Journey of a Bharatanatyam dancer
                     My Journey As A Dancer by Meghana Ramoju
 “Make it clean, make it sharp, one more time, smile, 
you’re late”, these are some of the many things dancers 
hear over and over again. However, these are the same 
words that push us to work harder and chase that 
impossible perfection. Dance is a beautiful form of art 
that requires stamina, perseverance, and passion. The 
performance presented for a few minutes on stage is a 
result of the countless hours that have been spent 
practicing and perfecting the dance.
My journey as a dancer started in the fifth grade, as a 
Bollywood dancer. During this time, I was a very shy 
person and had difficulty expressing myself. I always had 
an irrational fear of performing in front of others. I 
understood that practice was the only way I could have 
confidence in myself, and with constant practice, I 
learned proprioception (the awareness of your body in 
space). After my first performance, I acquired a lot of 
confidence in myself. With this confidence, I tried out for 
my school dance team and went completely out of my 
comfort zone. During this time, I learned the importance 
of practice and repetition, as we would practice every 
single day for two hours with only a day off on Sunday. I 
saw many talented dancers during our competitions and 
knew that I had a long way to go. The inspiration around 
me pushed me to improve myself. After the end of the 
eighth grade, considering learning Bharatnatyam, as I 
longed to dance again.
Finally, during the ninth grade, I started learning 
Bharatnatyam. Getting to this decision was an excruciatingly 
slow process. I spent hours pacing back and forth in my room 
because I knew that Bharatnatyam would be a journey filled 
with hard work and commitment. Finally, I decided that I 
would try it and see if it was something I was interested in. 
Little did I know that one class would have me completely in 
awe. Every class I learned something new and loved every 
moment of it. My teacher, Vasanthy Raja, has always been 
there to support me and teach me more every day. 
Bharatnatyam pushes me to my limits and encourages me to 
work harder. It has taught me how to listen and feel the 
music. I have learned the importance of balance, in dance, 
and in life. I became more independent, and more in control 
of myself. I also found my weaknesses, and have learned 
ways to work on them. Despite learning so much, I know that 
there is always more to learn. In addition to this, I saw myself 
grow. I became more independent, and more in control of 
myself. Today, dance has become a part of me that defines 
who I am as a person.
My journey as a dancer has made me evolve into a 
completely different person from who I was in the fifth 
grade, and I also know that I will never stop learning and 
evolving as a dancer.
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