On the other hand, Ms. Nagaletchimi (Ms. Naga), started dancing at the age of 5 because of her aunt (father’s sister) who nurtured a dream of seeing Ms. Naga as a dancer, when she grew up. She mentioned how it was difficult in the tester years to pursue a profession in dance as women were restricted from performing at public venues. She says, “My father always stopped his sisters to go and dance, but when I was born, my aunts were determined to make me a dancer and grow up to pursue what I really wanted to do.” She mentioned how she later joined Mami in Kallang CC in 1986 where she found her long lost friend, Ms. Vijaya Nadesan (currently Principal of Apsaras Arts) who was her classmate in the preschool years of training under Guru Muthulakshmi (who had relocated out of Singapore).
Selvy started her training under Neila Mami in 1985, after the birth of her second daughter in 1983 at the People’s Association (PA), Singapore whereas Ms. Naga joined Neila Mami for Bharatanatyam classes at Kallang CC in 1986 and subsequently at People’s Association in 1988.
“I knew Mami as I used to invite her to judge for school arts events. I never knew that one day I would be a part of this company and Mami will be my guru,” says Selvy, remembering her evolving relationship with Mami. Soon after her calibre was recognized and she along with Naga were asked to be part of most productions – folk, contemporary and semi classical performances through PA and Bharatanatyam performances through Apsaras Arts.
With extensive dance training and rigorous disciplined practices, both Selvy and Naga grew up to be senior dancers of the company. Soon Selvy started leading the PA group and Naga assisted her after her Arangetram in 1999, soon after which she started a class with 15 students in Kallang CC.
Subsequently, known to many as Mami’s ‘leading hands’ backstage, they were trained to tie costumes, do makeup and prepare complex hair styles for all kinds of productions. “We both became coordinators with Mami. It became easy for her to handle all these things once we came on board to manage and she knew how our working style was. There was an interesting relationship between us and our guru. We never argued with her on anything and even if we did have a difference of opinion to do things differently, we would never go against her will.” Naga explained when asked about her relationship with their Guru and mentor, Smt. Neila Sathyalingam.
“We had the time. We were teaching part time in schools. So, we had a lot of time to spend with Mami.” Says Ms. Selvy who mentioned how Mami depended a lot on the duo because other dancers were mostly working and couldn’t commit. “I also got married and had a knee problem” mentioned Ms. Naga, adding to fact that they were the only ones who were available all the time which eventually built a strong bond.
Later, in Apsaras, Mami started having a group called “Little Angels”. So Ms. Selvy and Ms. Naga, travelled with this group of Little Angels. “We had a lot of shows in different countries like Turkey etc. where we were handling all their costumes, makeup, hair do, taking care of the children, their accommodation, food etc.” says Ms. Selvy reflecting on memories with Mami to make sure that everything would be handled carefully.
Mami eventually gave Ms. Selvy and Ms. Naga major responsibilities when she couldn’t physically handle the pressure. During that time, the number of shows were increased to 25-30 a month and sometimes even 40, leading them to arrange everything while Mami would supervise as she knew what best could be used for what productions. “Even when she is not around, her training and blessings remain with us, and we are still here to do everything we can.” Says Ms. Selvy while reflecting back to the golden times she spent with her loving Guru.
Much do we know about their chemistry, Ms. Selvy and Ms. Naga developed a relationship which stands to remain unbreakable solely because of the path they were made to pursue. A path led by their Guru. “Our working style as a two-people team involved a lot of planning and precision. Even though Selvy aka is my senior, we never had this conflict of interest and would agree to each other’s thoughts and ideas to workout things in the best way. An understanding bond is what we developed over these years. This bond has helped us come so far where people can rely on us for all wardrobe related matters.” Ms. Naga explained when asked about brief insights with her memories with senior dancer Ms. Selvy. ‘With having both of you around, I can breathe.’ Said Mami as mentioned both by Ms. Selvy and Ms. Naga.
