Recently, I watched an Odissi performance by Ms. Arushi Mudgal. Her performance was based around a theme of Aikya, unity. I really enjoyed watching her dance, along with her live orchestra. There was someone playing mridangam, the dancer’s sister who sang and did nattuvangam, another singer, and a flutist.
The dancer performed an invocatory item, then a Parvati Lasyam, which was about Shiva noticing Parvati dancing and how she lights up the world.
Next, she performed a story about Radha and Krishna. The dance illustrated the story of Radha dressing up as Krishna and asking Krisha to dress up as her too. She becomes so immersed in her role as Krishna that she goes to the village and call out for Radha, her friend. This item had more abhinaya and I really liked the details.
Her next item was a pallavi, a full nritta item (in Odissi), about the joy of dance. I really enjoyed watching her dance! I noticed that there wasn’t a lot of aramandi used in her dance. She used a step like Lolita (from Mohiniattam) in this item.
Then, she performed a full abhinaya item about a hero leaving a naiyaka. She interpreted it as a soul leaving a body when the body is on the cusp of death. I really enjoyed this interpretation!
Her second to last item was once again about Radha and Krishna, but it was a more fun item where Radha is telling her friends about an encounter she had with Krishna. I really enjoyed the playfulness of this item.
This performance happened at the Match theater!
Tag: dance
Mid Year Dance Festival
Recently, I went to see Chennai Music Academy’s Mid Year Dance Festival. I went on the second day and watched both Lekha Prasad (disciple of Guru Priya Murle) and P.V. Adithya (disciple of Guru Sudharani Raghunathy) perform a 4 item margam consisting of a varnam and a thillana, the other two items being unique to the performer. I enjoyed both dances immensely, especially with the more intimate area, with a smaller stage and a live orchestra.
The first dancer, Lekha Prasad, started off with an invocatory item composed by Chirumanavoor Muniswamy Mudaliar. Next, she performed a 45-50 minute varnam called Sami nee Rammana Ve composed by Tanjore Ponnayya. Her aadavus were clean and I especially liked how she used her eyes in the abhinaya sections. Her poses were also well done and were once again, clean. Her angashruti was really good. After this, she performed an Ashtapadi- Yahi Madhava- composed by Jayadeva, then ended with a thillana composed by the Tanjore Quartet. I enjoyed her performance a lot.
Next was a performance by P.V. Adithya. He started off with a Kriti composed by Mysore Vasudevachar, in which his angashruti shone. Next was a 50 minute Varnam- Sami ninne kori- composed by the Tanjore Quartet. I really enjoyed his aadavus, as they were crisp and clear. Each aadvu was completed fully and even the faster speeds were clear. I also enjoyed his abhinaya.
In conclusion, I really enjoyed the performances from the Chennai Music Academy. They were both well put together and presented and I am incredibly glad I was able to see these performances!
2023 goals
2023 is hopefully going to be a big year! I’m graduating middle school and moving on to high school, so that’s a pretty big milestone for me. I’m also hoping to work on things I’m passionate about and get much better at them.
Dance:
Dance, especially Bharatanatyam, is already a huge part of my life and I want that to continue through the new year. I hope to practice a lot more, learn many new items, and get more opportunities to perform.
This year, I’ll also get to perform in my school’s Spring Show, where I’ll be able to perform 4 dances in front of parents and friends. This is something I’m really excited for and I can’t wait to grow my contemporary dancing skills as well!
Writing:
I really want to work on my writing, as well as my use of vocabulary. Writing is already a huge passion of mine and I definitely want to grow that this year. I’m also auditioning for a creative-arts school in the category of writing!
Art:
Along with my writing, I would like to get better at my art skills! Currently, I might not be the best artist, however, I definitely want to practice a lot this year and hopefully learn more about art and develop an art style (or any semblance of one)
Books:
This year, I’m going to be trying to “read my bookshelf” more and get through many of the books on my bookshelf instead of always getting new ones. I hope to maybe finish more series and discover a lot of good books!
