Where I was

I started learning at the age of 4 while residing in Africa under Smt. Poornashri Shrivatsan, a disciple of Guru Shri. Dhandayuthapani Pillai.

I then moved to India with my mom and continued learning with Shri V. Jaisoorya, Disciple of Shri. Kittappa Pillai in the Thanjavur Bhani. Under his able guidance, I learned the Tanjore Bani(style) and did my arangetram(solo debut) in 2003 in Chennai. The rigorous training for my debut started 4 years before and I was taught a traditional repertoire formulated by the Tanjore Quartet, which was handed down to my teacher by generations of the hereditary dancing community before him.

I learned the math of intricate footwork (Nritta), facial expressions (Abhinaya), and the art of storytelling (Natya). Most importantly I was exposed to working with a live orchestra. It was not just coordination within but with one another. The rehearsals were educative to me as I got to watch and learn from them on ways to perceive and internalize the music.

Around 2014, my teacher wanted me to go explore and find my muse for this art, to find someone who would teach me, guide me forward as we've both come to the end of the road and that it was time for me to figure out who I was and what moves me as a dancer. I could not bring myself to think of anyone else, so I kept to myself, dancing on my own. At the time my art somewhat became my own, just for myself.

I moved here to the Bay area, a year later. The art scene here was very new to me, possibilities of collaboration, freelancing, and opportunities to learn via workshops with many renowned artists excited me to a point where I began consuming dance in any way (every way) possible. At the time I enjoyed it very much but after a point, I felt I was dancing outward and it wasn't internal anymore. The more I danced the more I was feeling all over the place and was not going anywhere.