18 days later!

I thought of writing earlier but it takes quite a while for the initial high to slowly subside and I wanted to get a more neutral picture out. So, was it worth the emotional, physical, financial effort? Yes, absolutely (if you are like me :) If you are preparing for your arangetram and want some expert (one time makes me an expert, doesn't it?) advice, feel free to reach out to me.

Meanwhile, here are some thoughts and tips to streamline, if you will, the process some more. You probably already know this but just pretend what I have to say is pretty insightful and all that.

Live orchestra -- if you plan to have one for your arangetram, assume that you will need to put in some effort into making them comfortable, driving them to/from the hotel, hall, your home etc. They will have dietary/travel requirements (they usually have a fully booked schedule) and you have to be ready to meet them. And regarding the performance itself, understand that no matter how much you practice with them, there will be times when you hear something different from what you had practiced for (however minor) and you just have to smile and go with the flow. As long as you are with the beat, you are good! I think there were at least 5 micro-portions of the song (lyrics and jathis) where the singer sang it differently from what we had practiced and it took me by surprise but I smiled and danced and all was well! Oh and we had about half the time that we asked for, for costume change (you know, when the orchestra plays songs so you can change your costume) -- so be prepared to be Lightning McQueen!

Practice -- Understand that after the choreography is done, you are in control of how much you practice. The teacher will guide you after that but at that point, the onus, for lack of a better word, is on you. Just practice and set your schedule. If there is a class with your teacher, get your dance refined. If not, no sweat, just...right, practice!

The Go-to person(s) -- Have at least 2 Go-to persons who can drive and help you out on the day of the program. In my case, it was my daughter's nanny (besides friends) who did quite a bit of last minute driving to get us the right mikes for sound testing. This Go-to person should not be you (duh) or your significant other or your parents or kids!

$$$ matters -- Considering the amount of emotional overload you and your family and your teacher goes through for your arangetram, get it all down in writing and that is the best way to deal with money matters associated with your arangetram -- it's all written down and clear and there is no relying on anyone's memory for details, KISS. Whether it be the orchestra fees, the hall rental fees or how much you owe your teacher, get it all written down, in advance.

Audience -- Get the invites out in advance. This is probably something that I should have done better. The number of people that actually showed up for my arangetram were less than half of what we expected. So get that invitation out, call if you want to add that extra touch and make sure the "Rasa" bhava is aplenty on the day!

Take it easy -- Probably the worst piece of arangetram advice but I think the day of your arangetram, you will find that you are relaxed and even if you are not, smile and act like you are, enjoy the company of your friends and well-wishers who are anxious and happy for you to succeed and have a blast!

Good luck!