Watch: Chinese teen creates history with her 'Arangetram' performance in China

A 13-year-old Chinese girl has surprised everyone with her remarkable performance of Bharatanatyam "Arangetram" in China. This marks a historic recognition of the ancient Indian dance form, which is achieving popularity in the neighbouring country.

Lei Muzi performed her two-hour-long solo in the presence of Bharatanatyam dancer Leela Samson and chief guest Shruti Rawat, the wife of Indian Ambassador Pradeep Rawat, among other Indian delegates. She was applauded by a large audience of fans in which she danced to several classical songs.

Arangetram, as it is called in Tamil, refers to the graduation ceremony of pupils of the ancient dance form, where they perform in the presence of teachers, masters, and the public. Only after this ceremony, the students can perform on their own or teach aspiring dancers.

The event marked a milestone in history, inspiring Indian classical art and dance fans in China, who have been dedicated to learning and performing them for decades.

T S Vivekanand, the first secretary of the Indian Embassy in charge of culture, told news agency PTI that the ceremony was properly conducted as per the traditional way.

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

"This is the first-ever Arangetram by a student fully trained in China and performed in China," he said as he attended the event.

"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," stated Jin Shan Shan, the Chinese Bharatanatyam dancer who trained Lei.

Apart from Leela Sampson, several musicians from the Indian city ofChennai accompanied Lei's performance as they sang classical numbers. She will soon perform in Chennai by the end of this month.

Lei has been trained for more than 10 years by Jin, who was the first dancer to perform her Arangetram in 1999 in New Delhi after receiving training from notable Chinese dancer Zhang Jun. Jin has performed numerous times and is a well-known artist in China and India.

"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," Leitold PTI.

"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," Leisaid. She further added that Sunday's Arangetram is a celebration for them.

(With inputs from agencies)