For Kirkland resident Vidya Guhan, the study of the classical south Indian dance form Bharatanatyam has been as much a source of personal and spiritual growth as it’s been a well-needed release.

And this Sunday from 4-6 p.m., as she makes her debut as a solo artist following years of training, Guhan welcomes members of the community to the Kirkland Performing Arts Center for a full dance repertoire, free of charge.

She’ll be sharing with the audience a glimpse of her culture and life, along with the universal themes of young love, the angst of separation from the one you love, the joys and challenges of motherhood and devotion and prayer, among others.

“What we’re doing with Bharatanatyam is like poetry in motion,” said Guhan, who began taking dance classes about nine years ago as a way to unwind. She moved to the United States 19 years ago from Singapore and hails from India.

In 1998, Guhan’s daughter, Lavanya, now 10, was born prematurely. She was afflicted with health issues and needed constant attention.

So Guhan left her job as a speech therapist to stay home and care for her daughter.

Guhan’s husband worried about his wife, wondering if she’d burn herself out. So he suggested she take up a new hobby, if only for a couple of hours a week.

“He probably thought I would take up knitting or something,” Guhan said with a laugh.

Instead, she chose Bharatanatyam, attending a class once a week for a couple of hours at a time and practicing on her own. The physical benefits and stress release of the dancing appealed to Guhan, and so did moving to the rhythm of the songs she grew up listening to.

“I was a very tired mom,” Guhan said. “But once I started I thought, ‘Oh yeah, I was meant to be doing this.’ It was wonderful. It was like a little spark.”

Since moving to Kirkland two years ago, Guhan has been training and choreographing her repertoire under guru Subhashini Vijay Santanam of the From Within Academy in Issaquah.

But the process hasn’t always been easy. After intensifying her training in preparation for her Sunday debut, Guhan has faced several setbacks. She’s had knee problems and has even undergone physical therapy.

Luckily, Guhan found another spark by way of her biggest fan — her daughter Lavanya, who now attends Peter Kirk Elementary.

“There are a lot of times when it’s been physically very challenging,” Guhan said. “It has been tempting to say ‘I can’t do this at this level.’ But she [Lavanya] is such a ‘go for it’ person. She’s so determined. Anything that she wants to do she will do even if it’s challenging. In many ways I’ve learned from that to not quit. I don’t think I was as determined before.”

Guhan says she also has a great deal of gratitude for the community of Kirkland and her neighbors for their support, whether accommodating out-of-town guests or helping out with food and childcare.

About 30 houseguests are also expected to arrive from places like Wisconsin, California, and even India and Singapore — in Indian culture, all celebrations mean a great deal to family and friends, Guhan said.

For Guhan, it also means a great deal to have her daughter sing a folk song as the finale to the program.

“She brings all the positive energy, keeps the perspective that this is all for the fun of it,” Guhan said. “That this is a personal journey.”