Anuradha Nehru

"If to dance is to dream, then dancers make dreams come true." -- Anonymous

Studying, performing and teaching Kuchipudi gives me endless joy and it is my fervent wish to pass on this joy to my students and to my audiences.

As a dancer, my epiphany was the moment I went beyond technique to discover the true joy of dance. I believe that excellence in dance means complete involvement and total abandon. Dance is the beginning of a new universe of expression, communicating new worlds that words or images alone cannot describe.

As a teacher and choreographer, I believe that Indian dance provides a rich and strong medium of communication that conveys contemporary as well as traditional expressions. A solid foundation of rigorous training is fundamental. Only on its solid base can the creativity and growth of Indian classical dance flourish.

Anuradha was initiated into Bharatanatyam at the age of 8 under the renowned Guru Pakiriswamy, and later under Guru Guruswamy, with whom she trained for four years and did her Bharatanatyam arangetram at the age of 13.

When in boarding school at Rishivalley, India, Anuradha continued her dance training under Smt. Meenakshi Balasubramaniam, who guided her performances in several school productions.

While in college in New Delhi, Anuradha began her training in Kuchipudi under Guru Krishna Kumar. She studied with him for three years.

It was only when Anuradha began her training in Kuchipudi Art Academy, under Padmabhushan Guru Dr. Vempati Chinnasatyam, that she realized she had discovered her lifelong vocation. Padmabhushan Guru Dr. Vempati, a giant in the world of Kuchipudi, communicated his deep love and passion for the dance to many of his students, including Anuradha. A recipient of several prestigious awards, Padmabhushan Dr. Guru Vempati Chinnasatyam has been instrumental in refining and redefining Kuchipudi and has toured the entire world with many of his productions to critical acclaim.