Sunday Snapshots: Bharatanatyam pre-Arangetram Shoot

Arangetram is the professional dance debut of a dancer after years of training. It is akin to a graduation and is celebrated with a solo dance performance of at least two to two-and-a-half hours. The artist dances to live music and has to work closely with the musicians.

In the years past, arangetrams would be held in temples and the audience would be made up of prospective clients. Today, an arangetram is a celebration of the artist's achievements with friends and family blessing the dancer for attaining an important milestone. Arangetrams can be as fancy as a wedding or as simple as a dance performance to live music.

I was fortunate enough to do a pre-arangetram shoot for an event that is happening at the time that this post will go live. Here are some of my favorite pictures from that shoot.

Enjoy!

Bharatanatyam Pre-Arangetram Shoot


Bharatanatyam Pre-Arangetram Shoot

Bharatanatyam Pre-Arangetram Shoot

Bharatanatyam Pre-Arangetram Shoot

Bharatanatyam Pre-Arangetram Shoot

Bharatanatyam Pre-Arangetram Shoot

Bharatanatyam Pre-Arangetram Shoot

Bharatanatyam Pre-Arangetram Shoot

Bharatanatyam Pre-Arangetram Shoot

Bharatanatyam Pre-Arangetram Shoot

Bharatanatyam Pre-Arangetram Shoot

Bharatanatyam Pre-Arangetram Shoot

Bharatanatyam Pre-Arangetram Shoot

Bharatanatyam Pre-Arangetram Shoot

Bharatanatyam Pre-Arangetram Shoot

Congrats, Vani!

8 comments:

Soma said...

Beautiful Beautiful beyond words. Have been waiting for this for a while now.

Manasi said...

Hatacha mudra ani haav-bhaav, chehryavarche ani dolyatle- Sundar!

Beautifully captured.
Good wishes to Vani!

Prema said...

Congrats to Vanni and sh luks so pretty!

Namitha said...

Lovely lovely pictures !

Sunshinemom said...

Excellent shots and angles, Manisha! Congrats to Vani and wish her all the very best for the future. :)

anna in spain said...

I forgot I'm no longer getting your mailings, Manisha. Have to remember to check in by hand. Or if there's a new list, please put me on it??
I think of you twice a day now--I have 4 half-gallon jars of limes pickling in the sunshine!

Laurel said...

Gorgeous! The dancer, and the photos. The poses are amazing--I would love to see her in motion.

Thank you!

Indian Food Rocks said...

Soma, thank you!

Manasi, kharach kautuk karne layak ahey! Thank you!

Prema, thank you!

Namitha, I can't tell you how much fun this was! It makes a huge difference when there is so much passion and interest, not to mention grace! Thank you!

Sunshinemom, thank you!

Anna, yay for sunshine in a jar!

Laurel, I didn't record any video but I did shoot her performance. I hope to share those pictures soon!