It is a great pleasure and a wonderful feeling to be able to invite and witness your child's Guru's performance especially after many years of your child's arangetram. Recently, I had the privilege of the same in Austin, TX.

Jeyanthi Ghatraju is an accomplished Bharathanatyam dancer and teacher and is the Director of Natyanjali in Boston, MA. She started her teaching career in Ottawa, Canada and my daughter, Aarathi was one of Jeyanthi's earlier students who finished her arangetram in 1996.

Jeyanthi has a mission to perform for charity and has performed widely for the under-privileged. Many of her students have been inspired by her work; 12-year old, Bhoomika Kumar from Dallas, is one among them.  Jeyanthi and Bhoomika had a charity performance in Dallas for Vision Aid on Sunday, Oct. 27th. Despite that commitment,  they were quite kind to accept the invitation to perform in Austin for the Shirdi Baba Temple the previous day. Their dance program, held at the Community Hall of the temple on Saturday, Oct. 26th, was a treat to watch.

Here is a link to a sample of the videos from the various items:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OGpJEMLDHs0

Jeyanthi chose some rare and time-tested items, choreographed them beautifully and delivered them with great passion under the title “Vande Vishnum”. She had provided the nattuvangam for the dance items and pre-recorded them. Both Jeyanthi and Bhoomika performed the pieces with grace and dedication.

Jeyanthi started the program with the nritha vandanam, invoking the blessings of Lord Nataraja, the gurus and the audience. She followed it with a scintillating number- Pranavakaram Sidhivinayakam, describing the delightful dance of Lord Ganesha.

Bhoomika presented  Alarulu Kuriyaga, next.  The composer, Saint Annamacharya, visualizes the alluring dance of Alarmelmanga, the consort of Vishnu. Jeyanthi had choreographed the piece intricately to highlight the various aspects of the dance – music, jewelry, the backdrop, etc.,

Bhoomika did quite the justice to the choreography.

Jeyanthi rendered an invigorating varnam next - Devaki Nandana with precise footwork and delicate facial expressions. This piece covered the dasavatharams or ten incarnations of Lord Vishnu as composed by Saint Madhvacharya. Jeyanthi provided the audience with clear interpretations of the avatars, blending clean mudras and facial expressions;  the interspersing jathis were challenging and Jeyanthi dealt with them with great poise.

 Bhoomika presented the padham- Chandrachuda Shiva, next, a composition of Saint Purandaradasa on Lord Shiva. The choreography included a couple of stories on why Shiva is called Neelakanta and how He saved his ardent devotee, Markandeya.

 Following that was “thumak chalathu  Ramachandra, a soul-stirring composition of Saint Tulsidas. Jeyanthi used creative moves and abhinaya to describe the playful walk and deeds of little Rama and made it very enjoyable.

Jeyanthi concluded the program with the popular thillana in ragam Kadhanakudhukalam by Dr M. Balamuralikrishna. The choreography and presentation were quite pleasing.

Both Jeyanthi and Bhoomika rendered a special Sai mangalam as the concluding item. This event was well-attended by Sai devotees and dance connoisseurs from the region.