The word Arangetram is from the Tamil Language and it simply means "Ascending The Stage" by a dancer upon completion of one's training. In other words, it is a public performance for any art form. In Tamil "Arangam" implies "Stage" and "etram" means "Rising or Climbing", and therefore Arangetram literally means climbing the stage or reaching the stage. It refers to the graduation ceremony where the Guru presents his or her pupil to the public. In Silapadikaram, a tamil text, which can be dated to the 2nd or 3rd centry, follows the adventures of an young dancer, Matavi, and includes a whole chapter devoted to the Arangerrukatai, or the story of her Arangetram. From this text and other sources, one can understand the importance or significance of such a performance.

 

The Arangetram is an exceptional performance, one that is of more importance than anyother in a dancer's life as it represents a joint performance between teacher and student. The Arangetram effectively implies that an young dancer is not only an amateur, but a budding professional, and that the audience must decide whether this status has indeed been reached, and in doing so pass judgment both on the dancer and on the guru. The Arangetram then is a performance that in order to be meaningful demands the equal involvement of teacher, performer and audience in the pursuit of artistic excellence. In this sense it is an event that symbolically unites the artistic community. The guru is publicly acknowledged for all the hard work in training the dancer; the dancer inturn is introduced and judged.

 

Arangetram can also be stated as a symbolic of one reaching a level of technical understanding and emotional maturity to be able to begin a professional career in dance. It is not just the completion of sorts, but it is equally a beginning. And finally, it is the celebration of a young dancer's commitment to dance. Therefore, Arangetram, should not be considered as a graduation or an end, but rather it is just a begining - that is, it a completion of dance training at a certain level and the begining of the next level. In other words, it is the first milestone in one’s journey as a dancer. This is the first formal full length performance which exhibits a dancer’s commitment to this art. Preparing for and performing one’s Arangetram is a major life experience. It teaches one what true learning is. Mastering the sequence of any dance is the first step, be it a purely rhythmic or a dance that emphasizes on human emotions. Understanding the literal and contextual meaning of each song is very important. When these come together, the depth of the dance gradually reveals itself. Overcoming physical and mental challenges, the dancer’s innermost feelings are invoked. To stop dancing after completing an arangetram, is arguably a waste of much time, effort and dedication in the years prior to it and once again, defeats the significance of an arangetram.