cultural highlight: didi discusses bharatanatyam || spotlight feature: arya pratap

Hey everyone! We are excited to introduce cultural highlights! This week, the focus is bharatanatyam, a classical Indian dance originating in Tamil Nadu. Our spotlight feature this week is Arya Pratap, an incoming senior at Saint Francis High School in Mountain View, California, who will share more on the topic and the rich culture that fuels her passion.

Click to watch senior, Arya Pratap, perform a beautiful bharatanatyam choreography:

into the story...

"I didn’t know a world before Bharatanatyam. Bharatanatyam is a 2,000-year-old art-form that originated in Tamil Nadu and is one of eight Indian classical dance forms. Its foundations are rooted in Hinduism and the dances are typically an amalgamation of showcasing ancient Hindu myths and pure dance. Growing up in a house where my mom is my Guru (dance teacher) and my sister is a dancer, I was instantly intrigued by this divine art-form since I was 3."

"This medium allows me to ground myself and become unaware of my surroundings through creative expression in a zone nobody can infiltrate - my body becomes an instrument of rhythm through graceful and energetic movements, facial gestures, and artistic-imagination. Before I learn dances, my mom narrates the Hindu mythology I’d depict. I’d spend hours researching and trying to step into the characters’ shoes, allowing me to emotionally resonate with people from centuries ago while becoming profoundly connected to my beautiful heritage."

"From the detailed eye, neck, and eyebrow gestures to dynamic limb movements accompanying every rhythm, every part of my body synchronously transports the audience to a period of my heritage’s history. As a performing-artist, Bharatanatyam has instilled dedication, discipline, and boundless artistic creativity while giving me bliss unlike anything else."

#southasian #bharatanatyam #tamilnadu #brown #desi #desilife #indian #indianclassicaldance #indianamerican #desigirl #southindia #deardidi