Guru Smt. Iswarya Arun
Smt. Iswarya Kumar started Naatiyalaya Academy when she moved to Columbia, SC in 1998. She brought the intense, disciplined, meticulous training that was imparted to her from age 4, by the grand masters of Bharatanatyam, her gurus Guru Kalyanasundaram and late Guru Mahalingam Pillai and trained under an eminent Guru, the noted Bharatanatyam exponent Dr. Padma Subrahmanyam & Kalaimamani Shobana. She has also conducted many workshops and lecture demonstrations in Hope Collage in Holland, MI & School Craft College in MI & in U of M Ann arbor. Her classes in Abhinaya, interpretation and choreography are eagerly attended by senior dancers, teachers and students. Smt.Iswarya received a prestigious dance scholarship from the Government of India.
Academically, Smt. Iswarya holds a Bachelor's degree in Engineering, from AU, India and a Master's of Science in Engineering from USC. She also has passed on her great talent to many pupils. As a highly regarded Bharatanatyam artiste, Naatiyalaya's productions are known for its soulful execution, and ability to kindle in the audience's "rasa" or the aesthetic experience, – the very essence of Bharatanatyam. Over the past 26 years she has nurtured, trained and developed hundreds of young children into elegant dancers and provided them with opportunities to perform at various venues both at national and international stage. Being a consummate artist, Iswarya's disciples were inspired to continue the tradition of this art form by being both professional dancers and teachers in United States after performing their Arangetrams (solo dance debut). Smt. Iswarya Arun received the "Best Guru" award from the Madras Music Academy, Chennai, India in 2001. Smt. Iswarya Arun has conducted over 52 arangetrams till this date. |
Artistic Directors
Kum. Anu Maadhanki KumarKumari Anu Kumar is an Artistic Director at Naatiyalaya Academy. She started learning this beautiful art form at the tender age of four. With the guidance of her Mother & Guru Smt. Iswarya Arun, Anu has come long way in proving her artistry in this field. Anu completed her bharathanatyam Arangetram in July, 2015. She has taken part in all the dance productions of Naatiyalaya Academy apart from giving many solo performances. She has participated in many competitions and has performed in several prestigious Sabhas. She has won the appreciation of art lovers in Chennai and around the country. She is currently pursuing her PhD in Computer Engineering at the University of Michigan and has also completed a Diploma in Nattuvangam and Master's in Bharathanatyam at the Madras University. Anu has also completed her Carnatic music arangetram in 2015.
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Kum. Shivani KumarKumari Shivani Kumar was initiated into Bharathanatyam at the tender age of four. With the guidance of her Mother & Guru, Smt. Iswarya Arun, she has developed an immense interest and devotion towards this art form. Shivani completed her bharathanatyam arangetram in July 2015. She has taken part in all of Naatiyalaya Academy's dance productions, apart from giving several solo performances, and has delivered over 300 performances till this date. Shivani is currently an undergraduate student at the University of Michigan majoring in Computer Science Engineering and has also completed a Diploma in Bharathanatyam at Madras University. Shivani completed her Carnatic music arangetram in 2015.
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