“Great dancers are not great because of their technique; they are great because of their passion.” - Martha Graham

On the evening of July 20th, people from all over the world gathered to witness Shikha and Shivangi Pandey’s passion for multiple dance styles from India at Littleton High School.  The two sisters together presented 10 dances on stage in their three-hour performance.  This performance, known as Nritya Nipuna means (Dance Expert) is achieving perfection in Art of Dancing and incorporates the grace of Manipuri and the vivacity of Folk Dance with the aesthetic excellence witnessed in Bharatnatyam. A Nritya Nipuna ends a year or more of devotion, training and dedication. Shikha (14) and Shivangi (16) performed to a packed audience of over 250 people at Littleton High school. Their performances for the day ranged from the classical Bharatnatyam with its elaborate and aesthetic techniques to the delicate, graceful and mesmerizing Manipuri to the vibrant and vivacious folk dance of garba.  Nritya Nipuna is not only the demonstration of the dancer’s beauty, grace, strength, and talent. It is also a demonstration of the capability of her guru and the devotion of her family. Behind this one event there are years of training, as well as endless hours of practice, hard work and dedication. From the audience’s point of view, it seems like a lot of effort for just three hours of a performance on stage in front of hundreds of people. From the viewpoint of a dancer, this event marks the peak of her dancing career in which she showcases her skill to the viewers. It was an important milestone for the Shishyas (students) Shikha and Shivangi as well as the Guru (Teacher) Jasmine Shah, who is a highly recognized and accomplished dance teacher and founder of Aangikam Dance Academy.  With blessings from their Guru, Lord of Dance (Lord Natraj), and the audience, the two sisters presented their dancing performance.

The movements were graceful and the facial expressions were intense and passionate, all combining into a magnificent performance. Shikha and Shivangi’s Nritya Nipuna was a very thrilling and audience captivating event. The audience was left awestruck for three hours with the graceful and rhythmic movements in Bharatanatyam, Manipuri and Folk Dance.  People came up to the two girls with tears in their eyes saying they have never such a mesmerizing and astonishing performance live before. Viewers congratulated the two sisters on their dance graduation and achievement, and said that they had never perceived such a vibrant and engaging program before. Shikha and Shivangi thank Jasmine Aunty, as well as all their beloved family and friends who gave them encouragement, confidence, and supported them, which drove them to be the best they could be that day.

Shikha and Shivangi give all the credit to their Guru and their parents. The two sisters expressed tremendous thanks to their teacher Jasmine Aunty for making them the dancers they demonstrated that evening.  If it weren’t for her, they would never have reached this milestone in their life. From the very beginning Jasmine Aunty never went easy on them. She pushed them to be the best they can be in every single aspect.  She taught them how to express from within, portray elegance with emotion, and learn each step to excellence and perfection. With Jasmine Auntie’s guidance, effort, and enthusiasm, the girls were able to go on stage today and perform extremely well.  Shikha and Shivangi thanked their parents for organizing the event and for all the hard work that went into making this event go smoothly, as well as their Grandparents who came from India to be part of this important occasion in the girls’ lives. The hard work was truly evident when the final performances of the dances were presented on stage.

Both of the sisters have been dancing under the guidance of Guru Jasmine Shah for many years and dancing has played a very significant part in their lives. Learning dance has taught them many aspects of their Indian Culture and given them the ability to express themselves using this unique art form.  Both the girls have participated in numerous cultural events such as Gurjar and IAGB.

Shikha Pandey, as an eighth grader is on her school’s field hockey team, track and field team, and also plays saxophone in her school’s concert and marching band. She has been playing piano for the past 11 years. She has actively participated at numerous fundraisers and food drives at her school and has received merit and achievement awards for her hard work and dedication. After nine years of commitment this year, she has graduated from Shishu Bharti, School of Language and Culture (Nashua).

Shivangi Pandey is currently a rising senior at Mass Academy of Math and Science at WPI. As a junior, she was a member of National Honors Society, and a representative for her class on the School Committee. Shivangi started playing the piano at age 6 and she also participates in concert and marching band where she plays the flute and marimba. Shivangi attended Shishu Bharti, School of Language and Culture (Nashua) for nine years and has been volunteering at the school since her freshmen year of high school, helping teach kids about Indian Culture and Hindi.

Dancing has helped the two sisters learn more about themselves, gain confidence, and above all share their passion for the Indian Art of Dance. There are many lessons they have learned while preparing for their Nritya Nipuna. Whether it is holding a stage on your own, carrying out a dance in a heavy costume, or dancing for three hours with only costume changes in between, the most valuable lesson learned was that hard work is the key to success. There is no elevator to success; you have to take the stairs. The preparation, sweat, determination, and hard work ultimately are those steps.  And this is just the beginning; Shikha and Shivangi have a road of success awaiting them.  They have many more milestones to cross step by step and many more achievements to reach and celebrate.

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