All this while, the duo explained their heart touching moments when they realised their guru was watching them. Ms Naga says, “By the end, she was in tears and said what would she do If weren’t here.” This coming from their Guru and mentor is the biggest gift one can receive. Slowly they realised that we should stop dancing, majorly because of the coordination. They started understanding their seriousness towards this role and concentrating on both dance and logistics offstage, was becoming difficult. “We had to sacrifice one, and we chose that to be dance, only because we knew we were needed. But there were instances where we would help everyone get dressed up, dress ourselves and get on stage. But yes, things became difficult to handle, hence we took a call and concentrated on costume, makeup and hair do.” mentioned Ms. Naga. Adhering to the teachings of their Guru and her commands, the duo stood strong as senior dancers whenever Mami wanted us to dance. “You are dancing.” Mami would say as recalled by the wardrobe managers. Before she passed away, Mami recognized and talked much about this team of two women who have sacrificed and contributed so much for the company.
Ms. Selvy eventually started choreographing for Utsav and Ms. Naga came on board as an examiner apart from being coordinators. They realized that their commitment as dancers of Apsaras must be maintained and shown to the next generation of dancers joining Apsaras for productions.
Experience and knowledge developed their training to another level, which helped in their growth. Eventually, they developed as teachers in schools and dancers for Apsaras, which the dancers today and their parents are not aware of. The dancers consciously mention, that awareness and respect would be all that can keep them going and make this sacrifice all worth it. “There have been instances in the past where some students have just seen as a mere makeup artists, but we know what this company means to us and how significant our contribution has been,” Says Ms. Selvy. Ms. Naga adds, “We are not angry, but sometimes it only hurts to see a generation of dancers which needs to understand the value of art, in all its forms.” Most people working or associated with Apsaras are Mami’s students and are working to carry her vision forward. Ms. Selvy and Ms. Naga determine the fact that they stand first as Mami’s dancers and a team that she left behind in peace. Mami taught them how to stay calm, not get into fights and keep smiling, no matter what. ‘Take it like a pinch of salt’ said Mami as mentioned by Ms. Selvy. A good example for people to understand is how the duo works currently for productions with the resident choreographer and principal dancer of Apsaras Arts, Mohanapriyan Thavarajah. The working style is an example that creates a balance of roles and an understanding which makes the quality of the work better. “He will let us know what kind of makeup or hairdo he is looking for, what kind of quick changes are needed etc. and we will let him know what could be possible or not possible, what could be the potential hairdo designs that we can manage for how many dancers and what could be feasible in accordance to the time,” says Ms. Naga with utmost appreciation for Mr. Mohanapriyan. “Recently we did make up for SIFAS’ 70th Anniversary which was called Natya Yatra. There were about 60-70 people for makeup and hair do. We had E.Sankari (Administration manager for Apsaras Arts) and a few others who worked on the make up for these dancers, while we two were the ones coordinating to prepare the hair do for all 60 of them. We were a team of 6 people and we planned for them to understand their roles and distinguish tasks so that there was no confusion. With Mami’s guidance and immense experience, we have come a long way and we ourselves can witness that in every assignment that we work on.” Says Ms. Selvy and Ms. Naga while describing their recent experience with students from most prestigious Indian arts schools in Singapore. The duo talks how they have reached a point where people are calling them externally after seeing their work which has solely been possible because of the Artistic Director of Apsaras Arts, Mr. Aravinth Kumarasamy, who has been a pillar of support for the senior artists recommending them to other dance schools and dancers. “You know how a family works, there would be ups and downs. We talk and get things resolved and we feel this why it is all worth it in the end. It is a family that we have seen evolve and expand past so many years, and we are with it till our last breath.” Said Ms. Selvy and Ms. Naga who have shaped and prepared most dancers of Apsaras for their performances in the past so many years.“Jayalakshmi Raman, the first Singaporean to go and learn at Kalakshetra, Chennai, is married to my family. She was encouraging me to go and dance. Once that encouragement came in, I started dancing, and till date I am. My husband, mother-in-law, father-in-law and later my children, were a big support. My mother-in-law used to comb my hair.” Says Ms. Selvy.
