Adhya Shastry

🪔 About

Adhya Shastry is a highly accomplished young Bharatanatyam dancer based in the UK, widely recognized for winning the prestigious BBC Young Dancer 2022 award. Born in the UK, Shastry began her journey in Bharatanatyam, a classical Indian dance form, at the age of nine, training under the tutelage of Guru Ananya Chatterjee at the Kalakunj institute in Reading. Her dedication to dance extends beyond Bharatanatyam; she has also pursued training in contemporary and ballet since 2019 at The Place CAT scheme and attended the Yuva Gati CAT scheme in 2016. Furthermore, she was a member of the esteemed 2021-22 National Youth Dance Company. In May 2022, at the age of 17, Shastry captivated judges and audiences alike with her Bharatanatyam performance, securing the BBC Young Dancer title. This achievement was particularly significant as it brought Indian classical dance to the forefront of a national competition that had previously seen winners from contemporary and street dance styles. Her teacher, Ananya Chatterjee, noted that Shastry's strong foundation in Indian classical dance, combined with her training in other forms like ballet, contributed to her versatility and ability to pick up various dance styles with ease and grace. Shastry expressed her honor in winning the award, stating it provided her with a deeper understanding of herself as a dancer and opened up "endless possibilities" for her future in the creative world. Currently studying for her A-Levels, Adhya Shastry aims to further her dance education by applying to dance conservatoires and continuing to work with and learn from diverse artists, as well as exploring her own choreographic work. Her success is seen as an inspiration for many young people to pursue Indian classical dance at a national level in the UK. Awards & Honours: BBC Young Dancer (2022).