Ganna Smirnova

🪔 About

Ganna Smirnova, originally from Kyiv, Ukraine, is a distinguished Ukrainian professional dance exponent and research scholar specializing in Bharatanatyam, an Indian classical dance form. She is a devoted disciple of Guru Smt Jayalakshmi Eshwar. Smirnova is also the visionary founder and Art Director of the Indian Theater Nakshatra in Kyiv, an institution dedicated to promoting Indian art and culture in Ukraine. She is recognized as one of the foremost exponents of Bharatanatyam in Eastern Europe, actively engaging in extensive performances and teaching. Her journey into Indian classical dance began in 1998 when she received an Indian Council for Cultural Relations (ICCR) scholarship to study Bharatanatyam in New Delhi. For five years (1998-2003), she underwent intensive training under Guru Jayalakshmi Eshwar at the Institute of Fine Arts "Abhinayaa – Aaradhana" and Triveni Kala Sangam, adhering to the Guru-shishya Parampara. During this period, she also studied Carnatic Vocal music under Guru Vasantha Sundaram and Mayurbhanj Chhau under Guru Janmey jai Sai Babu, with introductory knowledge of Kuchipudi from Guru Seetha Naagjyothi. She performed her arangetram in 2000. Upon her return to Kyiv in 2003, Smirnova established the Nakshatra Indian dance theatre at T. G. Shevchenko University, where she also began teaching Bharatanatyam. In 2004, she was empaneled as an artist under the ICCR, a rare distinction for a non-Indian artist. Under her leadership, Nakshatra has staged dance dramas, organized international festivals like Nrityaanjali (since 2005), and hosted master classes by renowned Indian gurus. In 2010, Nakshatra was honored with the title of Ukraine's National Amateur Collective. Smirnova is also an author, having written the book 'Indian Temple Dance – Tradition, Legends and Philosophy,' the first of its kind in the CIS region. Due to the Russia-Ukraine war, she relocated to Hastings, UK, in 2022, where she continues to teach Bharatanatyam and contribute to cultural projects, while her disciple Victoriya Burenkova manages Nakshatra in Kyiv. She has performed extensively in India and internationally, receiving critical acclaim. Awards & Honours: Ukraine's National Amateur Collective (2010), Kala Vagvisvarupini (2024).