Akhila Rao

🪔 About

Akila Rao is a distinguished Bharatanatyam dancer, teacher, and choreographer, widely recognized for her significant contributions to Indian classical dance, primarily through her leadership of the Sri Vidya Dance School in Cupertino, California. Born into a musical family, Rao commenced her Bharatanatyam training at the tender age of seven. She received foundational instruction from Guru Pasumarthy Ramalinga Sastry, who hails from Kuchipudi and also studied Bharatanatyam under Smt. Rukmini Devi Arundale. By the age of sixteen, she successfully completed her arangetram. Akila Rao further refined her artistic skills under the tutelage of renowned Gurus, including The Dhananjayans, The Charis, and other experienced teachers from the Kalakshetra bani. She continues to pursue her learning in Bharatanatyam from eminent Gurus of the Kalakshetra Foundation, specifically Smt Viraja and Sri Shyamjith Kiran. Complementing her dance education, she also delved into Indian classical music, learning from D. Seshachari, one of the famed Hyderabad Brothers. Throughout her extensive career spanning over three decades, Akila Rao has performed in numerous ballets and participated in All-India Dance competitions across various Indian cities. Her performances have graced notable sabhas in Chennai and other international cities. During a period in Malaysia, she had the opportunity to perform with the acclaimed dancer and choreographer Ajit Bhaskaran Das and his troupe. In the United States, she has actively collaborated with numerous charitable organizations, performing at cultural events to promote and spread the rich value of this ancient art form. As the artistic director of Sri Vidya Dance School, Akila Rao is dedicated to imparting the traditional Guru-shishya parampara teaching methodology, emphasizing both the theoretical and practical aspects of Bharatanatyam, alongside instilling life values such as self-respect, discipline, and tradition. Beyond her artistic pursuits, Akila Rao holds a Masters in Architecture degree and works as a senior project manager at Stanford Hospitals and Clinics.