Our Story
My daughter, Sarvani Eloheimo, was born at International
Mission of Hope, an orphanage in Kolkata, India. She was 3-months-old when she came home to me in Olympia,
Washington. She is now 14. Fate
would have it that Olympia is also the home of Dr. Ratna Roy, Master Artist in
the female tradition of Odissi, one of the classical dance forms of India. Remarkably, Odissi originated less than three hundred miles from where Sarvani
was born! At the age of 5, here on the other side of the world, Sarvani began studying with Dr. Roy, known as the foremost proponent of this lineage in the world! Sarvani's first
performance, a solo, took place at the age of 8. Since then, Sarvani has
performed widely throughout the Puget Sound Region of Washington as well
as at the Third International Odissi Festival in Bhubaneswar, India when she
was 10. Notably, she and Dr. Roy have together received four Washington State Arts
Commission Master-Apprentice Awards between the ages of 9 and 14. Now, Dr. Roy has invited Sarvani to
perform with her company, Urvasi Dance Ensemble, in two international festivals
and one national festival in Bhubaneswar in December 2011. We are seeking help with travel expenses for this wonderful opportunity.
The Impact
In order for Sarvani’s training with Dr. Roy to continue,
along with performances in India, Sarvani will need new financial support. This
is due to the fact that, after receiving the Washington State Master-Apprentice
Awards four times (which is rare in itself), the likelihood of additional
awards, at least in the near future, is very slim. Additionally, the ability for Sarvani to perform in India
depends upon her ability to travel to
India. The Master-Apprentice Award does not support such travel. Realizing now that Sarvani’s long-term commitment to study,
practice and performance – and the support that I, as a single mother, am able to provide her – will
simply not be enough, I am reaching out in hopes that we may be able to find support for this opportunity, and perhaps beyond.
You can see Sarvani performing in the following YouTube videos:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5nbrkX1yxO0
This is an acting dance about Krishna as a young child. In it, Sarvani dances multiple parts including young mischievous Krishna, his mother, and Krishna's playmates.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SZce0JmPXFc
This
group dance took place in the summer of 2010 when Sarvani was 12. It
was part of the Seattle Theater Group's "Dance This!"
presented at Seattle's Paramount Theater. This variation on a
traditional dance features Sarvani as a young girl "waking" into a
dream (she begins lying down on the far right) where she sees the
temple sculptures, from which much of the dance form has been
reconstructed, coming to life.
What We Need & What You Get
What do we need at this time? Specifically,
we need assistance with costs involved in a three-week trip to
India in December 2011. So far, being a part-time college teacher, I have
drawn upon family and community support in various ways: I have
held garage/estate sales (offering belongings from Sarvani's
grandfather who had Alzheimer's and lived with us for six years until he
passed last year); I have held Zumba benefits (as a Zumba
instructor myself); and I have produced an evening of community music,
food, and silent auction. While these events have raised nearly $2500
- along with lots of moral support! - they have reached
one-third of the overall travel costs. The costs are so high because
this includes myself and Sarvani's 11-year-old sister, Meena, who
came home from Mumbai at the age of 5 and will, on this trip, be returning to India
for the very first time! In this campaign, however, we are only seeking specific help with Sarvani's own international ticket that will cost nearly $1900 ($1870 to be precise).
What will you receive? During the trip, to the extent possible, we wish to share our experiences with all of Sarvani's supporters by maintaining a blog. Back home, I plan to produce a performance of Odissi dance that includes some of the dances performed at the festivals in India. All local contributors of $10 or more (past and future) will receive a complimentary ticket to the performance. All contributors of $20 or more, near or far, will also receive a signed photograph of Sarvani performing. Beyond that, I hope all will feel the rich satisfaction of knowing they are supporting a young talent as she transitions through her teen years as well as of knowing they are helping her share with others the joy her dancing can bring.
A most sincere "thank you."
Other Ways You Can Help
Watch for Sarvani's website.
"Like" us on facebook: Sarvani's Odissi Odyssey 2011.
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Share this page with colleagues and friends.
