Arangetram

Arangetram is the debut on-stage performance of a student of Indian classical dance and music. The word arangetram is from the Tamil language and means ‘ascending the stage’ by a dancer on the completion of formal training. An arangetram is performed for dance styles such as Bharatanatyam, kathak, etc.

Arangetram is a Tamil word; “Aranga” meaning raised floor and “Etram” meaning ‘climbing onto’ in Tamil, and also called Rangapravesha in Kannada; “Ranga” meaning ‘stage’ and “Pravesha” meaning ‘enter’. Ideally this is the first public performance of an artist. After learning Bharatanatyam under the guidance of an accomplished guru, this performance is a testing time for both the guru and the disciple. On this occasion, the public judges both the guru’s knowledge and the disciple`s talent together. The guru decides when the disciple is ready for public appearance. At least 10 – 12 years of training is necessary to give a commendable arangetram performance.

For a dancer, bells which are worn on the feet are considered holy. In olden days, disciples were not allowed to wear these bells until their first public performance. In their first performance, they were made to worship the jingles, wear them and then perform. Accompaniments play a major role in the making of a memorable dance performance.

To perform an arangetram is an old tradition, which marks the pathway for a dancer to then perform alone or be able to give training to other dancers. Once a dancer has completed training he or she should have an understanding of classical music and the many aspects of dancing.

In an Arangetram the dancer dances to the tunes of Indian classical carnatic music. There are groups of musicians who play the songs the dancer dances on. They are usually seated at the left end of the stage. The instruments which are played in a bharatanatyam performance are the mrudangam, flute, violin, veena along with the nattuvanar (usually teacher of the dancer) and vocalist. All these instruments are required if the dancer opts for live music but most people prefer audio recordings for the dancer to perform on. Each of the instruments play an important role in the performance.

The mrudangam is needed as a clever musician is able to display his creative skill in the field of music as well as his powers of creative skill in the sphere of tala by playing new permutations and combinations of jatis. The cross-rhythmical accompaniment provided by the mridangam player is rather unique. The instrument consists of two hoops and sixteen interspaces which is required for the leather braces of buffalo skin to pass through. By downward and upward strokes with a small hammer on the hoop at appropriate points, the pitch of the instrument can be increased or decreased.

The carnatic flute is another important instrument. It is known as ‘venu’ in Southern India. It is an aerophone typically made from bamboo, that is a side blown wind instrument. It is used in the South Indian Carnatic music tradition. The musician uses his finger to close the hole half or quarter or three quarters of the way, to make different sounds.

Though the violin is a western instrument, it is also played in Carnatic music. The violin accompanies the vocalist as well as performs solo pieces. The carnatic violinists sit cross legged on the floor with their right foot slightly pointing out and the violin resting on their collarbone or shoulder. Vadivelu, of the Tanjore quartet, was a violinist and played a major role in having the instrument introduced into carnatic music.

The veena is one of the most ancient traditional string instruments. Its origin can be traced back to the 6th century. The instrument is quite similar to the ancient yazh, which is a greek stringed instrument. The veena is about 4 feet in length, and has a large resonator (kudam) which is usually carved or hollowed out of jackfruit wood, a tapering hollow neck (dandi) which is topped with brass or metal frets. There are different types of veena’s and the most common one is saraswati veena.

In an arangetram, the dancer wears the typical bharatanatyam make up, jewelry as well as costume. The stage is also well decorated and usually has some sort of flower or light arrangement on it. There is also a small set up towards the left front corner of the stage where an idol of god is kept (usually nataraja). The nataraja signifies “connection between religion and the arts” while representing Shiva, the lord of dance who encompasses the “creation and destruction and all things in between”. The standard stage size is 30 x 25 feet, and the dancer needs to make sure (s)he is covering all of the space. It is very important the dancer uses his/her space well and doesn’t dance in only one section of the stage.

There is a small pooja performed before the program begins. The puja is known as ‘Salangai Pooja’. In this puja the dance teacher ties the salangai to the dancer's feet and blesses the student. The literal definition of the puja is ‘worshiping the anklets’. This is usually only done before the arangetram because it is known to be the first time the dancer performs on stage. This puja is known to bring good luck and motivate the dancer.

The usual number of dances the dancer performs in an arangetram ranges between 7-9. Each of the dances vary from 5-45 minutes in duration. The dancer has a maximum of two breaks in an arangetram and it is important for him/her to maintain their stamina. There are usually only one-two costume and jewelry changes during the performance. The standard sequences of an arangetram usually begins with pushpanjali or alarippu and ends with a mangalam or slokam. The order in between slightly changes according to the dancer.

The number of people who attend an arangetram depends on the auditorium or seating capacity. There is also an anchor during the performance who gives a background of the item before each performance. There is also a small section of the arangetram usually done mid-performance, known as felicitation. In this section the dancer gives a small gift of appreciation to the teachers and chief guests. This is to thank them for their blessings. During the section of the performance, the teachers, chief guests, family members, etc. all give a small speech about something relating to the dancer or performance. At the end of the performance, guests and audience members come on stage to meet and congratulate the dancer.