Her dedication was seen and appreciated by her family so much so that she could leave her children back home and travel all over the world for shows. She says, “I feel it very important to have that back in a field like this otherwise it can get very difficult. Dance is running now into my family where both my daughters dance, one of my son-in-law also dances. We can never come this far if there is no support.” She establishes a fact that one needs to be strong mentally as an individual to take a journey like this, but half your worries go away once you are encouraged by your own family members and constantly supported with all the love and care.
Setting a contrasting example, Ms. Naga is the eldest daughter in the family and her father did not support her dance until he saw Ms. Naga’s Arangetram. “My cousin brothers supported me so much and took me for classes. My aunt, Ms. Saga, who was also Mami’s student, initiated my conversation about Arangetram,” Says Ms. Naga.
She mentions how her other aunt, Ms. Mallika, always supported her with all the financial help, until now. She paid for her dance fees because her father did not support. “My aunts and uncles supported me completely till my father did not understand what value it adds to my life. Both my aunts cried on my Arangetram, and my father finally understood and said he was proud of me.” Replied Ms. Naga when asked about her family’s expectations from her. Ms. Naga says, “I lived up to a dream my aunts saw for me. If not them, I don’t think I would be a dancer today.”
It is said that support from non-family members can sometimes be more comforting than support from your own blood relations. Apsaras constant support ever since they joined has helped both, Ms. Selvy and Ms. Naga’s two families have helped them grow not just as dancers but encouraged them to be a part of a vision their Guru saw for this company.
Portrait Bharatanatyam artistes, Renjith and Vijna share their experiences of dancing together and working on productions for Apsaras Arts. An Interview… Having watched ensemble work at the Kalakshetra, what is your relationship with ensemble work? For us, it is the coming together of dancing bodies to showcase an idea of the choreographer. It is about ... Read more
Interview Passion, perseverance, gratitude and a sense of continuity mark Kuchipudi dancer-choreographer-teacher-curator, Rajyasri’s career in dance; she traces her journey as a student of dance, her life in Singapore, and how she continues to engage with dance, based now in Bangalore You were in Chennai recently for an Apsara Arts show. How did it feel ... Read more
Interview Moments like these… Acclaimed Bharatanatyam artiste, Parvathi Ravi Ghantasala shares why working with Apsaras Arts and Aravinth Kumarasamy has been a blessing in her life. Please talk to us about your association with Apsaras Arts and Aravinth Kumarasamy? My association with Apsaras Arts and Aravinth began about 20 years ago. I was very busy ... Read more
INTERVIEW V Balakrishnan, Singapore-based dancer, shares his life’s journey with Bharatanatyam in conversation with Vidhya Nair How did you first become acquainted with the world of dance? From a very young age, I accompanied my mother, an avid film-goer to the cinemas. As the only son amongst five daughters, I was her pet. I responded ... Read more
Interview with Thiruchittampalam Ramanan An Interview with Thiruchittampalam Ramanan, considered the Pride of Singapore, a mridangist with over 1500 programmes, in his kitty : By Vidhya Nair Let us start from the very beginning. Tell us about yourself and your family I was born in Malaysia in the 1960s. My father worked for the Malaysian ... Read more
YAVANIKA – INTERVIEW WITH PRIYADARSINI GOVIND By Vidhya Nair VN: What motivated you to create Yavanika? What was your inspiration? Walk us through your process, from how you got the idea to the concept evolving, the director’s vision and what it was like to dance for the camera. PG: I had been wanting to work ... Read more
Interview with Radha Vijayan – Driven by passion and devotion, a celebrated musician reflects on his life’s journey By Vidhya Nair VN: Tell us about your family background – family members & growing up years in India? RV: I was born and raised in Chennai. Around the time of my birth, my father was already ... Read more
