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BY SRIANTHI PERERA

GetOut Contributor

Adance form that requires a decade of study to perfect will come next weekend to the Mesa Arts Center.

Bharatanatyam, a South Indian classical dance that originated in the temples of India 3,000 years ago, is the basis of “Vimshathi Vaibhava.”

The 21-year-old Silambam Phoenix will present at 5 p.m. Saturday, March 26, “Sarvagnya: She is Limitless,” a production highlighting the many facets of woman as creator, nurturer, educator, activist and artist. The 7 p.m. March 27 production, titled “Dasa Mahavidhya: She is Omniscient” is about the Mother Goddess by Srimathy Mohan and visiting dancer Priya Murle.

“Bharatanatyam is a highly complex visual art from that combines layers of melody, rhythm, emotions, story, philosophy and poetry. However, beyond all this that one sees at the outset, lies the essence of this art form – its tradition rooted in devotion and spirituality,” said Srimathy Mohan, the school’s founder and artistic director.

Since the tradition combines spirituality with physicality, she said, “Every Bharatanatyam performance is an experience for both the artist and the audience.” Mohan established the nonprofit Silambam, named for the ancient practice space of the dance, in 2000 with six students. Among them was her own daughter, Prithvi, who turned 5 that year.

“It’s incredible to see how much Silambam has grown over 20 years. I’ve been a student, performer, and teacher since the beginning and I’m so proud of the growth, commitment to arts and culture, and philanthropy,” said Prithvi Mohan, now a resident physician in pediatrics at NewYork Presbyterian/Weill Cornell Medical Center.

Prithvi said that her mom built the school not only for Bharatanatyam, but also as a safe space for mentorship and growth.

Prithvi and 13 others who are away in college are returning to participate in the concert, along with current students.

“We have been together for so long at this point that we’re basically all a big family,” said Meghna Jayaraman, 24, a former student who has been dancing for more than 15 years.

Graduation is by presenting a solo concert, called an “arangetram,” which Jayaraman did in 2013. The two-hour performance has about eight items, the longest of which is about 40 minutes. So far, the school has presented 17 graduations.

Born in America to Indian parentage, Jayaraman said she didn’t know anything about the dance form when she first began learning at 7 years old.

“The way she teaches dance, it’s very holistic,” she said. “It’s not just the dance, she teaches you the ideologies behind the stories, the history behind it, the Carnatic music; she teaches a lot about growing up because she sees us over our formative years.”

Bharatanatyam has a steep learning curve.

“It took seven years to feel really comfortable,” Jayaraman said.

“It takes a long time before you come to learn any sort of full piece.”

Each October, Mohan enrolls seven to 10 new students.

“The goal of Silambam Phoenix is to not only make the young students good dancers, but also mold them into cultured and artistic individuals who are confident, team players and better citizens with high moral values,” she said.

The teaching and learning ambiance at Silambam are informal, but the training is systematic and disciplined. The students are taught to pursue art for art’s sake and develop an appreciation for the arts.

Jayaraman voices her appreciation for the training that goes beyond the form.

“Dance has played such a formative role of who I am. Because we went to dance class and spent our full Sundays there for so much of our time while we were growing up, it really influenced us who we are,” she said.

“There are so many values that I have. How to work hard. There are so many perspectives that I have because of dance and how I’ve grown up and how it has influenced me.”

After mastering the basic steps, endurance comes a close second. Further along, expression and emoting have to be perfected.

Sinchana said she likes the dance form as it gives her many benefits: The level of discipline she learns, the exercise she gets and the opportunities to be with others of her culture.

“Since I don’t have any other family here, it helps me keep in touch with the rest of my culture and family by practicing this dance form,” she said.

For Mohan, an after-school activity has become a lifelong passion.

“Once I started my dance school, it has become my purpose,” she said. “I strongly believe that my training and my love for the art form are things that I need to pass onto the next generation.”

Bharatanatyam dance teacher Srimathy Mohan, center, and her students prepare for their 20th anniversary celebration of the dance school Silambam Phoenix at Mesa Arts Center.

(Courtesy of Kayla Dewees.)

What: “Vimshathi Vaibhava” celebrates 20-plus years of Indian dance school Silambam Phoenix with two evenings of dance at Mesa Arts Center. Proceeds will be donated to seven charitable organizations, including Arizona South Asians for Safe Families, Center for Rare Childhood Disorders and Save the Children. AZ Commission on the Arts provided a Youth Arts Engagement grant toward the Sarvagnya production McQueen Road, Chandler When: 5 p.m. March 26: “Sarvagnya: She is Limitless” is a thematic Bharatanatyam production featuring the many facets of woman by students of Silambam Phoenix. 3 p.m. March 27: “Dasa Mahavidya: She is Omniscient” is a thematic Bharatanatyam presentation on the Mother Goddess by Srimathy Mohan and Priya Murle. Tickets: $20-$75 (valid for both performances). Details: 480-644-6500 or mesaarts. com. The school: silambamphx@gmail.com or 602-820-8548.

