The 16-year-old sisters, who began learning Bharatanatyam at three, have now completed a major milestone after years of training under a Chinese guru in Beijing.
Beijing: Chinese twins Jin Yanshu and Jin Yanai captivated audiences in Beijing with their Arangetram, a traditional Bharatanatyam graduation ceremony that marks a major milestone in a dancer’s journey.
Arangetram literally means “ascending the stage” and marks a dancer’s formal debut after years of training.
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The 16-year-old sisters performed the classical Indian dance form on Saturday at a well-attended event attended by Indian Ambassador to China Vikram Doraiswami and his wife, Sangeetha Doraiswami.
Praising the twins, Doraiswami said it was commendable to see two young Chinese dancers embrace Indian classical dance with such enthusiasm and dedication.
Doraiswami said Bharatanatyam’s long history in India demonstrates how great art can transcend national boundaries.
He also highlighted the growing interest among young Chinese people in learning Bharatanatyam’s postures, music and rhythm, describing their engagement with the art form as a meaningful way to understand India and its culture.
The Indian embassy in China also congratulated the dancers, their guru and their parents, expressing hope that Bharatanatyam would remain an important part of the sisters’ lives.
Twins began learning Bharatanatyam at three
The Jin sisters began learning Bharatanatyam at the age of three under Chinese dancer and teacher Jin Shan Shan.
Shan runs the Sangeetham Indian Arts School in Beijing and trained under renowned Bharatanatyam exponent Leela Samson.
Established in 2006, the school has taught the Indian classical dance form to several hundred children from across China, according to Shan.The Jin twins are the fourth set of dancers from the school to perform an Arangetram in recent years.
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The sisters have already performed at several events, including before Prime Minister Narendra Modi during his visit to Tianjin in 2025 for the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation summit.
They also participated in a dance drama based on the Ramayana staged in Beijing last year.
Their Arangetram adds another chapter to the growing cultural exchange between India and China through Bharatanatyam.
PTI
Published: 23 Aug 2026, 10:01 pm IST
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