Sustaining Sampradaya > Maargam — A Bharatanatyam Dance Workshop

We are honored to announce that two legends in the field of Bharatanatyam have agreed to teach a special 10-day workshop during the 31st Annual Cleveland Thyagaraja Aradhana. At the end of the workshop, the teachers will select a group of participants to perform a 2½ hour Bharatanatyam program on the last day of the festival.

The Gurus

Sudharani Raghupathy

An eminent artiste, nationally and internationally honoured and respected, Prof. Sudharani Raghupathy has completed 60 years on August 17, 2007 in her journey of dance.

Lauded as a "Living Legend," she is perhaps one of the rare Bharatanatyam dancers in India who has performed before the visiting dignitaries to India since 1956. To mention a few Bulganin and Krushchev, Shah of Iran, Emperor of Ethiopia, King of Afghanistan, Chou en Lai, Ho Chi Minh and many others, including a command performance for Pt. Jawaharlal Nehru and Indira Gandhi.

A graduate in Philosophy and Sociology from the University of Mysore, her accomplished gurus in the field of Bharatanatyam include KP Kittappa Pillai, US Krishna Rao and Mylapore Gowri Ammal. Her training in Carnatic music was under violin maestro, T Chowdiah and vaggeyakara, Vidwan Madurai N Krishnan.

She was the first Indian at the Randolph Macon's Women's College, Virginia, USA, in 1964–65. She was sponsored as an international student and majored in the World History of Dance, Studio arts and the Martha Graham technique in modern dance, which she learnt from Eleanor Struppa. She learnt western music from Elaine St. Vincent.

An artiste of outstanding calibre, she had the privilege of performing at the United Nations Head Quarters in New York, on Human Rights Day in December 1981, on an invitation from the then Secretary-General, Kurt Waldheim. Her TV serial Bharatanjali, an appreciation of Bharatanatyam, the first of its kind on Doordarshan in 1981 (13 episodes in B&W) and 1989 (8 episodes in color), is one of her significant contributions to dance.

She has participated in several national and international seminars and has served on the board of several cultural committees. She was the Vice-Chairperson of the Centre for Cultural Resources and Training, New Delhi from 1998 to 2002. She has also been awarded the unique honour of Senior Teaching Associate of Indian Studies (Professor) by the Colgate University, New York, in December '95.

Shree Bharatalaya, an institution of fine arts founded in 1970, by Sudharani Raghupathy, grooms dancers who stand out as cultured individuals as well. Her institution is perhaps the only one of its kind in the nation that has produced valuable resource material - Madura Margam (book containing dance compositions of Vidwan Madurai N Krishnan), Laghu Bharatham -Volumes I, II & III (Handbooks on Bharatanatyam) and 12 audio cassettes, which is a unique contribution to the world of fine arts.

The Tamil translation of Laghu Bharatham -Volume III, was released on the occasion of the 32nd anniversary celebration of Shree Bharatalaya in July 2002. Recently, she has produced and directed Madura Margam, Navasandhi Kavuthuvams and Madura Tillanas audio CDs and DVDs, which have been released by M/s. Super Audio (Madras) Pvt. Ltd.

At the instance of Kamaladevi Chattopadyay, she documented the famous 'Arayar Sevai' of Srivilliputhur. The Sangeet Natak Akademi has recorded her Navasandhi Nritta in 1981–1982.

Smt. Kalanidhi Narayanan

Padma Bhushan Smt. Kalanidhi Narayanan learnt Bharatanatyam from Kannappa Pillai, abhinaya from Mylapore Gowri Amma and also from Chinnaya Naidu. Between the ages of 11 and 16, she presented several performances, invariably as benefit shows in support of worthwhile causes.

In 1980 Kalanidhi started 'Abhinayasudha', a formal school for teaching Bharatanatyam, with emphasis on abhinaya. The school has grown since to include theory, carnatic music, sanskrit and yoga. She has given lecture demonstrations and workshops all over India and in Europe and North America.

The awards she has received, namely The Padma Bhushan (1985), Sharangdev Fellowship (1981), Sangeet Natak Akademi grant (1983), Nritya Choodamani (1990), Sangeet Natak Akademi award (1991), Kalaimamani (1991), Emeretus Fellow (1991), E. Krishna Iyer Medal (1994), Kalidas Samman (1998) applaud her dedication and extraordinary capabilities.

Workshop Details

  • The workshop will take place March 21–29, 2008 with classes from 2pm to 4pm at the Comfort Inn ballroom.
  • The dancers will be taught a margam, in a group setting, for a finale performance on March 30, 2008. The Gurus will select the participants for the final performance. Attending the workshop does not guarantee that you will be part of the performance.
  • All participants will learn from both legendary gurus.
  • Individual dance styles will not be altered.
  • Due to the intense nature of the workshop, participants must be present for all 10 days.

How to Apply

  • Only dancers who have learnt Bharatanatyam and have completed at least one full margam are eligible.
  • Send your dance bio-data, including guru(s), years of training, past performances, etc. to radhika@aradhana.org (preferred) or you can send it via the postal service to:
    • Radhika Balasubramaniam
    • 3447 Granton Ave
    • Cleveland OH 44111
  • There is a nominal $150 fee for the workshop. Please make checks payable to the Aradhana Committee. Mail the application fee to the above address as well. Please indicate "Dance Workshop" in the memo field.
  • The application deadline for the workshop is March 10.