A Time to Dance
Written by Padma Venkatraman
Summary:
In India, a girl who excels at Bharatanatyam dance refuses to give up after losing a leg in an accident.
Primary Source Pairing:
Bharatanatyam dance is what Veda lives and breathes. Mastering this traditional Indian dance has been her dream since she was a little girl. After a horrible accident, Veda must learn to dance again. For many readers, the style of Bharatanatyam dancing will be unknown. Use the primary source pairing of an image of a woman at a Bharatanatyam dance performance to increase background knowledge and to give Veda’s story context. For a more in-depth view of Bharatanatyam dance, view the YouTube video below featuring Savitha Sastry.
Questions for Discussion:
- Describe what you see.
- What do you notice first?
- What people and objects are shown?
- How are they arranged?
- What other details can you see?
- How does this image help you understand Veda’s story in A Time to Dance?
Credits:
Book Cover and Summary: Follett
Bharatanatyam Performance Image: Wikipedia
To hear the pronunciation of Bharatanatyam, click here.
Primary Source Pairings 