As the audience filed into the Scottish Rite Masonic Museum & Library on June 14, 2014 in anticipation of Yamini Nambiar’s Bharatanatyam Arangetram, the dancer herself was a picture of poise and grace backstage. A day she had worked so hard for, a testament to her passion and dedication towards dance – that day was finally here.

Yamini’s dance journey began at the age of 6, in Dallas, TX, where she took her first baby steps into the world of Bharatanatyam under the tutelage of Guru Madhusri Sethuraman. Upon her move to the Boston area in 2006, Yamini continued her dance training under Guru Sridevi Ajai Thirumalai at the Natyamani School of Dance. Guru Sridevi, a highly respected and renowned exponent of Bharatanatyam, is the Creative Director of the Natyamani School of Dance in Westborough, MA and has nurtured Yamini’s passion and love for art form. She is an excellent dance teacher and an inspiring role model for her students.

Following the many weeks of ardent training and armed with many auspicious blessings, Yamini prepared to ascend the stage. She received the blessings of her Guru, her Arangetram Orchestra musicians, and her parents, Archana Nambiar and Suresh Damodaran, on this special day. Prior to starting the program, Yamini was especially fortunate to receive the blessings of her grandparents, extended family, and Swami Chaitanyanandaji, resident Acharya of Chinmaya Mission Boston.

Yamini began with a Pushpanjali, set to Ragam Naata. A graceful initiation, the Pushpanjali is a salutation to the Lord Nataraja, the God of dance, the Guru, the musicians, and the audience.  This was followed by a Ganesha Stuti in Ragam Attana where Yamini paid obeisance to Lord Ganesha, the remover of obstacles. Next, Yamini settled into the rhythm of the renditions as she did full justice to her Guru’s deftly-choreographed Jatiswaram. She impressed the audience with her grasp of complex rhythmic patterns and her clean, crisp hand-foot movements (Nritta). The final item of the first half was a Keertana in praise of Lord Krishna, a composition of Maharaja Sri Swathi Thirunal. Yamini very aptly portrayed well-known anecdotes of Lord Krishna, through her measured and mature facial expressions (Abhinaya).

Following a brief musical interlude by the very talented musicians for the evening, Yamini delighted the audience with the central piece of an Arangetram, the Varnam. The Varnam was in praise of Lord Shiva, the cosmic dancer. It was in Ragam Thodi set to Adi Talam. Yamini truly mesmerized one and all, as she portrayed a nayika who is anxiously waiting to meet her Lord and cannot bear the pangs of separation. The Varnam, a blend of fast-paced Nritta and challenging Abhinaya, combined with the melodious tunes of the musicians, was truly a treat to watch.

After a short intermission, Yamini began the second half of the program with a Padam in Raga Kamboji where she eulogized Lord Shanmuga, also known as Swaminatha or Muruga. Yamini’s devotion carried on to the next piece she performed, the Dashavatara, a composition by Sri Jayadeva that describes the ten incarnations of Lord Vishnu. This piece was vivid and versatile, as Yamini described each incarnation with varied actions and expressions. Yamini then performed a piece on Durga, where she described the Goddess as endowed with eighteen hands, riding the lion, and destroying the demons Chanda and Munda.  The beautiful elements of the dance were enhanced by Yamini’s innate involvement in each piece.

The Thillana was the final item of Yamini’s dance recital. It was in Ragam Hindolam set to Adi Talam. Yamini wowed the audience as she brought energy and grace to create a final crescendo of pure dance. The repertoire ended with a Mangalam, where the dancer thanked her Guru, the audience, and the Lord Almighty for the successful completion of her Arangetram.  

In the fulfilling moment that it was, Yamini received a well-deserved standing ovation from the audience. All her hard work had finally come to fruition. That being said, the recital would not have been possible without Guru Sridevi’s guidance, discipline, and creativity.   Yamini was extremely thankful for Guru Sridevi’s dedication and the valuable support of her Guru and all the Orchestra musicians during the week leading up to her Arangetram.

The Orchestra, a group of renowned and talented group of musicians from India, had Vidwan Akshay Padmanabhan providing vocal support, Vidwan Srihari Rangaswamy on the mridangam, Vidwan Narasimhamurthy Ramamishra on the flute, and Boston’s resident violin exponent, and expert teacher in her own right, Vidushi Tara Anand. Sudarshan Ajai Thirumalai was on the rhythm pad for musical support. None other than Yamini’s Guru, Smt. Sridevi Ajai Thirumalai, was on the Nattuvangam. Yamini looked absolutely stunning during her performance; her natural beauty was enhanced multi-fold by Smt. Kala Gangadharan’s experienced hands for dress and makeup. Yamini was also assisted by two senior students backstage, Akshaya Krishnaswamy and Shweta Athilat.

In the midst of the claps and cheers, Yamini did not fail to thank each and every one of her family, friends, well-wishers, near and dear ones, the community, and most importantly, her family. She thanked her parents, Archana and Suresh, and her sister, Diya, for their constant love and encouragement throughout her journey. Their long-standing support has been key in Yamini’s achievement.

The Arangetram was indeed one large, bounding step in Yamini’s dance journey. We hope that xshe continues to pursue her passion and love for dance as she starts college this fall.  Yamini will be attending the Georgia Institute of Technology and plans to major in Computer Science. We wish Yamini all the very best as she places this feather in her cap along with the lifelong values inculcated through her sojourn with dance. Keep it up, Yamini.  

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