Kay Poursine

🪔 About

Kay Poursine is a distinguished performer and educator of Bharatanatyam, deeply rooted in the family style (bani) of the legendary T. Balasaraswati. Born in New Orleans, Poursine's early artistic journey began with ballet training, which she pursued extensively across Japan, Europe, and the United States until the age of seventeen. Her path shifted profoundly after witnessing a Bharatanatyam performance, which captivated her unlike any other dance form. In 1972, she commenced her studies in Indian dance in New York City. Poursine was fortunate to become a direct disciple of T. Balasaraswati, studying with the revered guru at Mills College in Oakland, California, and during summer residencies on the West Coast and at Wesleyan University, Connecticut. Balasaraswati invited Poursine to Madras (Chennai) for intensive private classes with her and her daughter, Lakshmi Knight, in 1976-77. Poursine earned her M.A. from Wesleyan University, where she also delved into Carnatic music under Balasaraswati's brothers, T. Viswanathan and T. Ranganathan. Following Balasaraswati's passing in 1984, Poursine continued her advanced training in the same bani with Balasaraswati's senior disciple, Smriti Nandini Ramani, in Chennai, including studies in 2016 and 2019. Her dedication to the art form was further supported by three Smithsonian senior fellowships, under the American Institute for Indian Studies, for performances and private study in India in 1982-83, 1986-87, and 1990-91. Poursine's performances in India garnered rave reviews. She taught Bharatanatyam in Balasaraswati's style as a Visiting Artist in the Wesleyan Dance Department from 1980 to 1991. Described as an "internationally acclaimed artist" and "one of the greatest living performers of Bharata Natyam", Kay Poursine continues to perform and educate, offering classes in Evanston and Chicago, Illinois, and contributing to scholarly performing arts journals. Her work is a testament to her commitment to preserving and transmitting the profound legacy of the Balasaraswati tradition. Awards & Honours: Smithsonian Senior Fellowship (American Institute for Indian Studies) (1982), Smithsonian Senior Fellowship (American Institute for Indian Studies) (1986), Smithsonian Senior Fellowship (American Institute for Indian Studies) (1990).