Shreya Sreejith

I began my dance journey at the age of five at a studio in Stamford, under the guidance of Keetha Sivamohan. After moving to Wilton at the age of nine, I furthered my training under my Guru, Jaynti Seshan, where dance became an even more integral part of my life. Throughout these years, Bharatanatyam has not only allowed me to develop a unique sense of discipline and perseverance, but has also given me some of my favorite memories and closest friendships to this day.

Ironically, some of my favorite moments from dance have nothing to do with the art form itself. Sometimes the random conversations we have in the middle of class — where the discussion drifts toward anything but dance — are the most special moments for me. Looking back, I also enjoyed the arduous hours spent at dance camp perfecting various adavu sequences; challenging at the time, but they allowed me to grow and develop as a dancer. I also loved the spontaneous Secret Santas and the strong sense of community we built during class. Whether it was stress-practicing our dance just moments before performing on stage or chatting together long after class ended, the people Bharatanatyam brought me to were a big motivator for doing an Arangetram.

For me, this Arangetram represents all of the dedication, effort, and growth I have put into dance over the years. In this past year specifically, I look back on hours upon hours of practice and can confidently say I pushed myself in ways I never have before. This performance is especially important to me because it reflects years of growth as a dancer that I wouldn’t trade for anything. More than anything, it is a special memory that I will always hold close to my heart — and one I’m grateful to share with one of my closest friends.

My family roots trace back to Kerala, and staying connected to our culture and traditions has always been important to me. Bharatanatyam has been a way for me to understand the stories we are taught as Hindus, and being able to perform them helps me gain a deeper understanding. Through dance, I have been able to strengthen that connection and appreciate my heritage even more.

I am incredibly grateful to my Guru for her guidance and encouragement throughout this journey. I would also like to thank my parents, family, and friends for their endless love and support every step of the way. Finally, I would like to thank my partner, Shriya! We have been through so much together over the past year, working incredibly hard to get where we are today. This experience has taught me a lot about the value of friendship, and I hope you can see that throughout our Margam. Along the way, we were also able to create many memories together — sometimes even extending those breaks a little longer than we probably should have! But those moments made this journey even more special, and I wouldn’t have wanted to experience it with anyone else.

— Shreya