By Aisha Espinosa
staff writer
@aishaespinosa1
Teenagers find a different array of hobbies to occupy their free time. Some are athletic, other artistic. Dance is one of the few hobbies that is both. It is a creative combination that has existed for centuries, embedded into the rich cultures of society.
There are the more commonly known styles of ballet, jazz, ballroom and freestyle. Another style of dance, bharatanatyam, while less known, has risen in popularity over the years. It is has been depicted in some films, and has manifested into a daily part of dancer’s lives.
Coppell High School senior Sarina Naik has been dancing for more than 10 years, studying the ancient classical style that originated in southern India. She trains at the Arathi School of Dance in Dallas, where she has been under the instruction of Shalini Varghese since 2006.
In December, Naik displayed the culmination of her many years of training with an arangetram, or a graduation solo performance by a dancer.
“It was a really prestigious event,” Naik said. “It marked the end of one era and the start of another.”
Comprised of nine pieces that she learned over the years, Naik’s arangetram performance lasted two hours. The dance came together in the course of just over a year. Starting with reviewing the pieces a dancer has learned, the process consisted of choosing which pieces to perform, refining movies and focusing on the finer details of technique.
“I prepped over a year,” Naik said. “It starts with the teacher and me, we do one on one lessons. She sees the pieces I’ve learned, and I performed nine pieces, so it was kind of just an accumulation of training, practicing and really going to class.”
Signifying the completion of a student, the dance was truly a moment of pride for her family. But Naik described her arangetram – and all the years of dancing leading up to it – as a personal dream.
“It was a commitment that I made from a very young age,” Naik said. “I knew that I was going to do this when I was older. That was the second biggest thing for me, having accomplished something that I dreamed of at a younger age. “
The dance showed the different sides of Naik, and displayed the skill she has honed in her many years of training.
“I thought [my sister’s performance] was really great,” sister, CHS junior Nishali Naik, said. “She wasn’t nervous at all, and she just walked in like it was no big deal. I’ve never seen her dance that well.”
Shalini Varghese, her teacher, or guru, since 2006, described watching the performance as both a wonderful and sad occasion. Over the course of preparing for the dance, the two developed a closer relationship. Between building stamina, and understanding the poetry and rhythm of the dances, the two talked at length about love and spirituality.
“Watching Sarina complete her arangetram was a bittersweet moment for me,” Varghese said. “I was so proud of what she had accomplished and excited that she would continue her journey to keep learning more. But I was also a bit sad, because I knew I would not get to see her as often for arangetram practices.”
Varghese describes the journey as memorable, and at times bumpy, as Naik juggled school life and training.
“There had been both laughing fits and tears during rehearsals,” Varghese said. “I was overjoyed to watch her enjoy herself and showcase the authentic and beautiful ‘Sarina’ the day of her arangetram.”
