Ever since she can remember, Kali Mehrotra has been a dancer.

Mehrotra, a senior writing and rhetoric and English and textual studies major, started with the typical ballet, tap and jazz combination. But her true passion for dance was ignited when she was 6 years old and her mom enrolled her in a classical Indian dance class.

She spent the next 10 years of her life training diligently to gain the official status of a professional dancer. To adopt this prestigious title, Mehrotra had to dance in a grueling 4-hour performance, with each dance lasting about 12 minutes.

Those years of dedication paid off when she finally completed her training. She said wanted something to freeze those feelings in time so she’d never forget them.

Her first tattoo, the Om sign, is a representation of not only her specific style of dance, but also of her culture: Mehrotra was born in New Delhi, India. The symbol represents peace and is of Hindu origin.

“In Hinduism, we believe that Om is the sound you hear in space,” Mehrotra said. “When you meditate, you always say it.”

Located on her rib, right by her heart, the black tattoo also incorporates the elephant Ganesh. This aspect of the piece is symbolic of overcoming obstacles – fitting for someone who worked so hard to achieve her dancing dream.

Mehrotra caught the ink fever after getting this tattoo, and got two more when she was 19 — approximately one year after her first. The second piece is a dandelion with its petals blowing off. The words “dream big” are written in cursive underneath the flower.

She bought her first and second tattoos at Revolver Tattoo in New Jersey, where she lives. The third tattoo she got with her two best friends from high school. Three small stars grace the top of her foot — one for each friend.

“I just wish I didn’t get them so close together,” she explained. “If I got more, I would have to think a lot about it — it would have to be something I really, really want.”

Regardless, she said, she really loves her Om tattoo. The immortalization of her life’s passion is a constant reminder of what she loves and what she’s been through.

Sometimes, when she goes home, she returns to her old stomping grounds — her dance school — and teaches beginner dance classes and basic steps. But she said she doesn’t really have time to keep up with dancing on her own anymore — it’s been nearly two years since she last performed.

“But it’s all engrained in my head,” Mehrotra said. “I could go back to it with the snap of a finger.”

Published on September 23, 2013 at 11:09 pm

Contact Naomi: ncfalk@syr.edu