COSTUME
COSTUME 1 - PINK & GREEN
I chose pink and green for my first costume (which is in the traditional pyjama style) for a couple of reasons. First, I have been wearing a pink and orange costume for many years, so I wanted the opening of my Arangetram to have a connection to my roots and to the years I've spent practicing and training. As for the green, I wanted to mirror the freshness and youth of the first few pieces of the performance. Before a bud has blossomed or a fruit has fully ripened it is green, just as I was when I was first learning these fundamental pieces before I had matured and come into my own as a dancer .
COSTUME 2 - RED & CREAM
I chose red and cream for the second costume (which is a skirt style) due to the content of the piece. The Varnam I will be performing, Maathe Malayadhwaja, depicts Devi. She is the mother and protector as well as the bloodthirsty Kali. The fiery red was chosen to depict the blood which she spills as well as the blood which runs in each of our veins: she, the protector, the beautiful mother, is universal and part of every one of us. As for the cream, I wanted to illustrate her softer side as well as her purity of heart while creating a stark and polarizing contrast to the red, just as her softer side is a stark contrast to her ferocity.
COSTUME 3 - DARK BLUE & TURQUOISE
I chose dark blue and turquoise for the third costume (which is a dhoti style) for a few reasons. I feel the dark blue is reminiscent of an ocean, which wields so much power and yet remains graceful and elegant, flowing and moving with poise, just as I have learned to do in my dance. The turquoise provides a beautiful juxtaposition and its brightness reminds me of the joy and levity which I must always infuse into my dance. The two colors create a striking yet elegant costume which symbolizes my maturation throughout my dance journey.