Lakshmanaswamy A (A Lakshman)

🪔 About

A. Lakshmanaswamy, born in Malaysia in 1963, is a highly regarded Bharatanatyam dancer and guru. He began his initial Bharatanatyam training in Malaysia under Veera Venugopal of Bharata Kalanjali. At the age of 21, in 1985, he moved to Chennai, India, to pursue his professional dance education. There, he became a prominent student of the renowned guru K.J. Sarasa, training with her for eleven years and specializing in the Vazhoovoor bani. Lakshmanaswamy also expanded his artistic foundation by learning Carnatic music from Sarojini Sundaresan and received specialized training in abhinaya (expression) from Kalanidhi Narayanan. He further refined his Bharatanatyam skills through collaborations with stalwarts such as Sudharani Raghupathy, Anita Ratnam, and Lalgudi Jayaraman. In 1994, Lakshmanaswamy established his own dance institution, Nrithyalakshana, in Chennai, where he imparts training in the authentic form of Bharatanatyam. He is recognized as an empanelled “A” grade artist by both the Indian Council for Cultural Relations (ICCR) and Doordarshan. His extensive career includes numerous solo performances at prestigious venues across India and participation in national dance festivals. He has also performed internationally in countries such as France, USA, Malaysia, Singapore, the UK, and Japan. Beyond solo work, Lakshmanaswamy has played significant roles in various dance dramas, including "Kundrakudi Kuravanji," "Shakuntalam," portraying Lord Krishna in "Krishnam Vande Jagat Gurum," and Kamsa/Duryodhana in "Panchajanyam." His teaching legacy is evident through his many students who have become accomplished performers and teachers themselves. Awards & Honours: Best Dancer, Dharamavarapu Sitarama Anjaneyulu Prize, Rohini Krishnan Award, Sri Narasimhachari and Smt. Vasanthalakshmi prize, Best Guru Award (2006), Best Guru Award (2016), Natanamamani, Bharata Kala Ratna, Yuva Kala Bharati, Acharya Choodamani, Madurai N Krishnan Memorial Award (2014).