“My Purpose”

Ashwini Ramaswamy

Asian Indian | she/her/hers | Non-Profit Sector

I come from a family of female dancers and dancemakers, so the majority of my life has been steeped in the South Indian classical dance form of Bharatanatyam. I work with my mother (Ranee Ramaswamy) and sister (Aparna Ramaswamy), who are Co-Artistic Directors of Ragamala Dance Company. Ever since our first performance 27 seasons ago, we have explored what it means to translate our experiences of India and America through this dynamic, multi-faceted dance form.

Ranee, Aparna, and I each uniquely carry forward a tradition that has weathered thousands of years and remains relevant today. As part of this matriarchy, I am committed to maintaining certain traditions embedded within Bharatanatyam while creating my own personal vision of women’s representation in performance. Just like a writer uses language to write stories, we use our form to create new narratives.

Growing up with two incredibly strong role models was a challenge. While they were so certain about their path, so convinced that Bharatanatyam dance was their purpose in life, I was not. As long as I can remember, their mission has been to introduce new audiences to Bharatanatyam, expand its visibility, and make the form a part of the canon of American contemporary dance.

I’ve always had a more complicated relationship with my destiny. Being the only one born here in America, I viewed dance as a hobby, a way to spend time with my family, and stay connected to Indian culture. I always felt that I wanted to choose my own career, rather than fall into something just because I was born into it. Growing up I was not surrounded by other children who looked like me. Nobody was performing classical South Indian dances, traveling to India every year, and they certainly did not have musicians from across the globe staying in their homes. While I wasn’t ashamed or embarrassed, it was hard for me to see my future performing this culturally-based dance form in the United States.

While an undergrad at Carleton College I traveled back and forth between school and home to perform with Ragamala. After I graduated, I moved to New York and worked as a publicist at Penguin Books. As an English literature major and a lifelong lover of reading, I was extremely excited about the opportunity. And while I loved working with books and authors, something was missing — I hadn’t anticipated how much I would miss dance. It was something I had been around my entire life, but living in New York was the first time I realized how much I had learned through this complex art form. I thought about how much more I could learn and give back if I recommitted to my craft. So, I moved back to Minneapolis in 2007.

I’ve spent years working on my technique and knowledge after I returned. I became more focused; more like my mother and sister. My teachers – my mother, sister, and the legendary Smt. Alarmel Valli of Chennai, India – spent countless hours with me. They taught me to hold the balance between technical rigor, physicality, grace, and expressive authenticity – all hallmarks of our form of Bharatanatyam.

In 2013, I started creating my own choreography. The meticulous nature of my training gave me a strong foundation upon which to build my own structures. My choreography is often about reconciling one or more cultures. Most recently, I was commissioned by the Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra to choreograph a piece for their Liquid Music Series. The piece, called Let the Crows Come, evolved from a simple idea. When a DJ remixes a song, he/she/they maintain the song’s essence while changing its trajectory. For me, this mutation is reminiscent of being a second-generation immigrant – a person whose been culturally remixed to fit multiple places at once. Let the Crows Come was named one of the ‘Best of the Year’ in the Minneapolis Star Tribune and Minnpost. I was selected as a City Pages‘Artist of the Year.’ These recognitions validated my return to dance.

I’m so thankful that I came back to Bharatanatyam; I rediscovered a purpose that was within me all along.

#MinneAsianStories Series