By Nayantara Parpia
On Sunday, 25th April, a few of us in Singapore had the privilege of attending a very special dance recital, ‘Arohana’ – the Kathak Manch Pravesh of the young and multi-talented Sindhu Achudan, at the Goodman Arts Centre Black Box. Congratulations to the entire team at Apsaras Arts and my dear friend Shivangi for achieving this huge milestone. May there be many more such gems to emerge from the institute! My heart-felt wishes to the young star of the show, Sindhu Achudan, and her supportive family.”
On Sunday, 25th April, a few of us in Singapore had the privilege of attending a very special dance recital, ‘Arohana’ – the Kathak Manch Pravesh of the young and multi-talented Sindhu Achudan, at the Goodman Arts Centre Black Box.
The stage was set in a traditional yet very striking way. On the right hand side was a beautifully decorated Nataraja statue, two glimmering brass diyas and photos of the late founders of Apsaras Arts, Shri S Sathyalingam and Smt Neila Sathyalingam. And on the left hand side, the accompanying musicians were grandly seated on separate pedestals, their artistic auras further illuminated by individual beams of ethereal light. On the backdrop was the projection of a temple archway, simple and beautiful, altogether creating a divine and inviting ambience for this intimate gathering.
Sindhu, dressed in a beautiful fuschia lehenga, commenced her recital with a Dhrupad, invoking the Lord of dance himself. “Shiva Shiva Shiva….. Shankara Adideva, Shambhu Bholanath, Yogi Mahadeva…” Set to Sool Taal and Raag Adana, this Dhrupad was popularized by the iconic Dhrupad vocalist duo, the Gundecha Brothers. True to the powerful music composition, the piece was choreographed by Shivangi with strong, statuesque stances depicting Shiva in all His glory. The lyrical depiction was interspersed by short ‘Nritta’ segments, which Sindhu pulled off well for an impactful opening. It takes a dancer many years to develop the strength and focus required to embody Shiva, so one could see that Sindhu’s background in Bharatanatyam naturally helped her in this aspect, albeit through a new and different medium.
As per the traditional repertoire, next was the Nritta showcase in Teentaal, a cycle of 16 beats. Sindhu began with ‘Vilambit laya’, the slow tempo of the Taal, with ‘thaat’ – where the dancer’s body slowly awakens to the beat of the Taal, flowing with the soothing lehra, highlighting the ‘sam’ or the first beat of each cycle, with a beautiful pose. There was also the traditional Aamad, Uthaan, Paranaamad and Tatkaar, gradually leading up to ‘Drut Laya’, the fast tempo of the taal, featuring both ‘Nritta’ and ‘Nritya’ components like Tukda, Tihai, Paran, Parmelu, Gat Nikas, Gat Bhav and Rela, many of which were carefully passed down by Shivangi’s gurus to her, and now to her disciples. It was wonderful to see Sindhu dance tirelessly, showcasing a wide range of technical compositions with graceful movements, rhythmic variations like ‘tishra jaati’, ‘padhant’ (recitation) and ‘bhaav’.
The third piece for the evening was a ‘Thumri’ – “Kahe Karata Mose”, depicting the mischief of Lord Krishna teasing young Radha. A classic ‘bandish’, bringing out the beauty and subtlety of facial expressions in Kathak. Sindhu, with her youthful and vibrant face, portrayed the innocence of Radha very sweetly. She concluded her performance with a Tarana in the 10 beat time cycle Jhaptaal, set to Raag Darbari, a well-known musical composition by Pandit Birju Maharajji. Shivangi’s choreographies always carry a well-balanced sequence of ‘Tandav’ and ‘Lasya’ movements, in tune with the musicality of each composition. Sindhu appeared for the last presentation, dressed in a very pretty peach Anarkali, the other costume style of Kathak, credited to its Islamic heritage – a perfect match for the ‘Darbari’ tarana. She moved with grace, confidence and a vivacious smile, reflective of the inner joy that comes only with hard work and perseverance.
As Aravinth anna rightly quoted Neila mami, “The centre of gravity on a dancer’s stage is actually on the side, where the musicians are seated.” How wonderful it is to experience classical dance with Live musicians, something we see a little less of these days, due to budget and space constraints. But it is so important for teachers and dance schools to invest in live accompaniment, to cultivate that tradition in the next generation, and to give young dancers the experience of both the challenge as well as the collective energy of multiple artists creating art together on stage. Tabla artist Lalit Kumar Ganesh, vocalist Pratima Bellave Ganesh and violinist Bombay V Anand provided excellent accompaniment, bringing the dance performance alive. Often, during the recital, my gaze would shift to them, as I danced along in my seat!