School:
This year, I’ll be going into high school and I hope to find my footing quickly. I’ll definitely keep working hard in my new school (and for the rest of middle school).
What goals do you have for 2023?
Homecoming 2022
This year at my school, we had a Homecoming game and dance! Though I didn’t go to the game, I really enjoyed the dance and being able to see my friends and spend time with them.
One of the best parts was definitely being able to wear a pavadai to this event. Me and my other Indian friend had planned this for a while, so we showed up each wearing a matching outfit, her wearing pink and me wearing blue. I loved how we looked and the way we were able to show off our culture!
Another fun part about the dance was how it was set up. We had three areas we could go to- the gym, the cafeteria, or the patio.
In the gym, there was a lively and bustling environment, with a DJ and a crowd of people dancing along to the music.
In the cafeteria (where I mainly was), some teachers had candy and water, keeping us happy and hydrated. There was also a variety of songs playing and overall, the mood was bright.
Lastly, there was the chess patio. The patio was lit up beautifully, with strings of fairy lights surrounding the whole place. It has a calming atmosphere and was probably the nicest place throughout the dance.
All in all, the Homecoming dance was really fun and I enjoyed meeting all my friends with this and getting to spend 2 hours with them without having school work or anything else to focus on.
6 Word Memoirs
Recently, in my English class, we created 6 word memoirs. They were really fun and easy to create and so, I thought it would be nice to share that over here! 6 word memoirs can either be 6 words that sum up a big part or your whole life, or they can describe one specific event. With the way that my English teacher led us through it, there are 4 main steps to writing a 6 word memoir.
Step 1. Take anywhere from 3-5 minutes and write down a big list of life events. These events don’t have to be in order or make sense to anyone but you. Make sure you keep writing and let your subconscious bring up some of the major events you have experienced.
Step 2. Pick any one of the events and write 2-3 sentences about it. You can add any details you want, but don’t let it become a full paragraph.
Step 3. Cross out any unnecessary information. This step can sometimes be hard, but try to think of the main points of your event. Also make sure to keep the mood of the event intact when you cross things out (for example, if you’re writing about a scary moment, don’t cross out all the scary parts of it).
Step 4. Using the words or phrases you have left, experiment with different wording choices and ideas. When you have one you think that fits best, congrats! You’ve written a 6 word memoir.
Here’s an example that I made in my English class:
Step 1. I had around 32 events written down in the span of 5 minutes. Some of my most important/memorable were the Austin trip, COVID/google classroom, online lunch, PUPS potluck (all grades), my mock algebra STAAR, Murder on the Sea (my group’s theater production), and getting into leadership. All of these events definitely influenced me a lot and helped me become who I am today.
Step 2. I chose to write about Murder on the Sea, a theater production my and my ensemble created last year. My 4 sentences were:
My first look at theater performances. I had practiced all weekend and probably wore my grandfather out as he listened to me practice. I remember being extremely nervous, but also ready before the performance. It was the time I decided to join UIL theater.
Step 3. The next step was crossing out unnecessary information. Below is what I had after step 3.My first look at theater performances. I had practiced all weekend and probably wore my grandfather out as he listened to me practice. I remember being extremely nervous, but also ready before the performance. It was the time I decided to join UIL theater.
At the end, the main phrases I had left were “first look”, “practiced all weekend”, “extremely nervous, but also ready”, and “decided to join UIL theater.”
Step 4. Some of my ideas included:
– practicing all weekend, UIL the goal
– first look at theater, in love
– never forgetting shining on the stage
Finally, I chose this one- “Memorizing done, am I good enough?”
I picked that specific one because it not only ties into theater, but also dance, a huge aspect of my life.
Have you ever written a 6 word memoir? If not, will you give it a try?
22 Things I Look Forward to in 2022
Here are 22 things I’m looking forward to in this new year!