About Exposure, Experience and Experimentation: Interview with Monica Sharma Menon and Dayanand Menon By Vidhya Nair VN: Tell us about your background individually and together? MSM: I’m a 3rd Generation Singaporean of Punjabi descent. I have a younger sister who’s married and settled in Sri Lanka and my mother’s extended family still live in Medan, ... Read more
An Interview with Dr Uma Rajan – accomplished dancer and arts administrator By Vidhya Nair VN: How did you come to be introduced to the Satyalingams & what were your first impressions? UR: I met them both soon after they arrived, probably 1974-5 at an Air India party (her husband Rajan was Reservations Manager with ... Read more
Shivangi Dake Robert Interview “Dance is joy,” a tete-e-tete with Shivangi Dake Robert, Kathak faculty and senior dancer By Vidhya Nair “Dance is joy. Teaching children has been particularly joyful. I’m really enjoying it. They have a blank slate and absorb easily without inhibitions. It’s also a joy to teach passionate adults who are very ... Read more
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T Ramanan started learning mridangam at the age of 12 from the late Sri R Thangavelu of Kuala Lumpur. In 1981, he joined the Singapore Indian Fine Arts Society and studied under the loving care of Sri Karaikudi R Krishnamurthy. Ramanan passed his mridangam final examination conducted by the Society in June 1984 with distinction and was awarded a certificate of merit. This was followed by his arrangetram during Sri T V Sankaranarayanan’s concert in July 1984.
Ramanan has been performing regularly since 1981 and has accompanied many accomplished musicians and dancers, both locally and abroad. To date, he has provided mridangam accompaniment for more than 350 Bharatanatyam arangetrams.
Shivangi started her Kathak journey under the tutelage of guru Dr. Sadhana Naphde in Nagpur, India. She reached her first milestone when she was awarded a National Scholarship in the field of Kathak by Ministry of Tourism and Culture, Government of India and received intensive training under the able guidance of Guru Smt. Shama Bhate. Over the years, Shivangi has had the privilege to learn from the legend, Padmavibhushan Pt. Birju Maharaj, in numerous workshops and she has also been a part of Maharajji’s various choreographies for live performances and television. She has successfully completed her Visharad and Alankar in Kathak from Gandharva Mahavidyala and Master of Fine Arts (specialisation in Kathak). She is the recipient of various awards such as,”Nritya Kala Praveena” by Samskar Bharati, Hyderabad, “Nritya Shri” by Kiran Sanstha, Katni, M.P, Winner of National level Inter University Youth Festival of India for 2 consecutive years, “Nritya Kala Nipun” by Nalanda Dance Research Centre, Mumbai, ” Pt.V D Paluskar Award ” winner by Sharada Sangeet Vidyalaya, Mumbai. She has given numerous solo performances in India, Singapore, Malaysia, Reunion Islands, Japan & USA. Shivangi is passionate about imparting her art to young and old alike instilling them a love for beauty, grace and excellence.
Mohanapriyan Thavarajah has been the Resident Choreographer and Principal Dancer with Apsaras Arts since 2012.
Originally from Batticaloa, Srilanka, he has completed his Bachelors & Masters in Fine Arts (2005-2012) at) at Kalai Kaviri College of Fine Arts, affiliate of Bharthidasan University, India under the tutelage of Ogeswari Shanmuganathan (Alumni of Kalakshetra Foundation, and has earned his MPhil (2014-2016) from Tanjavur Tamil University, India. His MPhil dissertation researched Cambodia’s Angkor Wat from a dancer’s perspective. A book on this is currently in the midst of being published. He is currently pursuing his PhD on the study of the influence of the roots of Indian culture and religion in Indonesian & Thai dance forms. Besides being a Bharatanatyam practitioner and researcher, he has also been trained in Kuchipudi under the tutelage of Kishore Mosalikanti. Today, he is being mentored by the renowned Bharatanatyam dancer, Priyadarshini Govind.
