A 13-year-old girl from China made history by performing a Bharatanatyam “Arangetram” in China, marking a significant milestone for the ancient Indian dance form as it gains popularity in the country.
Lei Muzi showcased her solo dance performance before renowned Bharatanatyam dancer Leela Samson, Indian diplomats, and a large audience of Chinese enthusiasts.
VIDEO | Lei Muzi, a 13-year-old school student, scripted history when she performed Bharatanatyam “Arangetram” in China, a landmark in the journey of the ancient Indian dance form that is gaining popularity in the neighbouring country. pic.twitter.com/OaOlc9EEhh
— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) August 13, 2024
For dedicated Chinese enthusiasts of Indian classical art and dance who have spent decades mastering and performing these forms, Lei Muzi’s debut marked a historic moment and a significant milestone as it was the first-ever Bharatanatyam “Arangetram” in China.
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In the Tamil tradition, Arangetram is a dancer’s inaugural stage performance before an audience, including teachers and experts. It is a crucial step that signifies the dancer’s readiness to perform independently or teach others.
“This is the first-ever Arangetram by a student fully trained in China and performed in China,” stated TS Vivekanand, the First Secretary of the Indian Embassy in charge of culture who attended the event.
He told PTI that it was a well-executed Arangetram conducted in a traditional manner.
Chinese Bharatanatyam dancer Jin Shan Shan, who trained Lei, highlighted, “Lei’s Arangetram is the first time that Chinese students trained by a Chinese teacher have completed in China, which is a landmark in the history of Bharatanatyam inheritance.”
Shruti Rawat, the wife of Indian Ambassador Pradeep Rawat, was the chief guest at Lei Muzi’s Arangetram.
The event drew a large audience of enthusiastic fans who applauded throughout Lei’s two-hour performance, which featured several classical pieces.
In addition to Leela Samson, a group of musicians flown in from Chennai provided the classical music for Lei’s dance. Lei is scheduled to perform in Chennai later this month.
Lei Muzi was trained for over a decade at the Bharatanatyam school led by Jin Shan Shan, who herself became the first accomplished Bharatanatyam dancer to complete her Arangetram in 1999 in New Delhi.
Jin was among the many Chinese students trained by the renowned Chinese dancer Zhang Jun.
Known as Dudu, Lei has been passionate about Bharatanatyam since she joined Jin’s school in 2014.
“I completely fell in love with it. I kept dancing till now. For me, Bharatanatyam is not only a beautiful art and dance form but also the embodiment of Indian culture,” she told PTI.
“This fascinates me greatly, as well as the gorgeous and graceful movements during a dance item. Overall, I extremely love Bharatanatyam. For me, it is already a daily activity to do, and I am truly interested in the culture of India,” she said.
Jin, a renowned figure in both China and India with a history of numerous performances, expressed her pride in seeing one of her students achieve their Arangetram. “Bharatanatyam has brought us close together. For ten years, Lei has come to my home every weekend to attend classes, which not only let me witness her growth but also made us family,” she said.
“It reminds me of how my guru, Leela Samson, taught me when I did my Arangetram,” she said.
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