Dr. Anuradha Murali
Mrudani School of Performing Arts is a non-profit 501 c organization whose mission is to promote Indian Classical dance, namely Bharathanatyam and Kuchipudi, by conducting classes, performances and lecture / demonstrations. Dr. Anuradha Murali, Artistic Director of Mrudani School, had her initial training in Bharathanatyam under Radha Srinivassan. She has had advanced training through Shanta and VP Dhananjayan, Bharathakalanjali, Chennai, India (bharatakalaanjali.org) and Adyar K Lakshman, Bharatha Choodamani, Chennai, India (adyarlakshman.com).
She has had training in Kuchipudi by P. Rajeshwari and advanced training in Kuchipudi by the world-renowned Guru Vempati Chinna Satyam, Kuchipudi Art Academy, Chennai, India. She has worked as an Adjunct Professor of Dance at Columbia College, Columbia, SC and as an Instructor of Dance at University of SC, Department of Dance, Columbia, SC.
Anuradha has been invited to perform and conduct workshops at prestigious venues such as the World Congress on Dance Research, Athens, Greece; World Dance Alliance- Sao Paolo, Brazil and Florence, Italy. Anuradha is a recipient of numerous grants and awards for dance and choreography in the USA. As part of Mrudani School's annual mission, the school donates money to other charitable organizations such as the Lustgarten Foundation for Pancreatic Cancer Research, MUSC Transplant Center, MUSC Children's Heart Center Heart Health Fund and the Ronald McDonald House Charities.
Aparna Seetharaman
Aparna Seetharaman was trained at Kalakshetra during her childhood and having worked at Kala Vandana Dance Center, San Jose for many years, Aparna Seetharaman has undergone advanced training under the illustrious duo, The Dhananjayans, Chennai. She has performed solo and in many dance productions of Kala Vandana and with the Bharata Sangamam dance group.
Kannan Rasiah
Kannan Rasiah received his training under Smt. Padmarani Rasiah Cantu, the Artistic Director of the Fine Arts Society at Yogaville, and has performed and taught for the Society in schools, colleges, and cultural festivals in the United States. The Fine Arts Society of Yogaville - Satchidananda Ashram is a non-profit organization that aims to further the art of Bharatha Natyam to people of all ages, nations, races and creeds. Kannan has been a regular attendee of the Fine Arts Society's Natya Adyayana Gurukulam, under Padma Bhushan V.P. Dhananjayan and Shanta Dhananjayan and Smt. Padmarani Rasiah Cantu. He has toured in the United States and Bharat (India) with the Gurukulam doing the dance drama "Satyam Sivam Sundaram" and also was instrumental in the technical lighting and sound design for the dance dramas. He has also trained under Guru Adyar K. Lakshman. Kannan was selected by the Fine Arts Society Board and his Gurus Padmarani Rasiah Cantu and the esteemed Dhananjayans to assist with teaching in the Gurukulam and has been doing so for the past five years. He is honored to be dancing alongside many of his colleagues.
Preetha Sayeekrishna
Smt. Preetha Sayeekrishna, is a versatile Bharatanatyam dancer with many notable performances in her repertoire. She was initiated into the art of Bharatanatyam by Gurus Sri. M. V. Narasimhachari and Smt. Vasanthalakshmi Narasimhachari and had her intensive training in Bharatanatyam at their institution "Kala Samarpana". She has given memorable performances both in India and the United states. She has performed at various prestigious forums in India like the IDA, Nungambakam Cultural Academy, Bharat Kalachar, Mylapore Fine Arts Society & many more forums in U.S.A. She is an 'A' grade Doordarshan artiste from Chennai, India. She also took part in the famous TV show "TaKaDiMiTa" and won first place in 2001. A skilled teacher, Preetha has over 10 years of teaching experience in the US.
She is the founder of "Samyuktam Natya Academy" in Cumming, GA which imparts professional training in Kalakshetra style of Bharatanatyam to students of all ages. Preetha is an active performer, teacher and choreographer. She has imbibed from her mentors the best form of Indian art culture and aesthetics. She is committed to sharing with her students and her audiences the extraordinary beauty and spirituality of this classical dance tradition. She also encourages excellence in the practice of Bharathanatyam, traditional folk dances and east – west fusion performances.
Sivakami and Krishnakumar
Sivakami and Krishnakumar are a husband and wife duo who dance and teach Bharatanatyam as a couple. Together, they have performed at various locations around the US. They have been working together since 1995 when Sivakami founded her dance school in Pennsylvania. For the past eight years, they have run Bharata Kalarpana, School of Indian Culture and Fine Arts, in Greenville, South Carolina. Bharata Kalarpana's mission is to mold intelligent and creative citizens with a keen sense of Indian Culture and Fine arts. Currently, Bharata Kalarpana offers Bharatanatyam, Carnatic Music and private yoga lessons.
