Chinese twins perform Bharatanatyam Arangetram in Beijing, earning warm applause

Behrampur,UPDATED: Aug 23, 2026 21:24 IST

Chinese twins Jin Yanshu and Jin Yanai performed their Arangetram, the traditional Bharatanatyam graduation ceremony, in Beijing on Saturday, drawing a strong response from the audience with their rendition of the Indian classical dance form. The well-attended event was presided over by Indian Ambassador Vikram Doraiswami and his wife Sangeetha Doraiswami.

The ceremony marked an important stage in the sisters’ training in Bharatanatyam. Praising their commitment, Doraiswami said, "What is truly commendable is that we see two young Chinese dancers throwing themselves into classical Indian dance with full enthusiasm."

Describing the significance of the occasion, Doraiswami said the Bharatanatyam debut ceremony, also known as Arangetram, is a major milestone in a dancer’s journey of learning the art. It literally means "ascending the stage", he said. He added that Bharatanatyam has a long history in India and that great art can transcend national borders.

He also said young Chinese people focus deeply on the study of Bharatanatyam’s postures, music and rhythm, and use it to understand India and its culture. This, he said, is "the most authentic and deep cultural and people-to-people exchange".

In a post on X, the Indian embassy in China said, "Ambassador @VDoraiswami congratulated the young dancers, their Guru and their parents, expressing the hope that Bharatanatyam would remain a precious part of their lives."

The 16-year-old sisters, who are in high school, have been learning the art form since the age of three under noted Chinese Bharatanatyam exponent and teacher Jin Shan Shan, a student of celebrated dancer Leela Samson. Shan runs the Sangeetham Indian Arts School in Beijing and learnt dance at Kalakshetra in Chennai.

According to Shan, several hundred children from across China have learnt the Indian art form at the school, which was established in 2006. The event marked the fourth set of dancers to perform Arangetram in the past few years.

The twins have already appeared in various shows, including before Prime Minister Narendra Modi when he visited Tianjin in 2025 to participate in the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation, and in the dance drama Ramayana staged in Beijing last year. Their Arangetram in Beijing was another major milestone in their journey in Bharatanatyam.

With PTI Inputs

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