How Hema Ramaswamy Found Healing Through Traditional Indian Dance
Jewish girls become a bat mitzvah; 15 year-old Latinas celebrate with quinceañeras. But for generations of Indian-American girls, the rite of passage is performing a classical Indian dance before a crowd of hundreds. After years of preparation, Hema Ramaswamy of Middletown, N.J., is ready to unveil her arangetram.
Hema Ramaswamy prepares backstage for her performance. She studied with Chitra Venkateswaran (right) for 4 1/2 years in preparation for this recital.
An arangetram, which literally means "ascending the stage," is a major accomplishment that takes years of preparation. This moment, when a student of dance or music asserts her artistic independence, usually happens in the teen years. Ramaswamy is 23.
Ramaswamy, who has Down syndrome, originally began dancing for health reasons. "But then it became part of her, and she really loves and enjoys it, and it took her 13 years with a lot of challenges, midway, to complete this," explained her father, Ram. "And now today is a perfect day for her — her graduating in this art."
She was able to achieve this despite her diagnosis and despite two major surgeries for a dangerous leak of cerebrospinal fluid. Her father said dance has strengthened Ramaswamy's muscles and given her fine motor skills she simply didn't have before.
"I feel so happy in dancing," she beams, surrounded by a flurry of doting aunties while preparing for her performance.
Hema Ramaswamy performs her arangetram, the public presentation of bharata natyam.
Ramaswamy's arangetram is 2 1/2 hours long and consists of 10 different dances. One is about the god Krishna, who, as a baby, starts devouring mud. Dancers usually try to mimic baby Krishna, but Ramaswamy becomes him. She then pivots into the role of Krishna's angry mother, who discovers her filthy son and orders him to open his mouth. But instead of finding mud, she finds planets, stars, galaxies — an entire unknown cosmos lying within. This is the dance that brings the audience to tears.
"Thank you, everybody for coming and supporting me," Ramaswamy says to a cheering audience. "I'm feeling so happy. Please enjoy your rest of your evening."
Her father tells the crowd that Ramaswamy's arangetram was more than a dance graduation; it was the day she became, in the eyes of the world, a full individual.
Having achieved this goal, Ramaswamy says, she now plans to go to college.
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Transcript
ARUN RATH, HOST:
Jewish girls go through the bat mitzvah, 15-year-old Latinas celebrate the quinceanera. And for generations of Indian-American girls, the culmination of years of studying classical Indian dance is a lavish solo performance before a crowd of hundreds. Reporter Arun Venugopal of member station WNYC attended what may have been the first such performance by a woman with Down syndrome.
(SOUNDBITE OF ARANGETRAM)
ARUN VENUGOPAL: There is a word for the graduation performance in Indian cultural circles. It's called an arangetram, which literally means ascending the stage. It is a major accomplishment, the moment when a student of dance or music asserts their artistic independence, often in their teens.
HEMA RAMASWAMY: I feel, actually, so happy and dancing.
VENUGOPAL: Hema Ramaswamy of Middletown, New Jersey, is 23, and today is her arangetram. Arangetrams are formative events, and the stuff of successful college applications. Hema's dad, Ram, says she started dancing for health reasons.
RAM RAMASWAMY: But then it became part of her. And she really loves and enjoys it. And now it took her 13 years with a lot of challenges in the midway to complete this. And now today is a perfect day for her - her graduating in this art.
VENUGOPAL: Despite her Down syndrome, as well as two major surgeries for a dangerous leak of cerebrospinal fluid. Ram said dance has strengthened Hema's previously weak muscles and provided her with fine motor skills she simply didn't have before.
(SOUNDBITE OF SPEECH BABBLE)
VENUGOPAL: With about an hour to show time, Hema is in her dressing room, adorned in a blue silk outfit, gold chains and bangles.
UNIDENTIFIED WOMAN #1: Yeah, this is better.
(CROSSTALK IN FOREIGN LANGUAGE)
VENUGOPAL: Getting fussed over by mom and an army of Indian aunties, posing for pictures and getting a little sassy.
UNIDENTIFIED WOMAN #2: Enough, Preston.
H. RAMASWAMY: Yes, please Preston. Stop a few minutes. Take a break.
VENUGOPAL: Out front, a crowd files into the hall. Women in silk saris with jasmine in their hair, lots of little kids, old men being helped to their seats - all here to witness this unprecedented event. Hema takes her place just off stage, behind the curtain with three friends, girls who've completed their arangetrams. They ply her with Gatorade, tell her she's beautiful and whisper advice in her ears.
UNIDENTIFIED WOMAN #3: Keep your chin up.
UNIDENTIFIED WOMAN #4: Chin up, big smile, so much expression.
(SOUNDBITE OF ARANGETRAM)
VENUGOPAL: And then she walks out.
(APPLAUSE)
VENUGOPAL: And for the next two and a half hours, Hema dances 10 dances in all, including one about the god Krishna as the baby who starts devouring mud. Dancers usually try to mimic baby Krishna, but Hema becomes him.
(SOUNDBITE OF ARANGETRAM)
VENUGOPAL: And then she pivots into the role of Krishna's angry mother, who discovers her filthy son and orders him to open his mouth. But instead of finding mud, she finds planets, stars, galaxies, an entire unknown cosmos lying within. This is the dance that's performed by Hema Ramaswamy that brings the audience to tears.
(APPLAUSE)
HEMA RAMASWAMY: Thank you, everybody. Thank you, everyone for supporting me. I am so happy. Please enjoy your rest of the evening. Thank you so much.
(APPLAUSE)
VENUGOPAL: Hema's father tells the crowd that Hema's arangetram was more than a dance graduation, that it was, in fact, her ascent into personhood, the day she became, in the eyes of the world, a full individual. Having achieved this goal, Hema says, she now plans to go to college. For NPR News, I'm Arun Venugopal. Transcript provided by NPR, Copyright NPR.
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