Sivakami started learning Bharata Natyam in the classical tradition of Kalakshetra at the age of five from her mother, Smt. Esha Bhavanandan. She had her arangetram under the Padmabhushan awardees, the Dhananjayans, and has received further training under Padmashri Adyar K. Lakshman. Sivakami started performing with her mother at the age of eight and has since performed extensively in the US, Canada, U.K., Australia, Japan, and India.
Krishnakumar started learning Bharata Natyam at the age of 7 and continued his training under the world renowned Dhananjayans from the age of 9. He has also attended workshops under Guru Adyar K. Lakshman. He has participated in numerous dance dramas and programs of Bharata Kalanjali and has performed at various venues around the US with Sivakami.
Subathra Sudarshan
Subathra Sudarshan is a versatile Bharathanatyam dancer with many notable performances in her repertoire. She runs a dance school in Bharathakala Natya Academy in Johns Creek, Georgia. She has an advanced Diploma in Bharathanatyam awarded by the renowned performers, Sri. V.P. Dhananjayan and Smt. Shantha Dhananjyan, at their distinguished dance school, Academy Bharathakalanjali.
She has extensively toured the world and made numerous television appearances. She has had a tremendous presence in London art circles having been associated with the British Arts Council and leading artistes in Britain. Her exuberant personality combined with excellent dance skills enabled her to participate in International Dance festivals in Europe, Canada, Kenya, and South America thus giving the art a global exposure. To top it all, she had the opportunity to perform for Queen Elizabeth and Lady Diana. The National Lottery in England awarded her with £5,000 in recognition of her fund raising production in UK. It is indeed a feather in her cap that the British audience acclaimed her as "A Unique visual beauty of grace, power and exuberance". Her production was televised in UK and much appreciated by British Audience. She was critically acclaimed by leading national newspapers in UK.
Subathra lives in Johns Creek, Georgia with her husband Sudarshan and son Nantheshan.
Sutikshna Veeravalli
Sutikshna Veeravalli, a gifted Bharatanatyam dancer and Carnatic music singer, is an honors student in Naperville, IL (USA). Brought up in an environment rich in Indian classical arts, Sutikshna showed innate talent and passion for fine arts from her early childhood. Trained for over 12 years by her mother and dance teacher Smt. Vanitha Veeravalli (Director, Bharatam Academy of Dance Arts), Sutikshna performed her Arangetram in 2009, which was well received by an audience that included prominent dance connoisseurs. Sutikshna, at the young age of 15, holds the unique distinction of composing a Tillana (Ragam Valachi, Talam Adi) and also performing it at her Bharatanatyam Arangetram. This was possible because of her rigorous training in Carnatic music, also for over 10 years, and her well-nurtured manodharma. She learns music from Kanchi Kamakoti Peetha Asthana Vidwan Sri. R. Suryaprakash. Sutikshna has won several awards in Carnatic music and Bharatranatyam at the Chicago Tyagaraja Utsavam and Cleveland Aradhana. She recently performed at several locations in the Chennai Music and Dance Festival 2010-2011. Sutikshna is deeply passionate and committed to these complementary art forms.
Kumud Savla
Nritya Natya Kala Bharti
Originally from Kutch-Gujrat, Kumud Savla, came to U.S. in 1988. She has specialized in Kathak from Kathak Kendra in New Delhi, where she had the greatest opportunity to learn and perform with some world-renowned artists, such as the Late Pandit Kundanlalji, Late Pandit Durgalalji and Rajendrakumar Gangani.
The Govt. of India honored her for her performances in "Festivals of India" occurred in the countries of Russia and Mauritius. Along with dance performances throughout India, America, West Indies and Southeast Asia, Kumud has also performed leading roles in dramas on stage as well as on TV.
Kumud has conducted dance workshops in many countries and has been teaching Kathak since last 20 years. Now directing Atlanta's premier north Indian dance and music academy, Nritya Natya Kala Bharti, along with her husband Sandeep Savla, offering courses of all levels in kathak dance and Hindustani Sangeet, cerified by the Gandharva Mahavidyalaya, India.
Samta Savla
Daughter of Kumud & Sandeep Savla, winner of Boogie Woogie, has been training with Kumud since the tender age of five learning Kathak. Currently preparing for Kathak Visharad exams while assisting at Nritya Natya Kala Bharti.
Along with Kathak, Samta is also learning Ballet and other western dances forms. Samta also had the opportunity to perform with Cirque du Soleil at the World of Coca Cola inaugurations ceremonies. Samta is also pursuing her interest in theater and had the opportunity to perform in the Fringe Festival in Edinburgh, Scotland last summer.
Sasikala Penumarthi
Popularly known as 'Padmavathi' in Srinivasa Kalyanam to the art lovers in the United States, Sasikala has found a unique place as a vigorous and vivacious exponent of Padma Bhushan Guru Vempati Chinna Satyam's style of Kuchipudi dance. Her art is an eloquent tribute to the impact of her great Guru on her vision and sensibility. Endowed with a rare blend of intuition and intellect, she has evolved over the years an excellent command over the technique.