Since 2007, Mohanapriyan has received numerous awards and titles such as “Narthana Vithakan” and “Bharatha Kala Mani” for his performance proficiency in Bharatanatyam from various organisations in India, Sri Lanka and Singapore. He has received significant critical acclaim for his imaginative and innovative choreography for both his ensemble and solo work that bring together the traditional vocabulary of the tenants of Bharatanatyam while retaining a vitalized interpretation and relevance to modern audiences. His in-depth research and deep understanding of South East Asian dance traditions has also made him a gifted & comprehensive designer of production costumes, headgear, jewelry and makeup. His deep aesthetic sense and creative knowledge in craft and design has enabled him to create spellbinding visual spectacles for many Apsaras Arts productions. Mohanapriyan has presented many dance research topics at seminars and workshops and is a well-regarded mentor and sought-after teacher for many young & upcoming dancers in France, USA, India and Singapore.
Vijaya Nadesan has been a senior student and performer of Apsaras Art for the past 30 years and now specializes in Arts Education programs for schools. She started her formal Bharatanatyam training in 1987 under the tutelage of the Cultural Medallion Recipient, Mrs. Neila Sathyalingam. During her two decades of dancing, she has performed with People’s Association (1990-2000) and have gained experiences in Multi Ethnic, Folk and Contemporary dance forms. Her Arangetram in 1999 was a culmination of her varied experiences in ensemble work. She has been part of many travelling dance productions overseas – China, Australia, South Africa, Sri Lanka, India representing Singapore’s multi-ethnic dances. Today, she is overall in-charge of overseas productions and overseas project financing, vendor management, logistic and rehearsal scheduling. Over the decades, she has developed coaching and mentoring skills of varied Indian dance forms in schools and has helped schools achieve awards for schools at the Singapore Youth Festival. She has also cultivated a keen interest in teaching the traditional dance form to non-indian dancers in schools. Her teaching method involves interacting closely with students and meticulously creating structured learning techniques for her students which has helped her create innovative choreography.
Seema Hari Kumar began her journey in dance at the age of eight under the tutelage of Mrs Neila Sathyalingam and has been a teaching faculty member for over 17 years. She has performed in over 15 National Day Parades and Chingay Processions under the banner of the People’s Association and has collaborated on various national-level events with the Singapore Multi-Ethnic Dance Ensemble (SMEDE). Besides being on the dance ensemble of all Apsaras Arts’ local productions such as Aarupadai, Aalam, Nirmanika, Heroines of Raja Ravi Varma etc. since 2001, Seema has also taken the global stage with the Company at international arts festivals in Australia, Bali, Cambodia, India, South Africa, Thailand, Liverpool and Vietnam. Apart from performing, Seema has also expanded her portfolio to include choreography and teaching. She has assisted in the choreography and mentoring of schools during the Singapore Youth Festivals in 2004-2006. In 2011, she was also identified as a mentor-choreographer on Vasantham Central’s “Salangai Oli” programme where she mentored and choreographed the items performed by the finalist in the competition. Besides her dance career, Seema majored in Political Science, graduating with a Bachelor of Arts (Honours) from National University of Singapore in 2006 and works in the events management industry.
Shivangi started her Kathak journey under the tutelage of guru Dr. Sadhana Naphde in Nagpur, India. She reached her first milestone when she was awarded a National Scholarship in the field of Kathak by Ministry of Tourism and Culture, Government of India and received intensive training under the able guidance of Guru Smt. Shama Bhate. Over the years, Shivangi has had the privilege to learn from the legend, Padmavibhushan Pt. Birju Maharaj, in numerous workshops and she has also been a part of Maharajji’s various choreographies for live performances and television. She has successfully completed her Visharad and Alankar in Kathak from Gandharva Mahavidyala and Master of Fine Arts (specialisation in Kathak). She is the recipient of various awards such as,”Nritya Kala Praveena” by Samskar Bharati, Hyderabad, “Nritya Shri” by Kiran Sanstha, Katni, M.P, Winner of National level Inter University Youth Festival of India for 2 consecutive years, “Nritya Kala Nipun” by Nalanda Dance Research Centre, Mumbai, ” Pt.V D Paluskar Award ” winner by Sharada Sangeet Vidyalaya, Mumbai. She has given numerous solo performances in India, Singapore, Malaysia, Reunion Islands, Japan & USA. Shivangi is passionate about imparting her art to young and old alike instilling them a love for beauty, grace and excellence.
