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 The
notes of Carnatic music, ragas and talas, intertwined with the beats
of the mridangam and the anklets as Swarnalatha Priya Ramaswamy
performed her arangetram on Saturday, July 14, 2007. Gathered at
Chopticon High School, Maryland - approximately 200 friends, family,
and guests watched as Priya, 19, gave her debut graduation
performance for vocal Carnatic music and Bharatanatyam dance.
 Priya
will be a sophomore this fall at MIT (Massachusetts Institute of
Technology), where she plans to study Electrical Engineering and
Computer Science. Priya is the only daughter for Pallasena and
Vrintha Ramaswamy of Hollywood, Maryland. Priya also has a younger
brother, Praveen, 17, who gave the introductory speech at the
ceremony. In addition to the speech, the youngest Ramaswamy also
helped with the pre-arangetram preparations.
When asked about the preparations for the debut
performances, Priya said, “It was very stressful...the practices
were really intense. I basically lived at my teacher’s house to
practise rigorously…” The teachers’ role was substantial as, “[they]
gave me encouragement and guidance and lots of practice in helping
my achievement - making my performance a success”, Priya commented.
Priya began the show with the Carnatic music part
of the ceremony or the kutcheri. After the kutcheri, a small
intermission was followed by the inauguration of the dance part of
the arangetram.
 Priya’s
Carnatic music guru is the renowned and accomplished vocalist Jaya
Bala who, along with dance guru Shoba Subramaniam is the cornerstone
of the Jayamangala School of Music and Dance.
The first classical number was ‘Evari Bhodana’
Varnam (Ragam Abhogi and Talam Adi). Then, Priya progressed to
several other classical songs ranging from ‘Karpaga Vinayaka’ to
‘Govardhan Girisham’.
Then the fourth piece was a special item as it
was composed by Rajalakshmi Krishnan, mother of Jaya Bala. This song
was called ‘Vaani Devi’ (Ragam Hamsanaadam, and Talam Misra Chapu),
and it was a song offering prayers to Devi Saraswati. ‘Vaani Devi’
was the hardest piece and most complex. ‘Gokulabala’ (a song about
Krishna); ‘Hum Ko Man Ki Shakti Dena’ (a popular Hindi song), and
Thillana rounded off the rest of the kutcheri.
Why Carnatic music? Priya said, “I always liked
to sing in the car, and I have always wanted to learn Carnatic music
but I needed a proper teacher.” When the Ramaswamy family moved to
Maryland from New Jersey, an opportunity became available. Carnatic
music is more than just another form of classical Indian music -
Carnatic music is a complex art form, in many ways analogous to
classical Indian dance or Bharatanatyam.
 According
to Priya, “Learning both together just brings you to the next level
of appreciation” for those arts. She has been attending the music
classes for four years, and plans to continue her music education
after the arangetram and kutcheri.
Music, in general, is emotive and expressive and
dance only adds to the experience. Priya added, “You can’t get the
full essence of music and dance without emotion”, and that is
because both art forms (music and dance) rely heavily on emotion.
Dance brings emotion alive, “in a tangible way”, and music “adds
depth”, said Priya.
How was the kutcheri? This writer can tell you
that the performance was very good, as the singer sang really well,
hitting all the high notes, difficult as they surely must have been.
When I enquired of the high notes, Priya stated with a laugh, “I was
really serious because I was concentration on the difficult thalams...this
was my first time singing in public with live orchestra so I was
kind of nervous.”
 How
did she feel when she began the dancing? Priya replied that “I felt
more confident because I had performed these pieces before. But this
was the first time I was doing these pieces with a live musician and
orchestra.”
Priya opened the dances in a bright red and green
dance dress, with Pushpanjali and Alaripu. Then came the hardest
pieces - Shabdam and Varnam - the most complicated and longest dance
numbers that narrate full stories. Varnam described the life story
of Lord Murugan, and once again was composed by Rajalakshmi
Krishnan.
After a quick change in costumes, into a blue and
orange dance dress, Priya rounded off the programme. From Sri Ram
bhajan to Thillana - Priya enthralled her audience with dance
movements from abhinaya to footwork.
She also danced to two special numbers: first,
was a Padam (composed by the late T K Pukazhenthi). The last dance
was an Ayappa Mangalam, which was specially selected by Priya and
her family to end the arangetram with prayers to Lord Ayappa.
 Priya
is no stranger to dancing either: dancing as practice for her
arangetram was preceded by her dancing ventures in college. In MIT,
Priya is a part of the club MIT Natya which consists of Kathak and
Bharatanatyam dancers from beginners to the most experienced. Priya
performed with MIT Natya for a classical number and also volunteered
at their show - Natyanjali. She has also been taking dance lessons
for six years with guru Shoba Subramaniam.
Pallasena (Sam) Ramaswamy, Priya's father, said,
“It was a flawless performance where each and every piece was
unique. Now we are relieved that it is over...we planned this event
over a year ago and it took time and great effort from family,
friends and teachers to make this a successful event.”
He also added that this “will be a memorable
event for years to come...it will be a milestone in Priya’s life”.
 Other
guests agreed. Kalyani and Narayanan, from Parsippany, NJ, said,
“Priya did a great job. She performed with grace, beauty and dignity
even the hardest and long pieces. Her expression or abhinaya was
particularly remarkable, as was her singing.”
VJ and Premila, from Rockaway, NJ, commented, “We
enjoyed the arangetram and to see Priya do it was very special.
Priya is talented in all aspects. It was a blessing that friends and
family were present to share this moment.”
George and Seema, a married couple attending the
arangetram from Atlanta, Georgia, commented, “We liked the programme.”
George added, “The dances gave a very nice idea as to what
Bharatanatyam is really like, a form of storytelling - it explained
Bharatanatyam to people who have no idea what it is.”
When dance arangetram and the kutcheri were over,
Priya commented, “Now that it’s over...I feel relieved because of
the stress. But it went by too quick and I am ready to move on and
pursue more activities in depth.”
 When
asked if she would like to teach, she added, “I don’t know yet.
There is still a lot left to learn.”
In an era that favours technology, and moves
toward the future at the speed of light, it is exceptional to see
that Indian culture still thrives. Far away from Chennai and India,
Indian classical dance and music are still going strong and
awakening in the voices and footsteps of young performers. In that
sense, truly traditional dancers are role models for generations to
come. The expression of our ancient art forms reminds us to hold on
to our traditions - and continue to pass on this massage so that
music and dance live on forever.
Priyanka Narayanan
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