At just four years old, Mahi Ramnarain asked her mother if she could learn the “foot-thumping dance.”

A decade later, the Ballito teenager fulfilled her late grandmother’s dream of becoming a dancer.

The Reddam House Ballito pupil made her debut in the traditional Indian dance style of Bharatanatyam at The Capital Zimbali on April 25. The debut milestone is known as Arangetram and is regarded as a major honour.

Mahi, now 15, performed a three-and-a-half-hour recital accompanied by live musicians, featuring intricate footwork, expressive storytelling and five costume changes.

The performance was dedicated to her maternal grandmother, whom she affectionately calls Nani, despite never having met her.

“My mum told me that my Nani always wanted to be a dancer, but she was never given the opportunity to pursue that dream,” said Mahi.

“I hoped that through my Arangetram I could honour her memory and, in some small way, fulfil her wish.”

The occasion also marked a milestone for her guru, Shrimathi Sundharie Ramesh. Mahi became her 33rd and final Bharatanatyam graduate as Ramesh retired after 36 years of teaching.

But preparations nearly came undone when a knee injury left Mahi on crutches just two months before the recital. Unable to practise for six weeks, she had only a fortnight to prepare once she recovered.

“It was stressful knowing that I couldn’t practise while the Arangetram was getting closer,” she said.

Mahi credited her family, guru, musicians and understanding teachers for helping her balance rehearsals with Grade 9 schoolwork.

She now hopes to perform in India and pass her knowledge on to younger dancers.

“I don’t believe that learning ever really ends,” she said.