Soumee De is a dancer, teacher and choreographer who has been training in Indian Classical dance forms- Kathak and Odissi, since the age of four. Soumee is a disciple of Guru Ratikant Mohapatra at Srjan, Bhubaneswar, India and currently an Odissi faculty at Apsaras Arts, Singapore. She is a co-founder of “Ethos -Exploring the Odissi Spirit,” a community of Odissi dancers in Singapore and recently hosted a series of Odissi related educational webcasts “ODE” featuring global scholars, dancers and teachers for holistic learning of dancers. She is the editor of Aavartana monthly newsletter published by Apsaras Arts and actively blogs in social media as a dance reviewer with the vision of growing the growing its appreciation beyond the boundaries of communities, borders, generations. Soumee also offers “Dance-telling” programs at The Artground and volunteers as a “Balvikas” teacher at Temple of Fine Arts for preschool young children. Among the recent performances, she was featured as a solo artiste at the Dance India Asia Pacific showcase by Esplanade Theatres on the Bay; performed in a new collaborative work “Kanna Va” by IndianRaga and Apsaras Arts in September 2020; conducted a workshop on “Ramayana through Odissi and Puppetry” at the Digital Culture festival by Indian Heritage Center; staged her new choreography “Ritu Ranga” at the Artwalk Little India Festival in January 2020-2019; “River Ramble” at the Stamford Arts Center opening by NAC in 2019; “Phenomenal Women” on International Women’s Day at The American Club and performed a full length solo repertoire at “Tribhanga” in the Darshana Intimate Dance Series by Apsaras Arts. She is an Economics graduate, completed an MBA in Human Resources and works as a management consultant to create a “better working world.”
Gayathri Chachithanandar holds a First class – Post graduate Diploma from Kalakshetra Foundation where she graduated as the “Best Overall Student” in both Bharatanatyam and Carnatic Vocal disciplines in 2009. Hailing from Srilanka, she gained her initial training with Smt. Haridevi Jayasundara school of Fine Arts and North Ceylon Oriental Music Society. She also underwent advanced Bharatanatyam training under the tutelage of Sri. Sheejith Krishna, co-founder of Sahrdaya Foundation, Chennai, India.
As an accomplished teacher of 10 years, Gayathri has taught at Sahrdaya Foundation and at Singapore Indian Fine Arts Society (SIFAS). As a performer, she has performed all over the world, both solo and as part of ensemble productions in India, Srilanka, Singapore, Mauritius and Reunion Islands. Apart from Bharatanatyam, Gayathri’s excellent qualifications in Carnatic Vocals, Mridangam and Nattuvangam have made her unique teacher, able to impart not only the knowledge of the divine dance form but also teach the other building components of Dance, such as Music, Culture and Language.
Soumee De is a dancer, teacher and choreographer who has been training in Indian Classical dance forms- Kathak and Odissi, since the age of four. Soumee is a disciple of Guru Ratikant Mohapatra at Srjan, Bhubaneswar, India and currently an Odissi faculty at Apsaras Arts, Singapore. She is a co-founder of “Ethos -Exploring the Odissi Spirit,” a community of Odissi dancers in Singapore and recently hosted a series of Odissi related educational webcasts “ODE” featuring global scholars, dancers and teachers for holistic learning of dancers. She is the editor of Aavartana monthly newsletter published by Apsaras Arts and actively blogs in social media as a dance reviewer with the vision of growing the growing its appreciation beyond the boundaries of communities, borders, generations. Soumee also offers “Dance-telling” programs at The Artground and volunteers as a “Balvikas” teacher at Temple of Fine Arts for preschool young children. Among the recent performances, she was featured as a solo artiste at the Dance India Asia Pacific showcase by Esplanade Theatres on the Bay; performed in a new collaborative work “Kanna Va” by IndianRaga and Apsaras Arts in September 2020; conducted a workshop on “Ramayana through Odissi and Puppetry” at the Digital Culture festival by Indian Heritage Center; staged her new choreography “Ritu Ranga” at the Artwalk Little India Festival in January 2020-2019; “River Ramble” at the Stamford Arts Center opening by NAC in 2019; “Phenomenal Women” on International Women’s Day at The American Club and performed a full length solo repertoire at “Tribhanga” in the Darshana Intimate Dance Series by Apsaras Arts. She is an Economics graduate, completed an MBA in Human Resources and works as a management consultant to create a “better working world.”
