Aruna Subbiah

🪔 About

Aruna Subbiah is a distinguished Bharatanatyam artiste, choreographer, and teacher, whose journey in Indian classical dance began in 1984 as a disciple of the renowned Guru Prof. Sudharani Raghupathy. She undertook extensive training at Shree Bharatalaya in Chennai, India, where she delved into Bharatanatyam, Carnatic music, Nattuvangam, dance theory, and choreography. Her maiden performance, known as Rangapravesam, took place in 1991. Her talent was recognized early on with a Scholarship for dance from the Centre for Cultural Resources & Training (CCRT), Ministry of Human Resources, Government of India. Throughout her career, Aruna has graced numerous prestigious stages, including the 'Nritya Pratibha' festival for young dancers, hosted by the Sangeet Natak Akademi in New Delhi. She has also performed alongside her guru in concert tours organized by SPICMACAY across various educational institutions in India. Beyond performing, Aruna Subbiah is a dedicated educator. She has conducted master classes at Silambam in Geneva, Switzerland, an alliance of Shree Bharatalaya, and has mentored visiting students from Colgate University, New York, at Shree Bharatalaya in Chennai. She holds a master's degree in Mass Communication, with her thesis exploring 'Bharatanatyam as a medium to communicate messages of social Relevance,' and has contributed as an arts journalist and freelance writer. Currently based in Sydney, Australia, Aruna Subbiah continues to pursue her passion as a performer, choreographer, and teacher. She is the Founder-Director of Silambam-Sydney School of Indian Traditional Dance and serves as a resident-artist at Information and Cultural Exchange (ICE HUB) in Parramatta. Her contributions to the arts have been acknowledged with the 'Distinguished Talent Visa' from the Australian Government, and she is a recipient of the 'Yuva Kala Bharathi,' 'Bharata Kala Bhushana,' and 'Bharatha Mani' awards. She actively creates new choreographic works, presents lecture-demonstrations and workshops, and collaborates with Australian artists and diverse communities in Sydney. A DVD titled 'Ganesha-Skandha Margam,' featuring her solo Bharatanatyam performance, has been released by Kalavardhanis. Awards & Honours: Yuva Kala Bharathi, Bharata Kala Bhushana, Bharatha Mani, Scholarship for dance from the Centre for Cultural Resources & Training (CCRT), Ministry of Human Resources, Govt. of India.