Arangetram Season 2026
June 27 - September 6
Meet the Dancers
Saya Sarma
June 27th
Samarpanam ~An Arangetram of gratitude
West High Performing Arts Center
My grandmother first saw Viji Aunty dance in 1976, and said she’d found the dance teacher for her future granddaughter!
In 2007, I started my aduvus at Vijayadashami wearing my grandmother’s bells. I fell in love with Bharata Natyam, and found such a home in the Shakti community. In 2018, I was thrilled to be chosen to do my Arangetram, but after a sudden concussion, the event was postponed. In 2020, my second attempt was disrupted by the pandemic.
Since then, I graduated from USC with a degree in gerontology, and I’m looking forward to starting medical school this fall. These past eight years have felt incomplete without dance, and all along, my heart has been with Bharata Natyam. I am so grateful to Viji Aunty and my family for making my Arangetram possible now in 2026. This art form has been such a source of joy for me, and I can’t wait to share that with all of you on June 27th.
Aditya Prakash Nair
Saturday, August 8
Lisa Smith Wengler Center for the Arts, Pepperdine University
Senior/12th grade. Portola High School
I first fell in love with Bharata Natyam watching my mom dance when i was a young kid and i told her to sign me up for classes because something about the strength in the movement and the grace in the hands and the expressions made my four-year-old brain light up with excitement. I want to do my Arangetram because I believe this is the next step in my dance journey. The intensive process will allow me to build my work ethic, strengthen my resolve, and most importantly improve my dancing expeditiously.
Amiya Shah
Sunday, August 9
Lisa Smith Wengler Center for the Arts, Pepperdine University
10th-grade -Viewpoint School
I first fell in love with dance when I saw my Mom and Masi perform at a wedding. I was so excited when I took my first Bharata Natyam class because I loved watching the older girls move with fast rhythm and grace. Over the years, I evolved from reluctantly practicing adavus to sincerely enjoying all the parts of Bharata Natyam. I love performing on stage and bringing stories to life through abhinaya. Over the last 10 years, I have enjoyed being a part of the Shakti community, where I have gained close friends and learned so much. I am so grateful and excited to share my love of dance at my Arangetram and to continue growing in my dance journey!
Sanaya Lakdawalla
Saturday, August 15
Lisa Smith Wengler Center for the Arts, Pepperdine University
10th Grade – Girls Academic Leadership Academy
I have been dancing Bharata Natyam for the past 11 years, but dance has been a part of me since I was born. From dancing to pop songs with my cousins when I was little, to watching my sister perform Sri Gananatha at her first Shakti annual, and later watching her complete an Arangetram in 2023, I’ve always known I wanted to be a dancer. But during COVID, when I went to dance class on Zoom from my parents’ bathroom, it was hard to find my passion. It wasn’t until I came back to school in person, that I rediscovered my love for performing dance. I’m so excited to have this opportunity to present my Arangetram, and share the discipline, strength, and passion I have learned throughout this journey.
Usha Sarvaiya
Sunday, August 16
Lisa Smith Wengler Center for the Arts, Pepperdine University
Dancing for 10 years
8th Grade Harvard-Westlake School
I have been learning Bharata Natyam for ten years. My earliest memories are watching my mom dance when she took me to dance classes. I immediately fell in love with the art form and the rhythmic music. What started as learning the basics of Bharata Natyam slowly became something I truly care about and something that means a lot to me. Bharata Natyam has taught me how to express a wide range of emotions while telling a story, and it has broadened my abhinaya skill set.
Over the years, it’s taken a lot of practice, patience, and effort, and I’ve learned a lot along the way. My Arangetram is an important milestone for me. It’s not just one performance, but the result of many years of classes, rehearsals, corrections, and improvements. Along with dancing, I also play the violin and I am a member of my school orchestra. My favorite music artist is the Cranberries which I listen to daily. In school, I enjoy English and Science. In my free time, I love baking chocolate chip cookies. I’m thankful to Viji aunty and the Shakti community, and I’m excited to share this moment with all of you on August 16th.
Sahana Narang
Saturday, August 22
Scherr Forum Theatre, Thousand Oaks
Dancing For: 8 years, started in September 2017
School: Harvard-Westlake
When my Telugu mom and Punjabi dad first met while performing at a Bhangra competition 25 years ago, their love for dance was passed on to me. Dance has always been a big part of our family and dancing at parties was something I loved to do as a little girl. I began Bharata Natyam in 2017, training with Viji Auntie from the very beginning on this beautiful, classical dance. These past 8+ years have created a deep love for this art form that relies on precision, discipline, and commitment. As a sophomore at Harvard-Westlake School, reflecting on this art of dance fills me with joy, nostalgia, and pride. It’s been such an incredible journey becoming part of this amazing community, but it doesn’t stop here. Presenting my Arangetram allows me to show everyone my passion and appreciation for Bharata Natyam.
Leela Dalal
Saturday, August 29
James Armstrong Theatre, Torrance
Dancing for 11 years, with Viji Aunty for 7 years
Freshman – Palos Verdes Peninsula High School
Starting off with ballet and tap at age 3 and Bollywood at age 4, dance has been the one constant in my life. When I started with Viji Aunty at age 7, my passion for dance not only grew immensely but it became an essential for life. I loved how I could express myself in ways I could not say in words. In these latest two years I have been given to opportunity to help teach the beginner students. I am so grateful that have had the chance to welcome the younger generation into the dance form I fell in love with. Shakti has given me not only life-long friendships but a family full of so much love and support.
Doing an Arangetram to me means remembering all of the years I have been dancing for and being able to show how far I’ve come. Dance has always given me a purpose and doing an Arangetram gives me a chance to show how grateful I am for that.
Harinii Nagarajan
Sunday, September 6
James Armstrong Theatre, Torrance
Dancing for: 10 Years (From 2015) With Viji aunty: 6 years (From 2019)
10th grade
I started dancing when I was 4 years old with my three best friends; we would smile, talk, dance, and laugh on repeat. What started as fun with friends became my sanctuary. Dance is happiness, and regardless of what life brings, dance will always be there. I have an unadulterated love for dance and the tons of emotions it brings that I truly can’t name. An Arangetram is the next step; it illuminates the path for more opportunities to explore dance and to build my confidence. I hope to be the same confident, happy little dancer I was forever!
“Arangetram”
The word Aranga means raised stage. Etram means climbing. Arangetram means – reaching the stage. It is a rite of passage ceremony where the Guru presents her disciple to the public. After several years of training and preparation students perform a solo dance performance on stage for the public with live music accompaniment by master artists. The Arangetram celebrates a milestone in the students training in the dance and signals the beginning of a new chapter of discovery and deeper engagement in the artform.