Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Samyuktha Variyam. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Samyuktha, appreciate you joining us today. Do you think your parents have had a meaningful impact on you and your journey?

My parents are two incredible human beings. Despite all the hardships they’ve faced in their efforts to reach where they are today, they’ve managed to provide me with a dreamlike, wonderful childhood. They’ve also instilled some very important lessons in me, without which I would never have achieved the clarity of thought to reach where I am today. My parents, from when I was very young, always urged me to see things through. Experiment all you want, they would tell me, but to truly be successful in your endeavors, it’s important to have the patience and dedication to see some choice things all the way through to completion.

I started dancing when I was five years old. By started dancing, I really mean I was ushered into the dance studio very unwillingly at 9am every Saturday morning. Of course it didn’t stick at first– no five year old has the patience to sit and “tha thai thai tha” so early in the morning. But with my mom’s relentlessly gentle urging to “Wake up, go to dance, please, just for five minutes, this is the last time don’t worry, you’ll thank me later,” I slowly grew into the routine. And those tough mornings, especially once I reached the rigor of high school, came to be my salvation. And as I came to enjoy it more, I naturally began practicing more on my own, exploring the expansive world that Bharatanatyam truly has to offer. I found dance heroes, I found favorite beats, and I found myself. And to this day I still thank my mother for driving me each Saturday to dance class, no matter how loudly I wailed in protest, week after week, time and time again.

I still attribute this life lesson to all other aspects of myself. In design work, I craft to completion. Never will I allow a piece to stagnate and fall into disrepair because of a lack of trying or dedication. If I want to get better, I know I’ve got to push myself to show up, every Saturday morning.

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?

I’m interested in the intersection of design and social, health, and environmental equity. I focus on user-centered design, but I also enjoy exploring technology, media, and the digital design space. My explorative work often walks the tightrope between humor and socio-political commentary, while my client work aims to let loose my creative potential while reaching client goals. I do work in branding, website-design, poster and album-cover design, and so much more.

When I’m not designing, I’m dancing. I’m a classically trained Bharatanatyam dancer, and I’ve danced since I was five years old. Once I entered college in New York City, however, I struggled to find a dance community. I decided to take it upon myself to begin and captain Nritya Mani, The New School’s first South Asian classical dance team. I also auditioned to be a dancer on NYU Dillagi, NYU’s co-ed competitive Bollywood dance team. While I didn’t make the team on my first try, after much practice, I was able to join the team my Sophomore year of college, and the team went on to create history, winning three consecutive first place wins. Bollywood fusion aside, Bharatanatyam still remains my blood and soul. Based in NYC, it’s difficult to find spaces to accommodate Bharatanatyam dance– the pounding feet are normally never good manners as a fellow neighbor and resident. I joined the group NYC Adavu, a practice group that meets weekly in the city to stomp rhythms to our hearts content. Through the meetup, I connected with several major Bharatanatyam dancers of our time, including Sophia Salingaros and Jeeno Joseph. In a full-circle moment, my choreography was even taught at one of the sessions! Finally, I was invited to perform with Jeeno at the Planting Fields Arboretum in Long Island to celebrate AAPI month, on Saturday May 13th. It was the crowning jewell of my dance experience here in NYC, validating all the hard months of actually finding the community that would help me rediscover dance in the city.

For you, what’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative?

I think the creative euphoria is what feels most rewarding. There’s something magical about having an idea, something yours, something so wonderful you feel it needs to be real and tangible, and then being able to actually execute it. I’ve found that being able to create, whether that’s choreography or design, provides me with all the validation and fulfillment I need. My choreography doesn’t even need to be shown to the world– even if it just exists inside my head and in my muscles, I’m proud of it. That self-contained euphoria, not dependent on anyone or anything else, is as fulfilling a feeling as feelings can get.

Can you tell us about a time you’ve had to pivot?

Recently, I made the decision to transfer out of Parsons School of Design. After the school went through a faculty strike, and I realized how lacking and unchallenging the curriculum felt to me, I decided to look at what other doors were open. I applied and was accepted into UMich Ann Arbor’s School of Information, where I’ll be going forward in the UX design pathway. It was after much reflection that I realized to be truly satisfied in my college experience, I wanted wanted to be challenged on both the right and left sides of my brain. I’ve always enjoyed academically challenging courses throughout school until college, and this gives me a chance to stretch my brain the same way again. UX Design gives me the interdisciplinary approach I want, and also ushers me right into the line of interaction design I want to be a part of. It was a difficult decision to leave my friends, and the incredible community here in NYC, but I know at UMich I’ll find new experiences, new community, and a new outlook.

Contact Info:

• Website: variyam.com
• Instagram: varidesigned
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sam-variyam

Image Credits
UH Nasha Photography, Amitava Sarkar (Photography Insights)