"TAPASYA" - pray for a soul

Aditi Acharya

Aditi Acharya is a Junior at Northview High School. Aditi’s love for and dance is captured in those little moments as a toddler when her feet and body swayed instinctively to the popular tunes of those times. Aditi started her Bharathanatyam lessons at age 4 under Kinnari Jani. In October 2003, Aditi entered The Narasimha Academy of Arts under the tutelage of Guru Preeti Vinayak Shah. Under Preeti’s guidance and patient efforts, Aditi blossomed into a graceful dancer and learned the multiple nuances of Bharathanatyam rhythms, tunes, emotions, and movements. Aditi has performed in several shows such as the Georgia Tamil Sangam, Festival of Indian 2007, Asian Cultural Experience 2007, Raksha’s Desi Idol contest, and TANA to name a few. She recently completed her Arangetram in December of 2008. Dancing has been a vital part of her life. She also is very passionate about acting and is involved in Northview’s Drama Program.

Service work has been very important to Aditi. She recently dedicated her Arangetram to a cause known as PAST Atlanta, which rescues girls from slavery and sex trafficking. She is also a part of that organization in her school. Being a girl, Aditi knows how important dignity and self respect is, which is why this cause holds a special place in her heart.

 A few words from Aditi:

“Dance is my passion. I could not imagine life without dance. It’s such a vital part of my life, and I hope to be able to treasure this hobby with me for the rest of my life. Apart from learning a fine skill, dance has taught me dedication and discipline. It has taught me to be determined and to endure through any obstacles put my way to finally achieve my goal. Every week I look forward to Fridays, eagerly waiting for dance class. By the end of a tiring week, dance offers relaxation and just a way to keep my mind off of everyday stress. I also enjoy our rehearsals, when I get to meet all the girls. We bond very well, having known each other for so many years. Dance has brought us together and taught us to work together as a team. It’s not anymore about how good I am, but more about how we look as a group.

"All of our success has to be credited to my teacher, Preeti Shah. She is an exceptional person, and I have learned so much from her these past six years. She has helped me hone my skills of boundless stamina, angashudham, abhinaya, and accurate rhythm control. She completely transformed me as a dancer. She is so easy to get along with and you could talk about absolutely anything with her. She makes classes a lot of fun with her endless enthusiasm, spirit, and entertaining stories. I am very lucky to share a special bond with my teacher, who I respect and look up to. I would definitely cherish this throughout my life."

 "I consider myself very fortunate to be able to dance for a great cause such as Ekal Vidyalaya. This cause dedicates itself to bettering the lives of many people around the world. I have been very fortunate to be able to live in a society with great education. I have the opportunity to chase after my dreams, and I strongly believe everyone else should too.”