Mohanapriyan Thavarajah has been the Resident Choreographer and Principal Dancer with Apsaras Arts since 2012.
Originally from Batticaloa, Srilanka, he has completed his Bachelors & Masters in Fine Arts (2005-2012) at) at Kalai Kaviri College of Fine Arts, affiliate of Bharthidasan University, India under the tutelage of Ogeswari Shanmuganathan (Alumni of Kalakshetra Foundation, and has earned his MPhil (2014-2016) from Tanjavur Tamil University, India. His MPhil dissertation researched Cambodia’s Angkor Wat from a dancer’s perspective. A book on this is currently in the midst of being published. He is currently pursuing his PhD on the study of the influence of the roots of Indian culture and religion in Indonesian & Thai dance forms. Besides being a Bharatanatyam practitioner and researcher, he has also been trained in Kuchipudi under the tutelage of Kishore Mosalikanti. Today, he is being mentored by the renowned Bharatanatyam dancer, Priyadarshini Govind.
Since 2007, Mohanapriyan has received numerous awards and titles such as “Narthana Vithakan” and “Bharatha Kala Mani” for his performance proficiency in Bharatanatyam from various organisations in India, Sri Lanka and Singapore. He has received significant critical acclaim for his imaginative and innovative choreography for both his ensemble and solo work that bring together the traditional vocabulary of the tenants of Bharatanatyam while retaining a vitalized interpretation and relevance to modern audiences. His in-depth research and deep understanding of South East Asian dance traditions has also made him a gifted & comprehensive designer of production costumes, headgear, jewelry and makeup. His deep aesthetic sense and creative knowledge in craft and design has enabled him to create spellbinding visual spectacles for many Apsaras Arts productions. Mohanapriyan has presented many dance research topics at seminars and workshops and is a well-regarded mentor and sought-after teacher for many young & upcoming dancers in France, USA, India and Singapore.
Seema Hari Kumar began her journey in dance at the age of eight under the tutelage of Mrs Neila Sathyalingam and has been a teaching faculty member for over 17 years. She has performed in over 15 National Day Parades and Chingay Processions under the banner of the People’s Association and has collaborated on various national-level events with the Singapore Multi-Ethnic Dance Ensemble (SMEDE). Besides being on the dance ensemble of all Apsaras Arts’ local productions such as Aarupadai, Aalam, Nirmanika, Heroines of Raja Ravi Varma etc. since 2001, Seema has also taken the global stage with the Company at international arts festivals in Australia, Bali, Cambodia, India, South Africa, Thailand, Liverpool and Vietnam. Apart from performing, Seema has also expanded her portfolio to include choreography and teaching. She has assisted in the choreography and mentoring of schools during the Singapore Youth Festivals in 2004-2006. In 2011, she was also identified as a mentor-choreographer on Vasantham Central’s “Salangai Oli” programme where she mentored and choreographed the items performed by the finalist in the competition. Besides her dance career, Seema majored in Political Science, graduating with a Bachelor of Arts (Honours) from National University of Singapore in 2006 and works in the events management industry.
