Rasya,
Thank you for the wonderful dance performance last night. You exceeded all our high expectations. What a grand arangetram!! The arrangements, decorations, food, reception, and portraits were nothing but top class! A small thing I noticed that I enjoyed thoroughly was the portrait of you posing as if you were eating the butter that was brilliantly placed in the dining hall upstairs. Please congratulate whoever came up with that idea.
The grandeur we witnessed outside the auditorium made me expect even more. Your dancing topped it all off. I was expecting Ramaa’s surprise element on stage, but it started right when we were handed the program brochure! I was surprised to see Rathi’s name as a vocalist and for nattuvangam (rhythmic playing of hand cymbals). I know Ramaa wouldn’t showcase her students, let alone her own daughters on stage if they weren’t ready.
I’m sure in all arangetrams, or even annual dance shows, the teachers mark the solo dancer’s spot that shows the center of the stage, and we all know every dancer misses that spot while dancing. I understand it’s not that easy to come back to the same center spot every time, but I noticed you always came back to your spot. I’m sure all the photographs will have your pose right in the center of the stage. You were right there in the center of those hanging lamps!! Not easy, not easy at all. We have to learn those little (but it turns out to be a major) details from your Amma. I noticed that your mom never had to give you a sign to appear on stage. I have seen in previous arangetrams that she would signal with the nattuvangam, but this time the signal was for the emcees, I guess you were soooooo ready to jump right in! Please thank your cousin Sathivika and your friend Preethi for beautifully presenting each piece. Their pronunciation of the names of the raagas (melodic framework) and composers were perfect! Extra bonus points to Sathvika for her beautiful British accent, I saw that everyone near me enjoyed that as well. Preethi paused beautifully after each word for all of us to understand the piece you were dancing.
Your grand entrance on stage, Pushpanjali, was adorable. The Alarippu was so complicated and the Sankeerana Chappu Thaalam is a difficult one too. An Alarippu that was composed just for you??!!! Did Shankar sir cut you any slack??? I think he made it extra difficult and longer, but you handled it with ease. What an honor to dance to your own Paati’s composition. When you were dancing with your virtual kaavadi, I forgot for a few minutes that you didn’t actually have one in on your shoulders. Yetho rombha varushama murugar iku kaavadi thookina professional “kaavdai thooki” maari irunthathu (Please ask your mom to translate this) You portrayed the beautiful story for Valli quenching the thirst of an old man, and how he teases her to be his companion. Your expression of how scared Valli was after seeing the elephant Ganesha was lovely.
Your performance of the ragamalika Varnam was impeccable. All the songs including the Varnam were rare compositions, but you made it look easy. Navarasam is my all-time favorite thing to watch, and that too showing it as different forms of Devi was brilliant. Kudos to Mrs. Bama and Rathi for singing 9 different ragas and the switch from one raga to another was graceful. It was enjoyable. The battlefield scene was very well portrayed, and I enjoyed the different emotions you brought in front of us. This piece was longer than usual. God bless you for the energy you maintained throughout. I can only imagine how you would have felt dancing this long varnam. I didn’t see the tiredness in you at all.
Kalyana Rama was nothing but graceful. Another big thanks to Ramaa for adding my great grandfather’s composition. Extra thanks to the musicians for not choosing the same old “must-haves” of Venkata Kavi’s. When I saw the song on the brochure I was wondering what new element you would add in Rama’s story? Same old breaking the bow and arrow, same old ravana abducting Sita, or Hanuman crossing ocean. My curiosity grew knowing Ramaa will not disappoint me in showing the same story in a perfectly captivating way. The opening scene of how Sita was playing with a ball and how she felt when she saw Rama, was just delightful to see. I had just finished listening to Dushyanth Sridhar’s Kambha Ramayanam. In his upanyasam (discourse) he describes how Sita was playing with her friends, and how she first met Rama, not eye to eye, but in a subtle way. I felt you gave life to his narration. The “slip” you enacted when one of the kings tried to lift the bow, was genius.
I have to say this, but in many arangetrams the audience has a hard time connecting to the story that is being depicted. I have experienced this a few times where I would be the only one laughing for a cute bhavam or clapping for a complicated korvai. (During one of the arangetram I attended, I clapped and laughed, and the people sitting next to me gave me a look as though I was crazy. But I saw that you engaged every single one of us. Thanks Rasya, for making everyone enjoy this beautiful art form regardless of how much each of us knew. I always say this: anyone who performs on stage must respect the audience. One should never ever think that they know more than what the audience knows. In reality yes, as an audience member, I do not know as much as you know, but all of us were there for your arangetram to see you perform. We need to understand what you are dancing, and it’s your duty to make us understand the story you are narrating in a graceful manner. You did full justice. I am sure you heard all of us clap for all those cute expressions, and difficult korvais.
For the Sambho Shankara Shiva, I have to credit to your Amma for singing Maheshwara Sutra. I have never heard or seen anyone dance to that. What a brilliant idea for incorporating that to this song. Very very unusual. When I met your mom briefly last night, I told her the same, but in her own humble way she replied “It was an experiment”. I don’t agree with her, it was not an experiment, but an experienced one. This one was a long piece too. I enjoyed watching. Not sure if it was this piece or for Thilana, but I loved loved loved the way you danced for the mridangam beat and at the end of a korvai you and Shankar sir exchanged the hand gesture. During “Baley, Sabash” I saw a very mature bhavam from you. It was well choreographed and I noticed your mischievous smile too.
I started to write this as a small highlight for me to remember your performance, but it's turning out to be so long.
No arangetram is complete without showing the cuteness of Krishna. This song reflected your personality. Your happy, mischievous smile made this song even more enjoyable. You stole our heart as little Krishna. I was amazed by your transition from Krishna to Yasodha trying to put the baby to sleep. Cuteness overload!!!
Your Thillana was the longest I have seen in years. The mridangam, the nattuvangam, the joy in your dance, just took us to a different world. I have not seen anyone dance to Thillana with such joy as the dancers are almost drained out by then, and just rush to finish it. I noticed a satisfied, pride smile on your mom’s face when you finished dancing Thilana.
I never saw you lose your energy in any of the pieces you danced. You were full of power and so was Rathi in her nattuvangam and singing. You, your mom, and your sister look pleasant, calm, and composed and no one can tell the power the 3 of you hold. In Tamil they say, “Murthi siriyathu, keerthi periyathu.” Keep up the good work, and always spread the joy of dance.
Thanks,
Sangeetha Aunty
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