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A life devoted to dance
 When it was enough to look after the household work and manage one's home for the women in olden days, when music and dance were restricted to a certain strata of society, Alarmelvalli showed great interest in dance. With total involvement, she learnt the art which has made her famous worldwide.
"I was interested in dance right from my childhood. It was at this time that my relative Sucharitha Subramanyam was learning Bharatanatyam from Panthannalur Chokkalingam Pillai. So, there was no restriction imposed on me to learn dance," reminiscences
Alarmelvalli.
Chokkalingam Pillai was her first guru and the dance classes were held in a corporation school, which looked aesthetic in every sense. Her practise sessions started early in the morning and after school, her music lessons would continue. Her intense training sessions taught her the intricate details and various dimensions of the art.
Alarmelvalli's first performance (arangetram) was held in April 1966 in the august presence of Panthanallur Chokkalingam Pillai and Subbaraya Pillai. She was honoured with the title 'Natya Kala Bhooshanam' by Indian Fine Arts Society at the function.
Though she continued to give performances, an unexpected turning point came when she was 15 years old. The famous 'Theatre De La Ville' in Paris extended an invitation to her to give a dance performance when her family expected her to go to Cambridge for higher education. This gigantic theatre was near the shores of the River Sienne and it was the first time a 15-year-old girl was performing in that theatre.
When she thought she would become a scientist or a lawyer, it was dance that drew her. She has been giving performances all over the world now and has heaps of prizes and medals.
She has achieved proficiency in vocal music and has learnt Odissi dance too. She proudly remembers her performance in Bolshoi Theatre, Moscow, when they celebrated India's 30th and Russia's 60th year of Independence.
To sustain in a filed that one has chosen, one has to adhere to two factors. Honesty and good conduct are necessary to continue in their particular field, she affirms. According to her, humility is essential for any art. She was taught the values in art by her guru which she propagates among her disciples.
 There were no video, audio or tape recorders when she learnt dance and whatever she learnt, she had to absorb and practise at home. Her mother was her mirror who pointed out her mistakes and appreciated her excellence after watching her performance. She hands over the credit of learning various movements and expressions to her mother.
An artiste should be blessed to have a conscientious guru and in that way she feels she must have committed many virtuous deeds in her previous birth to attain such a good guru. She speaks highly of her gurus Chokkalingam Pillai, Subbaraya Pillai, Muktha Amma (music) and Kelucharan Mohapatra (Odissi). Their life is a lesson to be followed by one and all, she says.
Humility is necessary for an artiste to achieve eminence in life. She feels sorry to see this quality lacking in the younger generation. There is a general opinion prevalent today that one cannot progress in life if one is humble. She is full of praise for her gurus and M S Subbulakshmi, whose humility is astounding though they are the Jambavans of the world of music and dance.
Except China she has performed in all the other countries like Finland, Malaysia, Indonesia, Russia, America, Canada, Belgium, France, Italy, Holland, Paris, Yugoslavia, Egypt...the list is endless.
She has been conferred with the titles 'Natya Kala Bhooshanam', 'Padma Sree', 'Singaramani', and 'Kalaimamani' to name but a few. She always remembers her mother's words that her studies and her art alone will be her steady and lasting companions in life.
She can be contacted at:
'Lavanya', 236, Garden Road,
Kilpauk,
Chennai - 600 010.
Telephone No - 91-44-26411348, 26412026
email add- alarmel14@yahoo.co.uk
or check out her website: www.alarmelvalli.com
for her latest activity.
KT Sri
Translated by Radha N.
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