This short talk, written over a decade ago, was originally presented at Seema Haria's arangetram in Cleveland, Ohio on July 31, 1993. At that performative event, Seema's dancing was showcased for an audience of over 200 friends and family. Although over the years I have lost contact with Seema, I have continued to be involved with different aspects of Classical Indian Dance, both in the United States and abroad. I have also taught dance (including Contact Improvisation) in India, and I find myself engaging with the concept of rasa that I present here in various aspects of my life.

The exchange of ideas across cultures is a strange and wondrous phenomenon. Real concerns about cultural appropriation and the unequal access to the power of representation mean that we must learn to tread carefully across regional and ethnic differences. Yet at the beginning of the twenty-first century I am more convinced than ever that these exchanges, when consciously initiated, can be extraordinarily fruitful. There is something compelling for me about Classical Indian Dance, and as I engage with various forms and their histories, I am inspired to share in the dancing—intellectually, physically, and spiritually. Please join me.