Posted by Vinod Menon (136.182.2.222) on September 19, 2005 at 16:16:57:

 In Reply to: How to become an Arangetram level dancer from just an Average Ole dancer?

Posted by Thila on September 19, 2005 at 02:15:13:

 You need not have an arangEtram and can still be the best dancer you can be. I think it’s quaint, has historical value, and can serve as a goal for some focused work. But I would not classify it as an absolute necessity. What is it about the arangEtram that interests you? Try to figure that out for yourself. You can further yourself as a dancer without an arangEtram on the horizon. If there is a need for a debut recital for you to have a goal to practice towards, you could do that as a simple recital for charity rather than an elaborate affair that benefits nobody. You can discuss that with your Guru and bring up that alternate option.

On some of your other queries, Yoga helps build body strength and flexibility. There is no such thing as a prescribed number of hours that one needs to put in to achieve a certain level. Just give it as much time as you can, but don't overdo it. Listen to your body. The body does time to recover from strain and fatigue. Don't cheat yourself when you practice. Progressing to the next item or adavu should be a secondary goal to learning the current piece to the level of perfection that you desire. When you are not concentrating on what comes next, you have a chance to enjoy the dance and infuse it with your personality. The only way to get there is by repeated practice. Maintain good posture. This is very VERY important. Learn about body alignment and be aware of that to prevent injury. Try to learn music or listen to a lot of music. The goal is not to become a musician, but to have enough exposure to feel the music as you dance and developing control on rhythm. Absorb the lyrics of the compositions you are dancing to and gather as much information as you can about the subject and context. You will be surprised how much that adds to your performance.

Good Luck!