Gayathri Chachithanandar holds a First class – Post graduate Diploma from Kalakshetra Foundation where she graduated as the “Best Overall Student” in both Bharatanatyam and Carnatic Vocal disciplines in 2009. Hailing from Srilanka, she gained her initial training with Smt. Haridevi Jayasundara school of Fine Arts and North Ceylon Oriental Music Society. She also underwent advanced Bharatanatyam training under the tutelage of Sri. Sheejith Krishna, co-founder of Sahrdaya Foundation, Chennai, India.
As an accomplished teacher of 10 years, Gayathri has taught at Sahrdaya Foundation and at Singapore Indian Fine Arts Society (SIFAS). As a performer, she has performed all over the world, both solo and as part of ensemble productions in India, Srilanka, Singapore, Mauritius and Reunion Islands. Apart from Bharatanatyam, Gayathri’s excellent qualifications in Carnatic Vocals, Mridangam and Nattuvangam have made her unique teacher, able to impart not only the knowledge of the divine dance form but also teach the other building components of Dance, such as Music, Culture and Language.
Chitra Pubalan has learnt Bharatanatyam since the age of five. She started her journey at Usharani Subramaniam School of Dance in Singapore and completed her Arangetram in 2002. In 2006, she joined Apsaras Arts under the tutelage of Srimathi Neila Sathyalingam. She has had the privilege of performing in various venues across Singapore, participating in stage productions and been part of international dance tours to India, Australia and London. Besides teaching and performing, Chitra graduated from National Institute of Education (NIE) with a post graduate diploma in education. Today, she combines her dance teaching while being a baking entrepreneur and raising her young daughter.
V Loganayaki Govindarajan has been a student turned performer and teacher in Bharatanatyam under the tutelage of Cultural Medallion Singapore Legend Smt. Neila Sathiyalingam since 1992. She completed her Diploma in Bharatanatyam and Arangetram in 2008, after years of intensive local and international trainings and performances. She had the rare opportunities to learn and perform with distinguished Apsaras senior students/alumni like V. Balakrishnun, Kavitha Krishnan, Vijaya Nadesan, Nagaletchumi Balasubramanian, Selvi Radhakrishnan and the Kesavan Sisters: Jayanthi and Suganthi. Beyond Singapore, she has also worked in productions by Ajith Bhaskar, Geethashankaran Lam, Sri Nimal Raj as well as Neha Mondal Chakrabothy from Malaysia. She has also completed training in vocal music under the tutelage of Eelanallur Sri Sathiyalingam, late Co-Founder of Apsaras Arts Singapore, Sri Sampagodu Vignaraja, Founder of Surya Global Music Academy Bangalore, India and music together with nattuvangam classes under the tutelage of Sri Nimal Raj, Natya Rajyam, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. She holds a BA in Psychology and enjoys working with children and grooming them into responsible individuals. She has a love for yoga, communal cooking and advocating green practices.
Vijaya Nadesan – Academy Principal
Vijaya Nadesan has been a senior student and performer of Apsaras Art for the past 30 years and now specializes in Arts Education programs for schools. She started her formal Bharatanatyam training in 1987 under the tutelage of the Cultural Medallion Recipient, Mrs. Neila Sathyalingam. During her two decades of dancing, she has performed with People’s Association (1990-2000) and have gained experiences in Multi Ethnic, Folk and Contemporary dance forms. Her Arangetram in 1999 was a culmination of her varied experiences in ensemble work. She has been part of many travelling dance productions overseas – China, Australia, South Africa, Sri Lanka, India representing Singapore’s multi-ethnic dances. Today, she is overall in-charge of overseas productions and overseas project financing, vendor management, logistic and rehearsal scheduling. Over the decades, she has developed coaching and mentoring skills of varied Indian dance forms in schools and has helped schools achieve awards for schools at the Singapore Youth Festival. She has also cultivated a keen interest in teaching the traditional dance form to non-indian dancers in schools. Her teaching method involves interacting closely with students and meticulously creating structured learning techniques for her students which has helped her create innovative choreography.