1 Soak up the sun 5 Joke 8 Sports figure? 12 Penne -- vodka 13 Playwright Levin 14 “Oops!” 15 Picnic spoiler 16 Vacuum’s lack 17 Novelist Jaffe 18 Chinese food assortment 20 Some mixologists 22 Docs’ org. 23 “Uh-huh” 24 Tousle 27 “Locksley Hall” poet 32 Year in Mexico 33 Sock part 34 Stop -- dime 35 Short recital piece 38 Uppity one 39 Spike’s warning 40 Three, in Rome 42 JFK’s vessel 45 Brother’s son 49 Leveling wedge 50 Jurist Fortas 52 “I did it!” 53 Antitoxins 54 “-- the season ...” 55 Ireland 56 Tiny amounts 57 Six-pack muscles 58 Head, to Henri

1 Poet of yore 2 Jai -3 Slender 4 Sunflower State 5 “Billions” actor Paul 6 “Exodus” hero 7 Attire 8 “Oklahoma!” carriage 9 Oscar-winning actress Emma 10 Top-of-the-line 11 Compared to 19 Hesitant sound 21 Objectivist Rand 24 More (Sp.) 25 Popular card game 26 Lark, for one 28 Very long time 29 Fastidious trait 30 Yoko of music 31 Collar 36 Scents 37 La-la lead-in 38 Music for seven 41 Concerning 42 “Hey!” 43 Ellington’s “Take -- Train” 44 “Toodle-oo!” 46 Aesopian also-ran 47 Tend texts 48 Fade away 51 Clothing protector

Icouldn’t pass up a cookbook called “May I Have That Recipe?”

Through the years of rescuing recipes and documenting many of your kitchen memories, I must have used that phrase 100 times.

This cookbook was a real find. I was visiting Casa Grande and stumbled upon it while wandering through antique stores in the downtown historic district. The entire cookbook was hand-written and hand illustrated.

In the introduction, author Nellie Edge tells the story of how so many people would ask her for her recipes that she began keeping a file with multiple copies of each dish. It didn’t take much of an aha moment to realize she practically had her cookbook done! I loved the flavor of this carrot pineapple bread.

I’ve included my own recipe for a tasty glaze to go over the loaf to keep it moist and add real finishing touch.

This bread serves up wonderfully with the pineapple cream cheese spread.

If you make it, you know what folks may ask: “May I have that recipe?” ■

• 2 and 3/4 cups all purpose flour • 1 teaspoon salt • 1 teaspoon soda • 2 teaspoons cinnamon • 3 large eggs • 1 cup granulated sugar • 1/2 cup brown sugar • 1 tablespoon vanilla • 1 cup vegetable oil • 2 cups carrots, finely grated • 1 (20 oz) can crushed pineapple with syrup, divided. (save half for Cream Cheese Spread) • 1 cup chopped walnuts

Prepare 2 bread loaf pans ( 81/2 x 41/2 X 21/2 inch) by greasing and flouring bottom and sides. In a medium bowl, mix together flour, salt, soda and cinnamon.

In a mixing bowl, beat together eggs, sugars, vanilla and oil until well-combined.

Stir in grated carrots, pineapple and walnuts. Stir in flour mixture until just moistened. Do not over mix. Spread evenly in both loaf pans. Bake at 350 degrees for 55 minutes or until toothpick comes up clean. Cool in pans for 10 minutes. Run knife around the edges and remove to cool on a rack. Serve with Pineapple Cream Cheese Spread.

• 1 stick (8 tablespoons) unsalted butter • 1 cup granulated sugar • 1 cup buttermilk, store bought or homemade. (For homemade: 1 cup milk mixed with 3 tablespoons of lemon juice or vinegar. Stir and let sit for 15 minutes to thicken. • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda

In a medium pot, combine butter, sugar and buttermilk. Stir to dissolve sugar then bring mixture to a boil. When mixture comes to a boil, immediately add 1/2 teaspoon baking soda and stir once. The mixture will foam. While still foamy, pour half of mixture over each loaf of Carrot Pineapple Bread.

• 8 ounces cream cheese, room temperature • 10 oz crushed pineapple (remainder of the can used for bread batter)

Whip together cream cheese and crushed pineapple until light and creamy.

Spread over slices of Carrot Pineapple Bread