The word Aranga means raised stage. Etram means climbing. Arangetram means – reaching the stage. It is a rite of passage ceremony where the Guru presents her disciple to the public. After several years of training and preparation students perform a solo dance performance on stage for the public with live music accompaniment by master artists. Guru Rama Suresh has presented many arangetrams having taught over 1500 students over the past 34 years. While Arangetram celebrates a milestone, Arangetrams are not enforced at MDA as it is left to the student/parents decision to do so. Regardless of the arangetram, students will be taught the whole margam and advance level dance numbers and included in MDA performances.