Because of her interest in her Indian culture, for the last 11 years, Ritu has spent at least two evenings a week, including most of her weekends with her dance teacher, Rachna Sarang. They both love to indulge in their passion: Kathak, an ancient Indian form of dance. "Dance class is not just dance class. Rachna Aunty enriches Kathak in a way that every lesson not only covers the dance steps involved but the ancient cultural aspect of Indian dance as well." Seeing her demonstrate some of her poses against a backdrop of colorful saris, make you feel that you are sitting in her native Rajasthan in faraway India, instead of her parent's thoroughly modern Scarsdale home. Part of her love for dance, she said, comes from her love of music. But above her love of movement and music, is her love of her heritage and her efforts to preserve her own cultural identity in the melting pot of the United States.

However, solidifying her own identity was not easy for Ritu growing up in suburban America. Though she speaks assuredly of herself now, she does admit that defining herself, as a young Indian woman in the US has been difficult. Ritu said that it has been a "constant struggle" for her to decide what to believe in. She felt confused of whether to be bold and outspoken like the confident American or soft-spoken and gentle like the traditional Indian. Surrounded by American influences, she has tried to maintain her respect for Americanism without sacrificing her Indian values. Though Ritu seems to have found a successful balance, she has seen her friends and peers struggle more painfully grappling with dual identities.

"One of the biggest problems faced by Indian teenagers is that the advertisements they see around them teaches them the exact opposite of what Indian culture suggests," Ritu said. She used the basic example of how advertisements in America tell the youth to speak up and stand up for themselves. Indian traditions, however, prefer that their youth remain gentle and accepting instead of opinionated. Ritu feels that both American and Indian philosophies are sensible, but taking the middle route is not only hard to find, but hard to stay on as well.

The temptation of partying late at night with her friends has crossed Ritu's mind but the strict Indian household she lives in, makes her think twice before going out. She credits her parents for giving her such strong will to resist temptations and respect her Indian heritage. "My parents have brought me up in such an Indian way, that I wouldn't even think of going out late at night and then coming back home at two or three in the morning," she said. Peer pressure is not a potent factor in Sharma's life like it is for others in the same boat as she is. "Friends are not friends if they pressure you to do something that you don't want to do," she said.

Though she was raised in a strict household, Ritu said that her parents have had to compromise some of their "Indianness" the way she has compromised her "Americanness" while she was growing up. She said her parents have had to change their thought processes after coming to the United States. They have taken their Indian values and mixed them with American ideologies, in a way that she feels is well balanced. Her mother Manju, an advocate in Indian social and philanthropic causes and father, Dr. Samin K. Sharma, a famous cardio-vascular surgeon have taken some of America's greatest qualities like independence, freedom and the outgoing attitude, to form their own hybrid identity. "There are a lot of advantages to living in America, you have facilities, opportunities to be successful, and most of all the chance to hold onto your own culture," she added.

Her parents have encouraged their daughter, who intends to go to college next fall, to be independent and live in the dormitories. Ritu is determined she will continue to live the Indian way throughout college. Though Ritu hopes to study medicine, she realizes that it may be difficult for her to become a doctor as a traditional Indian woman. "All women have to face the double responsibility of their career and their family. And being Indian, I have to morph my life according how my own traditions are," Ritu said. Ultimately, she believes she will be able to achieve both by maintaining her traditional way of life because she feels it will lead her to make the right choices.

Ritu said that if she ever had to settle elsewhere, she would live in India. She admitted that she prefers the way of life in there, and even though India is not as technologically advanced and economically rich as the United States. She said emphatically that India is much richer in culture. "America is a great country with just a microcosmic example of how to be an Indian, I feel that if I go to India, I will be able to learn much more about my culture." She recalled with a smile of how every sense is amplified in India and how young people respect each other and their elders. Though everything seems to be here in the US, there is just one element missing for Ritu Sharma, her native India.