Anusha Fernando

🪔 About

Anusha Fernando is a dedicated Bharatanatyam performer, teacher, and artistic director based in Vancouver, Canada. Her journey in Indian classical dance began in 1990, leading to her Arangetram in 1995 as a student of the Jai Govinda Dance Academy. She has also trained under renowned teachers Jayalakshmi Eshwar and Jai Govinda, and continues her studies in both Canada and India. Fernando is the founder and Artistic Director of Shakti Dance Society, an institution through which she has significantly contributed to the South Asian dance scene in Vancouver since 1995. Born in Sri Lanka into a Theravadin Buddhist family, Fernando's academic pursuits complement her artistic endeavors. She holds an honours degree in Religious Studies from McGill University and a Master's degree in Asian Studies from the University of British Columbia, specializing in Sanskrit. Her master's dissertation involved translating a Sanskrit poem about the life of the Buddha. This academic background deeply informs her creative work, which often explores the rich texts of Indian tradition and the interdisciplinary potential of Bharatanatyam. Her notable productions include the Bharatanatyam duets "Five Faces" and "The Meeting Rivers," as well as the interdisciplinary project "Gods, Demons and Yogis," which blended Bharatanatyam with North Indian classical music, storytelling, and martial arts, and was adapted into a CBC radio play. Fernando's solo classical recitals include "Intimacy," "Krishna Plays," "Moods of Love," and "Transcendance." More recently, she conceived and directed "Sky Dancers," a collaborative work that integrates Bharatanatyam with Zen Buddhist meditation, reflecting her personal practice of Zen meditation since 2007. Through Shakti Dance, Fernando has spent over three decades exploring Bharatanatyam, focusing on its storytelling, religious themes, and spiritual ideas. Awards & Honours: Canada Council for the Arts (2022), BC Arts Council, City of Vancouver, Shastri Indo-Canadian Institute.