Bharatnaatyam may not be a familiar word to some, but the Ames City Hall Auditorium, 515 Clark Ave., will be home to Alarmel Valli, a internationally acclaimed master of this Indian dance form, on Sunday.

“[Valli] is very well-known performer of this Indian dance style,” says Ambar Mitra, president of the Indian Cultural Association of Story County. “She is one of the premier dancers in our country and has gotten outstanding reviews.”

Valli’s Bharatnaatyam dance performance will be accompanied on stage by five musicians who will be providing live music, says Jayati Mitra, Indian Cultural Association member.

“Although the instruments used for this performance may vary, the typical Indian instruments that are used include the mridangam, which resembles a drum, the tabla, which is also a percussion-like instrument, and the harmonium, which resembles an accordion,” she says. “The dancer will also be accompanied by vocals and a violin.”

Valli has been studying the classical Indian dance of Bharatnaatyam since she was young, and in January 1991, she was the youngest dancer ever to be presented with the prestigious “Padmasri” award by the president of India. In 2002, she received the Award of the Sangeet Natak Akademy, which is India’s premier center for music, dance and drama.

Valli has received standing ovations and glowing reviews from critics all over the world and has made appearances in Vienna, Austria; Helsinki, Finland; and Venice, Italy. She has also performed at the Bolshoi Theatre in Moscow and in the Netherlands for Queen Beatrix’s birthday.

Bharatnaatyam originated from southern India and is just one of several established dance forms from the country, says Rajeev Arora, secretary of the Indian Cultural Association and associate professor of horticulture.

“Bharatnaatyam is a dance form that evolved hundreds of years ago, and has survived the test of time,” says Ambar Mitra, professor of aerospace engineering and engineering mechanics. “Bharatnaatyam has mostly maintained its original form and it is as appealing now as it was centuries ago. The permanence of the style can compare to the music of Mozart and Bach that are still popular today.”

Arora says the Indian Cultural Association was fortunate to have Valli come to Ames.

“It wasn’t easy to get [Valli] here, but because she was doing a performance in Minneapolis, it was close enough for her to come here,” Arora says. “She’s really doing us a favor by coming, too. Otherwise, it may have been impossible to get her here because of the expenses.”

The Indian Cultural Association tries to bring Indian performers and artists to Ames each year, hoping to share their culture with the town, as well as to expose second-generation Indian children to their native culture, Arora says.

“This event is a chance for people to learn and appreciate Indian culture,” Arora says. “This is a bargain for the people of Ames to see a dancer of this caliber locally. It’s going to be a very significant event.”