PITTSBURGH PENNSYLVANIA, June 24, 2011: An arangetram is the solo debut of an Indian classical dancer. It is the culmination of years of study and a family gathering of such importance that hundreds often attend, including relatives from overseas.
The dancing and preparation have become a way for parents and teachers to pass down culture and tradition, particularly in families that have left India, said Susan L. Schwartz, a religion professor at Muhlenberg College in Allentown and author of Rasa: Performing the Divine in India. Students learn not only a dance whose roots go back to 500 B.C. but also about the stories told in the choreography and the Hindu deities associated with them.
“It brings me back to my religion and history and things I probably wouldn’t have learned,” said 17-year-old Shruti Iyer of Exton who made her debut before an audience of 250 this month.
Arangetrams are being held in increasing numbers in America as the Indian population in the nation grows, Schwartz said. The number of Indian dance teachers, dance schools, and college dance teams is also increasing.