A captivating evening of talent and excellence: Dyuthi and Shreya's Arangetram

By Chandana Gopal

July 28th 2024 was a special evening at the Stoughton High School auditorium. Dyuthi Prashanth and Shreya Kalavur showcased a remarkable combination of talent, dedication, and passion in their Bharatanatyam Rangapravesha (also known as Arangetram). Literally translating to “ascending the stage” the Rangapravesha is a milestone in an Indian classical dancer’s journey because it marks the culmination of years of rigorous training under the guidance of a teacher. Completion of a Rangapravesha is a badge of honor, reserved for dancers of the highest caliber, who have not only mastered the dance form, but have committed themselves to building the stamina to perform for several hours and reaching a level of performance that is accessible to very few artistes. Shreya and Dyuthi  displayed their talent and rigor, which is a testament to many years of dedication, hard work and strenuous training under the guidance of Guru Smt. Poornima Risbud from Rasarang School of Performing Arts in Canton, MA. What sets an Arangetram apart from other performances is that the dancers are accompanied by a live ensemble of musicians which in this case included Sri Sudhaman for Mridangam, Smt. Poornima Risbud on Nattuvangam, Sri  Rajesh for Vocals, Sri N. Veeramani on the violin, and Sri V. K. Sivakumar on the flute.

The Rangapravesha follows a specific repertoire of classical dance items and the program began with Pushpanjali, a symbolic offering of flowers and devotion to Lord Ganesha for invoking his blessings for a successful program. The dancers depicted various forms of Ganesha while displaying intricate footwork and high energy as this piece was set to Dhrutha Taalam or the highest speed. The Pushpanjali was followed by Alarippu, where the dancers showcased the technical aspects of elaborate eye and body movements, and a keen sense of rhythm. This warm-up piece set to Chatushra Tala, though devoid of emotive (abhinaya) and musical (raga) aspects, was a visual treat as it was elevated by a unique choreography where Shreya and Dyuthi took on the roles of Shiva and Parvati dancing blissfully.

The next piece of the evening was the Surya Kauthuvam, an invocatory dance dedicated to the Sun God Surya. Set to Raga Brindhavani and Adi Taala, the fast-paced choreography exemplified the dancers’ agility and physical strength as well as grace in equal measure – a testament to years of training and hard work. The Surya Kauthuvam was so intense that Sri Sudhaman on percussion mentioned that it was one of the most difficult pieces he had witnessed in his decades of performing at Arangetrams.

In all Arangetrams, the Varnam is usually the capstone item. The longest and the most complicated choreography that represents a narrative tied to Hindu Mythology or culture. The Varnam performed by Dyuthi and Shreya, titled "Vanajaksha" was a spell binding visual treat where the girls  portrayed 7 different events from the life of Krishna. The Varanam was a roller-coaster of emotions when in one segment Shreya and Dyuthi portrayed the light-hearted interchange between a young Krishna and a Gopika while in the next segment they displayed the raw emotions of Draupadi as she offered herself up to the Divine when her family left her bereft after losing her to a game of dice.  The athleticism and stamina required to perform a dance item of this length cannot be understated. To sustain energy and maintain the integrity of the dance non-stop for 40 minutes is no small feat. Dyuthi and Shreya demonstrated left the audience out-of-breath with the tempo of their feet matching the beat of the Nattuvangum ably played by their teacher, Smt. Poornima Risbud.

After a short break, the dancers presented “Devi”, with Dyuthi opening the piece with an energetic but graceful solo performance depicting Goddess Saraswathi with a book and Veena her musical instrument, thereby symbolizing  wisdom and learning. Shreya followed up with a beautiful solo portrayal of Goddess Lakshmi, highlighting her benevolence and compassion. As beautiful as their solos were, the girls exploded on stage as the warrior Goddess Durga and her victory over the demon Raktabeeja to chants of “Jaya Durge” or Victory to Durga. The vibrant movements, flawless switching between emotive expressions while transitioning from solo to dual performances, and the lighting effects provided a surreal feel as the dancers brought to life the characters they were portraying. 

Next, Dyuthi and Shreya presented a devotional hymn “Varashiki Vaahana”, praising the divine attributes and seeking blessings of Lord Muruga. The dancers skillfully depicted Muruga’s beauty and splendor, riding a beautiful peacock and being adored by Gods Brahma and Indra. Finally, they effortlessly portrayed Lord Muruga’s victory over demons. The skill, grace and emotive expressions truly brought the characters to life. While the girls went backstage to prepare for their next piece and change costumes, Sri Sudhaman engaged and enthralled the audience with a Mridangam performance by encouraging the audience to mimic the percussion sound sequences by clapping their hands. One could feel the joy and enjoyment everyone experienced by the seemingly unending applause and standing ovation at the end.

After the musical interlude, Dyuthi and Shreya presented “Kamsale”, an energetic folk dance from South India and performed in temples. The dancers mesmerized the audience with fast paced steps and rhythmic use of cymbals to express devotion to Lord Mahaadeshwara, a form of Shiva. Guru Poornima’s unique choreography showcased the girls flexibility and youthful energy as their feet flew across stage keeping tempo with the music.

Besides their captivating performances on stage, Dyuthi and Shreya touched everyone’s hearts by supporting VisionAid, a Boston based non-profit through their arangetrams. They had requested friends and family to consider donating to VisionAid in lieu of personal gifts so these funds could enable, empower and educate visually impaired children and youth. Thanking the performers for selflessly dedicating their efforts and talents for a great cause, Smt. Revathy Ramakrishna, VP at VisionAid, said “Dyuthi and Shreya, both of whom have participated in two VisionAid fundraisers have furthered the cause of supporting visually impaired children in India”.

The dancers concluded the program with an energetic Thillana, with great technique and passion and finally offered their gratitude to the divine, their Gurus and the audience in the Mangalam piece. Dyuthi and Shreya had dazzled the audience by showcasing their rigorous training, passion, technique, expressions, footwork and musicality. They even made their parents a part of their finale thanking them for the immense support that their families gave them in preparation for the event.

Solo Arangetrams are rigorous and challenging in and of themselves, but performing as a duo makes it exponentially more difficult as the two dancers have to coordinate and synchronize with each other and maintain their own integrity in their dances. Dyuthi and Shreya were perfect individually but together they created a magic. Their contribution to this classical art form will stay with them for a lifetime as they go on to achieve greatness in the future. 

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