Long time back when I was post-docing, I had a lab mate, MK. MK and I used to have long discussions on all topics and of course, we also had the solutions to all the problems. One of the solutions we proposed was Parental Aptitude Test before a person can become a parent.
I was reminded of the parental aptitude test as I watched Ilakiya's dance performance yesterday at the Tamil Sangam under the aegis of Delhi Karnataka Sangeetha Sabha. And wished I could tell the poor kid (they gave her official age as 11) to stop dancing and do something else. The child was physically unfit and grace was a concept alien to her. Araimandi means just that- half-sitting position. You cannot dance standing. And jathis does not imply you stomp on the ground.
But of course her parents, being wealthy and well-connected this was probably a sponsored program whereby the parents purchased a slot for their child to perform.
A child is just a child. Why can't they let her grow normally? Somewhere down the line she is going to be ready for an arangetram and maybe would like to perform dance. Or may be not. Either way it is fine, if only the parents could understand it.
The saving grace was the choreography and the music. The program started with Pusphanjali and alarippu. A jathiswaram in Vasantha and then Varnam in Khamas. This is my favorite- Mathe Malayadwaja by Muthiah Bhagvathar. And as time was running short they concluded with Valli Kannavin, again a very nice dance song. They fortunately spared us the Thillana.
The dance was followed by Nityasree's concert.
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