Along with dance, I have interests in other activities too- some examples being able to play the guitar, and an interest in different art forms- such as drawing, and a love for poetry and writings, which will be mentioned later on. 

You are wondering, with such varied interests and being a foodie, how did I also find an intense liking to Bharatanatyam, so it's time to talk about how it all happened. I am not letting you all go from here without listening to that part of my story - as it has perseverance, sacrifice, anxiety, dedication, love, drama, and much more. 

My mom tells me that during one of the strolls around the neighborhood when I was four, a goodhearted woman approached us, complimented my beautiful eyes, and suggested that I give Bharatnatyam a chance. So we decided to try it, and the woman who came to us was my guru- Calai Chandra. 

The following week, I entered the studio for the first class, holding my mom's hand tightly, a little nervous, not knowing what to expect, and that's how everything started. 

I have learned through the years from this art form under Guru Calai's guidance that Bharatanatyam helps express oneself through hastas and postures and elevates my life with a healthy heart, building stamina, and bringing balance in my body along with other benefits. I often find myself immersed in the dance practice and forgetting the number of hours that goes by, quickly bringing an unexplainable joy to me.  

As I mentioned, my perseverance for the dance comes with sacrifice, anxiety, dedication, love, drama, and more. Sacrifices like missing friends' birthday parties or going out with my family over the weekends. Encouragement from my parents by taking me to performances which sometimes were only for a few minutes. Much later, my younger sister also joined them to cheer me up. These small events prepared me to overcome my anxiety and stage fear for more extensive performances. Although I had the dedication without the support of my family, which also includes my grandparents, who, during their visits, were my cheerleaders, and my grandmother would pamper me by lovingly feeding me so that my makeup and dress didn't spoil. 

I also received the lovely gift of Lord Nataraja's idol - the symbolism of Bharatnatyam from my grandparents. My cousins might be a little jealous knowing about it today, but the cat is out of the bag now - good luck, grandpa and grandma. 

As my passion for Bharatanatyam picked up over the years, it was followed by a ton of practice every week, leading to several performances. My first performance was on a chilly afternoon in April,  for the Holi festival in 2015. While my chubby cheeks kept my face warm, I would have loved some added chubbiness for the rest of my body to help me from freezing. I looked nothing short of an Indian princess in blue attire with some cute precious jewelry. While I was disappointed that my dance ended in a very short time, the joy of dressing up and dancing and receiving admiration from the audience - I knew I belonged on the stage, born to perform. It has kept me going and will continue to motivate me to carry on the tradition instilled in me by my family and Guru Calai for this art form. 

COVID-19 EXPERIENCES:

Covid-19 was a rough time for everyone. But, we did not let that come in our way. The whole dance troupe persevered through Covid-19, with online classes via Zoom, and have also put together videos with the song "Sriman Narayana" featuring the Manhattan NYC view, with also Newport sites :) ! Dancing while going through Covid-19 was an interesting yet a learning experience, with many opportunities and events to follow. 

Since we couldn't attend in-person competitions, we decided to try out online competitions, where we record a video of me dancing, and submit it. We cleared our apartment space, put together a backdrop, set up a tripod, got ready, and action! We recorded the video. I have done this a few times, with one time getting in 2nd place! *scroll down and click "Online Competition- 2nd place Jatiswaram" to watch the video. 

ACADEMICS:

At school, Kriti is an academically accelerated student. With winning numerous awards in school, Kriti has also gotten opportunities for her poems to be submitted in books which would be published in England. She has spent her time participating and helping in many community works, and taking part in many shows in school to showcase her artistic side. From winning competitions in her robotics team, to being in an honors society, Kriti also dedicates her time to her education. Kriti is also in a honors society program, called NJHS, where you are expected to have a 93 average and above in all subjects.

LEARNING TAMIZH (TAMIL) :

My parents were both raised in Mumbai, but they spoke one of the oldest languages in the world- Tamil. I was also raised knowing a bit of Tamil, but Bharatanatyam really upped my game. Besides knowing the language, Ms.Calai also taught me how to read and write Tamizh to a certain extent. It is a very intricate langauge, and my guru really taught me well. 

Other Major Achievements: 

• Kriti has danced in honor of American Tamizh Sangam's 10th anniversary- a non-profit organization in the U.S. and Canada. I have met many big superstars in the Tamizh dance and writing field during this event! Not only that, but I was also given a shawl by the president of this organization!

• Many poem's written by Kriti have been published through books in England ! 

• I have participated in countless dance competitions and have won top 3. 

• Yoga is also incorporated in this dance school- which I have showcased in many parks! 

• I have also performed in many community events, such as places in Town Square and Hamilton Park in Jersey City, NJ. 

• We have recorded several dance pieces in Newport as well, which are available online to refer to! 

• Besides dance, I have contributed in many guitar recitals online and in person! 

• I have also learned Carnatic Music from guru Anita Krishnan.