All for art's sake
PAROMITA PAIN
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We must be focussed and determined to achieve our goals: Alarmel Valli.
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Dedicated to dance...
Acclaimed danseuse, Alarmel Valli, the foremost exponent of the Pandanallur tradition in Bharatanatyam, trained by renowned gurus like Chokkalingam Pillai and Subbaraya Pillai, has extended the frontiers of the dance tradition, evolving a style uniquely her own. Recipient of numerous awards, she was conferred the State Award of Kalaimamani in 1979, and made a State Artist of Tamil Nadu. In 1991, she was the youngest dancer to be given the President's Padmashri Award. In 1997, she was honoured by the City of Paris with the Grande Medaille de la Ville de Paris. The founder of Dipashikha, a Centre of Performing Arts, she has contributed to creating an international awareness of Bharatanatyam, as a classical, yet dynamic, contemporary dance tradition.
Early years
We lived in a big joint family in a huge house, owned by my grandfather, until I was ten. Orchards and wilderness surrounded us. We had stables too and my father owned a horse but later we bought a fewcows. I was the only child and grew up with my cousins, close to nature. We hadn't heard of computers, and cassette players were non-existent; we had only gramophone records. My toys were kites and tops. Reading was and still is my favourite activity. Gerald Durrell and James Herriot are my favourites. Family celebrations were joyous times. I remember lovely beach visits where we would spread out a big sheet and savour the sound of the sea. Chennai was then a haven of safety.
My maternal grandfather was a scholar and my Sunday afternoons with him were a fantasy time.
The greatest gift my mother gave me was to keep my mind open. She sat through every class of mine and watched with a gimlet eye. She was and is still my severest critic. She made dance a part of my life. I loved school. I would wake up at 5 in the morning and go for dance classes at 5.30. Exams were never a drudgery. Dance made me a loner but from my father who was a friendly, generous person I imbibed the quality to make friends and speak to strangers easily. Padmabhushan T.N. Ramachandran was my dance theory teacher and took the place of my grandfather.
Secret of success
To achieve our goals we must work with single-minded determination and focus. We must be able to scan our actions and see where we can improve. Today, children have access to more information but how is that information used to or assimilated to become real knowledge? Look at yourself objectively and assess realistically where you are going. Above all, remember that nothing matters more than human relationships and remaining true to oneself.
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