- The School For Good and Evil movie
This is a movie that is going to be coming to Netflix based on the popular School for Good and Evil book series. I’m really excited to watch it! - Traveling more
- Trying a new theme on my Instagram
- Performing more Bharatanatyam
- Learning more Mohiniattam items
- Attending more book events
- Improving my writing skills
- Attending my school’s dance event
- Expanding my Ninja Foodi cooking skills
- Discovering new authors
- (Hopefully) being a leader in 8th grade
In our school, leaders lead lessons in homeroom 2 times a week. I’ve heard that leadership class and leadership camp (which you take to become a leader) is really fun. - Creating a project in my MUN class with my friends
- Discovering more mythological tales
- Visiting the library more frequently
- Solve a New York Times crossword by myself
- Spending more time with family (fingers crossed)
- Trying more crafts
- Fun projects in my Texas History class
- Playing around with online designing
- Start biking more
- Trying new cuisines
- Discover/Play new board games
My In-Person School Experience
Over the last two weeks, I’ve been to my school thrice, twice for the STAAR (end of year tests) and once for a dance recording. I’ll also be going this week, on Wednesday or Thursday for another dance performance. These are the only times when I’ve actually been in the school (for more than 5 minutes) since March 2020. Being in school was really fun, but it did get boring after a while. Here’s how I felt during my few days at in-person school.
I interacted with a lot more people than I usually do (that’s to be expected, of course). It was nice (and I’ll admit, slightly unusual) to talk to people normally. I saw people who I had never seen before. Another fun part was meeting my teachers. I’ve also only seen them through a screen, so it was nice to meet them face-to-face.
Then there was the boring part. After we took the STAAR and ate lunch, we sat in the auditorium for the rest of the day (about 3 hours). Our classes gave us “do-nows” (simple and quick work) which didn’t last long. We had to rely on what we had to entertain us (book, paper, computer, etc.). I did have enough to do luckily, but I did get bored. Overall, I will say that it was a fun time, mainly because I got to see a lot of my friends and teachers, and had a few fun conversations with them. Have you gone in-person to your school or work yet this weird year? If yes, did you enjoy the experience?
Best of 2020
2020 has been a strange year, but here are some of the things that happened.
1. Starting the year with family:
I love spending time with my grandparents. I’m glad I got to do it in the beginning of this year, even if I couldn’t make my annual summer trip to India 😭. I also got to spend some time with my uncle and aunt, before they moved countries.
2. Ending my elementary years and staring my middle school ones:
I finished 5th grade (virtually) and started middle school and the school of my choice (also virtually)! Virtual school is less than ideal, but I’ve learned to adjust. You can read about my experiences here.
3. ARCADIS Science Fair:
I participated in the ARCADIS science fair and did a project on supercooling and snapfreezing water. I learnt a lot and was really surprised when I won!
4. Mini Getaways:
Since we couldn’t travel a lot, I relied on a few small breaks to get away . My favorite one was definitely my birthday weekend getaway with a few of my friends and family. I also liked the Corpus Christi, Driftwood, and Pensacola Beach breaks.
5. Dance:
I spent a lot of time focusing on dance during these COVID times. I’ve taken place in a Bharatanatyam dance exam (for both theory and practical) and started learning a new Indian classical dance form, Mohiniattam. I performed a few solo items and recorded them. I’ve also began to learn Carnatic music to support my skills.
In Western dance, I was able to get one last performance on February in my elementary school dance company and I’m in my new school’s Drill Team. It’s less than ideal, but I’m hoping to be able to go back to performing soon.
6. Life Skills:
2020 has been a year where I learnt and tried so many new things.
- I learned to crochet, and did a few art projects including tie-dye projects and wreaths for our door.
- I cooked and baked (I even made my first layered cake!) and got comfortable in the kitchen. Some of the treats I made include mint chutney bread, cranberry cookies, brownies, and more. I also learned to make rice and keera kootu.