Sasikala was introduced to dramas as a participant in the invocation dance, when her Guru produced Chandalika for the first time in 1976. Since then she has performed many roles in solo as well as group items. As Sri Lakshmi and Padmavathi in Srinivasa Kalyanam, Satyabhama in Sri Krishna Parijatham, as Chandalika in Chandalika, Dakshayani in Hara Vilasam, Vishwa Mohini in Ksheera Sagara Madhanam, Ahalya in Ramayanam, Parvathi in Ardha Nareeswara, she has proven herself adept in the art of dance and drama.
Unhurried and dignified, controlled empathy animates her grand style and makes her performances especially meaningful. She has toured all over India, United States in 1982, 1984, 1994, and 1998, USSR in 1987, Europe in 1989 and performed as the leading artist in many of Dr. Vempati Chinna Satyam's ballets. In March 1993, she performed at the prestigious Khajuraho dance festival following an invitation from the Madhya Pradesh Kala Parishad. Setting high standards of accomplishment, she is propagating Kuchipudi dance through her own performances and teaching several promising students in the United States.
In 1993, she took part in several performances of Sri Krishna Parijatham in this country in the role of Satyabhama. In April 1994, she performed her major production Chandalika, involving new talent all trained by her. During August to November 1994, she toured all over the United States and Canada with her Guru and his troupe for four months to perform Ksheera Sagara Madhanam, Hara Vilasam and Ramayanam. She toured again with her Guru in 1998 to perform in Ardha Nareeswara, Sakuntalam, and Srinivasa Kalyanam.
In 1996, Sasikala presented another student scholarship fundraiser, Rukmini Kalyanam, at the Georgia Tech Theater for the Arts, Atlanta. This was her second major production involving herself and her students. She presented repeat performances of this dance drama in Jacksonville, FL, Columbia, SC and Augusta, GA in 1997-98, Jackson, MS in 2004, Mobil, AL in 2008, Wichita, KS and Corning, NY in 2009, Atlanta, GA in 2010.
In order to continue the pursuit and propagate the art into the mainstream, Sasikala founded the Academy of Kuchipudi Dance, a non-profit organization in 1997. Most recently, she received the Master Artist award from the Georgia Arts Council and the National Foundation for the Advancement of Arts. Sasikala serves as an Artist Affiliate at Emory University where she is pursuing her Academic interests. She teaches credit courses in Kuchipudi to the students of Dance Department and Asian Studies Program, and works with the teaching faculty in presenting Lectures and Demonstrations on Indian Dance, Religion and Culture. Sasikala also conducted lecture demonstrations on Kuchipudi upon invitation from the Georgia State University, Macon State College and University of Georgia at Athens. Sasikala organizes and produces dance ballets involving experts from the field and her own students with live orchestra. Kirataarjuneeyam in November 2000, Saptapadi in December 2001, Srinivasa Kalyanam in January 2003, Sivoham in December 2003, Chandalika in July 2005 and Swapna Vijayam in 2007 to name a few, performing, promoting and continuously training the students for graduation.
Dr. Subha Maruvada
An accomplished artist, Subha has a unique distinction of celebrated excellence in two classical dance techniques of South India - Kuchipudi under Dr. Vempati Chinna Satyam and Bharatnatyam under Mrs. Kamala Narayana (Laxman). She had her Bharatanatyam Arangetram in 1983, and her Kuchipudi Rangapravesam under Guru Dr. Vempati Chinna Sathyam in 1990 in Chennai, India. She has played various roles in many of Guru Dr. Vempati's dance dramas. Subha is the founder and artistic director of Pranava Natyam Kuchipudi School of Dance and currently teaches in Maryland.
Apart from being an accomplished artist, Subha is a Research Engineer at the FDA in the Office of Science and Engineering Laboratories. She earned her Ph.D. in Acoustics from Penn State University and works in the area of therapeutic ultrasound.
Dr. Yamini Saripalli
Dr. Yamini Saripalli, daughter of Drs. Kondala Rao and Girija Kumari Saripalli, had her initial exposure to Kuchipudi dance through Smt. Sujatha Vinjamuri.
Since 1995, Yamini has been training under Padmabhushan guru Dr. Vempati Chinna Satyam and his son, Sri Vempati Ravi Shankar. Yamini has performed with Dr. Chinna Satyam's troupe in the United States as well as throughout India.As a solo artist, Yamini Saripalli has performed at various prestigious venues such as the Kennedy Center, Washington D.C. ; Milapfest, Manchester, England ; Ravindra Bharathi, Hyderabad, India and a few sabhas in Chennai, India.
Yamini has also studied Carnatic vocal music since 2001. Her gurus include Smt. Vidya Parthasarathy and Sri DK Nagarajan, (brother of the late Sangeetha Kalanidhi DK Pattamal and the late DK Jayaraman)and she currently trains under Sri Bhagavatula Seetharama Sarma when residing in Chennai, India.
In addition to her dancing career, Yamini is an honors medical graduate from the University of Missouri- Kansas City. She is a practicing dermatologist in the Washington D.C area.
Kathak
Kuchipudi