A more dedicated and committed artists will be difficult to find. Her footwork is so good, she needs to keep a distance from the orchestra, lest the sound of her feet thumping the stage carries on the mike!

'Sankara Srinidhi' in Hamsanandi by Swati Thirunal, an invocation to Lord Nataraja, was the piece she opened with her poses of Lord Nataraja were statesque and impressive. The ragamalika varnam by the Tanjore Quartet 'Sami Nine kerinanu' was taken up for delineation. Malavika used metaphors to denote the extent of love the nayika had towards Lord Brihadeeswara of Thanjavur. My love is as tall as the temple gopuram... as infinite as the lingam ...says the nayika. The jathis were in perfect harmony, and executed with energy and verve. Malavika was totally in control with all the complicated rhymthic patterns, with the percussionist and nattuvanar taking turns to accompany her.

An unusual swadheenapatika nayika was, portrayed by the dancer in 'Smara Sundara' - a javali by Dharmapuri Subbarayar in Paras ragam. The nayika is confident of her beloved, his loyalty and his faithfulness never in doubt. Malavika depicted a restless, tortured nayika in 'Neth eraiyil sopanathil' in Pantuvarali ragam.

'Tumak chalat Ramachandra' a poem written by Tulsidas and composed by Paluskar opened with a prelude of Kausalya in her palace. She hears infant Rama approaching and runs out to meet him. Malavika was at her emotive best in this piece. Full of pride and motherly affection, she played and danced with Rama.

Malavika took a philosophical tale next. From the verses of the Bhakthi Manjari 'Samyu Vijasthe' was set in ragamalika by Sri Rajaram. It described the reclining figure of Padmanabha in Thiruvananthapuram. For goddess Lakshmi, the left arm of the Lord was like a garland of lotus flowers that she longed to have around her. For the asuras the arm denoted a thunderbolt with which to kill them. For the devotees the arm seemed like a protective branch of the tree which sheltered them. This proves the fact that perceptions reflect the attitude of the perceiver. The item was well conceived, and executed with jathis between each line, choreographed according to the mood prevailing.

A.S.Murali with the nattuvangam was good. He was supported by the vocalist Bhagyalakshmi, percussionist P.K.Ranganathan and violinist N.Sikamani.