The greatness of Bharata Natyam lies in its ability to harmonize the physical, intellectual, emotional, and spiritual dimensions of life, giving the dance the power to touch and to communicate at all levels. Being a composite art, it synthesizes melody and rhythm, painting, sculpture, poetry, and theater. The dancer is the musician, sculpting and structuring time and space in forms both graceful and powerful. He or she is the painter, adding tints and hues to a line drawing, bringing it to life. He or she is the poet, writing poems with movements, gestures, and expressions. Ultimately, he or she is the seeker, whose dance becomes a transcendental, transforming experience–an ecstatic prayer that celebrates the beauty, the wonder, and the mystery of life. — Alarmel Valli