Bharatanatyam is a South Indian genre of classical dance that is at once graceful and angular, light and grounded. It is performed to Carnatic music, a genre of classical music that is also from the South of India.
Nitya Nritya Foundation presents a repertoire of brisk Bharatanatyam pieces danced by an ensemble of Utah dancers in an intimate setting. Each piece is contextualized with a discussion of the background, form and content to enable an informed appreciation of it.
This presentation will conclude with a workshop on storytelling with movement (rooted in Bharatanatyam) geared toward youth.
This event is free and all are welcome!
Saturday, 12th July (6:30 – 8:30 PM)
South Salt Lake Community Center
Dancers:
Jyothsna Sainath is the artistic director of the Nitya Nritya Dance Company, a dance performing and training company based in Salt Lake City and the President of the Nitya Nritya Foundation.
Jyothsna was awarded the 2024 Fellowship for Dance by Utah Division of Arts & Museums as a mark of recognition of her sustained artistic work.
DIVYA IYER RAJASHEKARAN
Divya started her journey in Bharatanatyam at the age of five, learning from Gurus Vijaya Mukundan and Mrs. E. Mukundan in Trichy. After moving to Bengaluru, she continued her education with Mrs. Rukmini Srinivasan, Dr. Sanjay Shantaram, and Mr. Raghuraj. She has been a teacher and choreographer since 2007.
Divya is now a student of Jyothsna Sainath and a member of the ensemble of Nitya Nritya Dance Company.
SRADHA RAMESH BHATT
Sradha is a graduate student in Mathematics at the University of Utah. She started learning Bharatanatyam under the tutelage of Guru Smt. Asha G at the age of five in Kochi, India. Sradha was also introduced to the enchanting world of Mohiniyatam, and Kuchipudi under her guidance. A significant milestone in her journey was her Arangetram, held in the sacred precincts of Guruvayur Temple. Sradha has also trained in Indian Classical music under the mentorship of Guru Smt. Radhika and Violin under the guidance of Guru Sri V. Sunil.
Sradha is an regular volunteer for Nitya Nritya Foundation, now training in Bharatanatyam with Jyothsna Sainath. It has been an incredible pleasure and a truly enriching experience. She believes that her passion for Indian Classical arts has profoundly shaped her identity by teaching her the importance of discipline and dedication in her life.
VARSHINEE DEVANAND
Varshinee is a Research Associate working on male infertility at a start up in Salt Lake City. She started Bharatanatyam when she was eight years old under Smt. Mridula Rai in Coimbatore and has been practicing dance for fifteen years now having been a part of a number of performances under her guidance. She completed her Arangetram at the age of 16 and has continued to practice since then. She joined Nitya Nritya Dance Company since moving to Salt Lake City in 2023 and has been getting advanced training with Dr. Jyothsna Sainath.
THILINIE KURUPPU
Thilinie is a classically trained Bharatanatyam dancer from Maryland. She studied under Guru Meena Telikicherla for 14 years and undertook a solo debut (Rangapravesham) in 2019. She has recently moved to the Utah area and is excited to be a part of Nitya Nritya Dance Company.