- I’ve learned a lot of handy household chores like doing the laundry and handwashing clothes as well as ironing and sweeping.
7. Improved Technology Skills:
I started to use Instagram and I wrote on my blog more. I got better at using Google Drive, Docs, and Slides. I’ve learnt about different features on computers and got better at navigating through the digital world.
8. Writing:
I wrote 2 stories (which I’m going to edit this year) and a few short stories for my blog.
9. Reading:
I’ve read a ton this year and made friends with a few bookstagrammers. On my instagram, I took part in two challenges, the #mgbookmarch challenge in March and the #mgbooktober challenge in October. I’ve also started new series, and began to read a higher level of mglit!
You can check out my insta here.
Being The New Kid
Being the new kid is never easy, especially when it seems like everyone knows everyone. I wrote the fictional personal narrative based off of my experience as a new kid in dance class. This was a submission for my assignment in my Language Art class
I open the door to the dance room uncertainly and peep in. Kids are milling around, talking to each other happily. I gulp and step in, nervous. All the chatter comes to a stop and it feels like every eye is on me. The teacher catches my eye and nods, and I take a seat near the back of the room. I listen to the excited conversation, only catching a few words or sentences, and start wishing that I had bought a book. The teacher, Ms. Nair, clears her throat and we all stand up and start warming up. After we’ve warmed up, Ms. Nair says, “Let’s see Jimikki Kammal from Nimmy, Rithika, and Megha.” Their dance is fun and energetic. Ms. Nair smiles, then scans over the group of kids watching. “Let’s have Niharika, Lipi, and Tara join them. I know you girls don’t really know the dance, but try to follow along. ” she says. I get up nervously and join the other 5 girls standing. As I start dancing, I remind myself to loosen up and have fun. The music starts and I nervously begin dancing, watching the other girls like a hawk, trying to pick up the dance moves. As the music goes on, I start relaxing and actually start getting immersed in the dance. At the end, Ms.Nair smiles, looks us over once again and nods. She hands us a costume to practice in and my mind spins. I’m in a dance group already! A girl who danced with me, Lipi, says, “Hey, you dance really well. Do you want to be friends?” I smile and accept her invitation. I’ve already made a friend! I’m really sad when practice is over and we have to leave for our next class. I’m very excited for the next class and what we will do there.
My Hobby: Dancing
I plaster a smile on my face and step onto the stage. My hobby is dancing. I learn bharatanatyam and western dance.
I grimace at how messy the step turned out to be. Your steps have to be precise while dancing. I scooped down and my leg followed. I groaned and start the frustrating process again. I scooped down and thrust my leg forward.”Phew! I finally got the step right!” I cheered and felt victory because I had to do two things at the same time. I was so happy when I achieved the step. On the next step I faced a similar problem.I started my jeté and sailed magnificently through the air. On my landing though, I crumpled to the floor. “ You can do this,” I whispered to myself. After a lot of practice, I finally got the step.
I practice the jump over and over again until it gets engraved into my brain. Dancing is a lot about repeated and dedicated practice. You need to remember all the steps. I started dancing a beat too early. Then I started a beat too late.Frustrated, I threw my hands in the air. I was so annoyed at how my timing was off. I finally realized what time to do it and I was so relieved. Once I had the last step down. I knew I was ready for the competition. Before the competition, I practiced the dance multiple times so I wouldn’t forget it. “ I can’t forget the steps,” I told myself. On stage, I never forgot a step.
I run off the stage happy that the dance is over. Dancing is a type of hard work, because you need to have precise steps and you need to remember the steps.Even though it’s frustrating, I still enjoy dancing. I’ve always been lucky to have great teachers who guide me throughout the world of dance. Sunanda Aunty and Ms. Rojas have been the best teachers anyone could ask for.I hope my passion for dance keeps growing over the years. Let’s dance!