Hema Rajagopal

🪔 About

Hema Rajagopalan is a globally renowned Bharatanatyam dancer, teacher, and choreographer, originally from New Delhi, India, and born in Chennai in 1951. Her extensive training began at the age of six in 1956 under the devadasi guru Swarna Saraswathy, leading to her first arangetram after just six months and earning her recognition as a child prodigy. She furthered her studies with esteemed gurus including Padmasri K.N. Dandayudapani Pillai, K.N. Pakkiriswami Pillai, K.N. Dakshinamoorthy Pillai, and most recently, Padma Bhushan Smt. Kalanidhi Narayanan, under whom she deepened her expertise in abhinaya, the art of histrionic expression. Rajagopalan immigrated to Chicago, Illinois, in 1974. Recognizing a cultural void and a demand for Bharatanatyam instruction within the Indian community, she began teaching from her home. This initiative quickly grew, leading her to found the Natya Dance Theatre in 1975, an institution dedicated to preserving and promoting Bharatanatyam in the United States. As the Founder and Artistic Director, she has been instrumental in developing the art form, creating over fifty evening-length productions and numerous short works that blend traditional integrity with innovative choreography. Natya Dance Theatre has since evolved into a professional touring company and training academy, internationally recognized for its contributions to dance. Throughout her career, Rajagopalan has performed as a soloist at prestigious venues worldwide, including the Edinburgh Festival, Avignon Festival, Ravinia Festival, and major Indian stages like the Music Academy. Her collaborations include notable artists such as Yo-Yo Ma and the Chicago Symphony Orchestra. Her teaching legacy is significant, with over a thousand students having graduated from Natya Dance Theatre, many of whom have become performers, teachers, and choreographers, some even establishing their own schools or becoming university professors. Her daughter, Krithika Rajagopalan, serves as the Co-Artistic Director of Natya Dance Theatre, continuing her mother's legacy. Rajagopalan's contributions have been widely recognized through numerous awards, including the Emmy Award, seven choreographic awards from the National Endowment for the Arts, the Vishwa Kala Bharathi Award for Artistic Excellence from India, and the See Chicago Dance 2021 Legacy Award. In 2022, she was honored by the Women's L Project, with the Harrison L Station in Chicago being named after her, placing her among influential women like Michelle Obama and Oprah Winfrey. Awards & Honours: Asian American Heritage Council Award, City of Chicago Award, Vishwa Kala Bharathi Award for Artistic Excellence, National Endowment for the Arts Choreographic Award, Emmy Award, Chicago Dancemakers Forum selection/award, McArthur Foundation grant to Natya Dance Theatre (2018), See Chicago Dance Legacy Award (2021), Women's L Project Honoree (Harrison L Station named after her) (2022), Master Teacher Award from the Asian American Heritage Council, Master Teacher Award from the City of Chicago, Lifetime Achievement award from Soorya Dance in St. Louis.