Daya Tomiko

🪔 About

Daya Tomiko is a distinguished Bharatanatyam dancer of Japanese origin, recognized for her significant contributions to Indian classical dance, particularly in Japan. She began her journey in Indian dance in 1977, studying Bharatanatyam, Odissi, and Manipuri for nine years at the Vasanthamala Indian Dance Institute in Kyoto, Japan, followed by a period with Akemi Sakurai. In 1989, she traveled to India to deepen her understanding of Bharatanatyam, where she became a disciple of the renowned gurus Shantha and V.P. Dhananjayan in 1990. In 2015, she celebrated 25 years of tutelage under the Dhananjayans. Tomiko is celebrated as one of Japan's most famous Bharatanatyam dancers, having performed as a soloist across Japan and in major Indian cities such as Chennai, Kolkata, and Delhi. She has also choreographed and performed numerous thematic natyanatakams (dance dramas) inspired by Japanese folklore. In 1991, she founded her own dance institution, Thanmaye Natyalaya, in Kyoto, Japan, which also has classes in Shukugawa (Hyogo) and Umeda (Osaka). She has been actively training students in Kyoto since around 1985. From 2004 to 2011, she served as a part-time lecturer at Osaka University (formerly Osaka University of Foreign Studies). Her dedication to the art form was recognized with the 'Natya Purna' title, bestowed upon her by her gurus, the Dhananjayans. Awards & Honours: Natya Purna.