Before her performance, Sejal Krishnan (12) waits in the dressing room, her hair and makeup being touched up. As the performance gets closer, her nerves increase as well. Stepping onto the stage, the sound of the bells wrapped around her feet echoes throughout the theater. With the first sounds of the music, she finds her confidence, ridding herself of any lingering nervousness. 

Sejal began Bharatnatyam, an Indian classical dance form, twelve years ago. Other than Bharatnatyam, Sejal also has taken tap classes and has performed at the Harker dance show. Having danced for twelve years, Sejal finds that her favorite aspect of Bharatnatyam is the storytelling. 

“Bharatnatyam is a very different style of dance. You’re trying to tell a story and it’s all about learning a story from the past. It’s all about getting in the mind of like those characters and portraying their similar emotions outwards to the audience. I think that right now, for me, that is the most important thing,” Sejal said. 

In September of her senior year, Sejal performed her Arangetram, a debut on-stage performance which requires many years of training. With her Arangetram being three hours long, Sejal had to work hard to be able to perform for this extended period of time. Sejal’s experience with her Arangetram was very different from most dancers’ experience. 

“I had two concussions in my sophomore year. It was very hard because my Arangetram was actually supposed to be at the end of sophomore year, in June. What happened was with each concussion, it was a major setback,” Sejal said. “It’s not like a broken bone where you can still dance a little and do mostly everything. You have to rest your brain. I literally had to shut off everything.”

These concussions propelled Sejal to work even harder. Her first concussion lasted one week, while her second lasted almost a month. During these times, she was not allowed to dance, which made it harder for her to build the stamina for such a long performance. As an active person, Sejal found it hard to stop doing most things, especially dance. 

“It almost seemed impossible to achieve my Arangetram from at one point just because I was so behind,” Sejal said. “I hadn’t danced in so long, and I lost my stamina. It was very hard to get back into it after being out for so long. I think, for me, my Arangetram is really a symbol of overcoming troubles because of how hard my sophomore year was.”

While the concussions were major obstacles, Sejal feels that one of the biggest challenges she has faced has been coming out of her shell and becoming more extroverted. 

“I used to always be really shy. I was just kind of always scared of messing up. I was just a very silent child. My cousin and I got really close and I’m an only child, so it was kind of like having a sister,” Sejal said. “She pushed me to let go beyond my comfort zone and that is what made me a lot more confident. She definitely had a big impact in shaping who I am today.”

Facing such challenges was difficult, but Sejal became more confident as a result of them. Anika Tiwari (12), a friend of Sejal, noticed Sejal’s confidence and other traits. 

“The word that comes to mind for us is rambunctious because she’s a lot of fun. She likes to speak her mind. She is very confident, which is shown when she talks. She also has a lot of dimensions but I think that’s the side that comes across most clearly to people. She just really wants to always try to keep going,” Anika said. 

While Sejal has always been a hard worker, these obstacles have strengthened her will to push through any challenges. Dr. Victor Adler, Sejal’s previous mathematics teacher, noticed her diligence from when she first came into his class.

“She was pretty mature when she came into Honors Precalculus. She was very put together, organized, on top of things, and a hard worker. I think that she has found a way to lead with more vibrance and presence. She just needs to keep being herself,” Dr. Adler said.

Sejal also highly values individuality. Although she has had many achievements, she feels proud that she took the Art History course as a senior, because she chose it purely based on interest and only for herself. 

“I’m very proud of myself for taking AP Art History. I’m a lifer and that actually surprises many people because I have a very different mindset than most. Harker students forget to find a love of learning. I think something for me that I’m proud of is that I maintain that mindset in high school, and I think that taking Art History demonstrates that mindset,” Sejal said.

As Sejal graduates, she hopes that people will remember her for always listening to what she wants to do and focusing more on enjoying life. 

“I want to be remembered as the girl who had fun and made the most of what she could. Even during lunches, I don’t spend them just studying for the next test. I make memories with my friends,” Sejal said. “We play foosball all the time and we get into different discussions. Even in classes, I’m not the girl who’s not sitting there with her nose in the book. I’m the one asking the teachers different questions.”

What sets Sejal apart from everyone is not that she has been dancing for so long or because she has overcome many challenges. Rather, it is the motto she follows: live life for you.