have is inspirational. We have laughed, learned, struggled, and improved together. We have cherished our last minute practices together and have kindled special moments of accomplishments at our annual recitals. Aiding each other in overcoming obstacles and personal challenges for improvement has been the hallmark of Kruti sisters, and it has resulted in special bonds of friendship which I will cherish for the rest of my life. My guru and dance sisters constantly challenge and motivate me, instilling values of leadership, perseverance, hard work and discipline which I may have no learned otherwise. They have supported me throughout my dance journey which has indirectly affected my personality and the person I am today. I can, from the bottom of my heart, say that the years I have spent dancing, volunteering, smiling, learning, and simply enjoying time at the studio have truly been a blur of love and passion which I will remember in my heart forever.