On a personal note, I have been associated with Apsaras Arts from Day 1 of the opening of its Kathak department with just one student, back in 2014. With the steady guidance of Shivangi Dake Robert, the Kathak team has come very far in just a few years. It fills me with pride to witness the school as well as the overall Kathak community in Singapore blossom more and more with each passing year.
I must add that considering the climate in most parts of the world at the moment, with respect to Covid, I will admit that as residents of Singapore, just dressing up and having a live event to go to was in itself very special. Thanks to everyone who has worked so hard to give us fortunate few such a memorable evening. Congratulations to the entire team at Apsaras Arts and my dear friend Shivangi for achieving this huge milestone. May there be many more such gems to emerge from the institute! My heart-felt wishes to the young star of the show, Sindhu Achudan, and her supportive family. On behalf of everyone who was present or watching her virtually, I wish her all the very best for a long and joyous journey with Kathak and many more years of deeper exploration and artistic growth.
By Nayantara Parpia
Kathak Dancer and Teacher
Founder of Tridhaara Institute of Kathak
Digital Performances We are delighted to share details from our digital performances this August. Pibare Rama Rasam – thoughtful dance initiative dedicated to lord Rama curated by N. Srikanth Natarajan & Aswathy Nair. In this series of performances that was live streamed through Rasanubhava Official YouTube channel, 31 male dancers from different parts of the ... Read more
Inauguration of AVAI at Apsaras Arts On 10th July 2021, AVAI @ Apsaras Arts, a performance space for Indian Performing Arts in Singapore was inaugurated. When we scouted around for names for Apsaras Arts’ own performing venue – an idea that was born nearly five years ago and is finally finding fruition – we were ... Read more
Thursday Talkies – @akumarasamy “in conversation on anything and everything about dance” An Instagram bi-series which began in February 2021, on the first Thursday of the monthat 8pm SGT has taken the classical dance industry by storm. Moderated by Aravinth Kumarasamy and Seema Hari Kumar, each 30 minute session features a discussion topic on current ... Read more
Nritya Kalanjali – a Bharatanatyam Arangetram By Vaidehi Bodhankar Apsaras Arts was proud to present a live Bharatanatyam performance after a long spell in collaboration with Global Indian Cultural Centre (GICC) at the GIIS Auditorium on 27 June 2021. Vaidehi Bodhankar, 16 presented a unique repertoire which included 5 pieces in traditional original choreography. She ... Read more
Apsaras Arts hosts a book launch on “Temple Dance of Apsaras: A Dancer’s View of the Angkor Wat” authored by Mohanapriyan Thavarajah By Meenakshi Palaniappan “I’ve always seen my role in the world of Bharatanatyam as that of the ‘Rasika’, and this book is an especial treat for me. After all, I’ve watched lovely productions ... Read more
Agathi – The Plight of the Refugee This show was a great experience and a great Learning. Artistic Director , Mr Aravinth Kumarasamy and Dramaturg Mr Ivan Heng did a great job. The Choreography was so nice, I wanted to watch the show again. Thanks to Choreographer Mr Mohanapriyan Thavarajah. I understood the story so ... Read more
March 2021 “Here is a digest of digital and on-stage live events that Apsaras Arts team participated in March. From celebration of Mahashivaratri by the Fine Arts Society of Chembur at India to the celebration by local dance group, Shere Punjab Bhangra Singapore, it is a pleasure to collaborate with art groups beyond borders and ... Read more
By Seema Hari Kumar With the welcoming transition into phase 3 declared by Singapore government, the Darshana Series presented by Apsaras Arts made its return to the live stage after a year-long hiatus. Darshana was conceived as an intimate dance series providing soloists an opportunity to connect with their audience and experience ‘sahrdaya’ or ultimate ... Read more
Catch the virtual events that Apsaras Arts team participated during the month of February. Celebrating Sri Lanka’s 73rd anniversary by the High Commission by featuring a segment of “Anjasa”; a live panel discussion by story-tellers on “Faith, Beauty, Love & Hope” by the Asian Civilisations Museum featuring Artistic Director, Aravinth Kumarasamy and a feature by ... Read more
By Soumee De “This is our second year of organising the Neela Sathyalingam festival. Her memory continues to inspire us, and we are motivated to strive to preserve our arts” said Aravinth Kumarsamy, Artistic and Managing Director. Remembering Neila Sathyalingam Festival 2021 was organized at the Stamford Arts Centre in presence of Singapore’s Minister for ... 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.