High School Student From Chatham Performs 'Arangetram,' Classical Indian Dance Milestone

CHATHAM, NJ — It is a milestone achievement in traditional Indian dance and over the summer, one Chatham High School student reached it.

Mayuri Purani, 17, was chosen by her Choreographer, Dance Director and Guru Srimati Bina Menon of the Kalashri School of Arts, after a decade of learning the time-honored dance form, to perform the "Arangetram," something Purani’s mother described as “one of the highest honors for a classical trained dancer.”

Purani performed three separate dances in the Arangetram with three other dancers for three hours, with accompaniment from an Indian orchestra, on July 25 at Montclair State University.

A senior with Chatham High School’s Class of 2022, she has previously performed at the Prudential Center, Carnegie Hall and New Jersey Performing Arts Center, as well as having danced in a fundraising performance in Madison.

Purani’s Arangetram, a term that means “ascension to the stage,” was comprised of three types of traditional Indian dance, including the Bharathanatyam, Kuchipudi Tharangam and Mohiniyattam.

Bharathanatyam is a word that means “emotion,” “music” and “rhythm,” which is the “oldest and most popular classical dance style of India," according to the program from the event. The Kuchipudi Tharangam is a dance that is considered a light and flowy one on a brass plate with “brisk rhythmic patterns and immense grace.” The Mohiniyattam, the third classical dance that Purani performed with the other dancers, is also known as the “dance of the enchantress.”

“We are very proud of her achievements,” said Purani’s parents, her mother Swapna and father Sanket Purani. “ It has been a lifelong journey for Mayuri to perform her Arangetram that started when she was only seven years old.”

“She finally got to fulfill her dream of showcasing everything she's learned in such a complex art form,” her parents continued. “We think it's given her a unique sense of accomplishment that she couldn't have reached without her own self-determination and persistence through her journey."

When she’s not dancing, Mayuri Purani is involved with the Outdoor Adventures Club and the Refugee Rescue Club as an officer. At Chatham High School, she’s additionally been a LINKS leader for two years and involved with the Spanish Club, World Language Honor Society and National Honor Society. As well as dancing outside of school, she’s played club volleyball for five years.

Questions or comments about this story? Have a news tip? Contact me at: jennifer.miller@patch.com.