Ms. Athira

🪔 About

Athira Pratap is an Indian-American classical dancer specializing in Bharatanatyam and Mohiniyattam. She began her Bharatanatyam training at the age of four and later learned Mohiniyattam under the tutelage of her mother, Guru Bindu Pratap. Her mother is a disciple of Smt. Meera Nambiar/Padmabhushan Dhananjayans and serves as the artistic director of Nritanjali Dance Academy. Athira has further refined her skills through workshops with Kalaimamani Anita Guha and Sri Guru Madurai R. Muralidharan. Throughout her career, Athira Pratap has performed extensively on local, national, and international platforms. She has been a principal dancer for Nritanjali Dance Academy and has contributed to choreography and teaching for productions such as 'Nartana Malika,' 'Samanya,' and 'Dakshina'. Her choreography for 'Smriti' in the Mohiniyattam style was presented at Yuva Bharathi's Kalpana in 2019. Athira is also a Dean's Scholarship student pursuing a neuroscience degree at the University of Southern California in Los Angeles, where she continues to explore her creative pursuits in performing arts. She aims to use classical Indian art forms to highlight social issues. Renowned composer Sri Madurai R. Muralidharan referred to her as a "child prodigy" in 2014. Awards & Honours: YoungArts National Finalist (2016), Cleveland Thyagaraja International Dance Festival Winner (2013), Youngest World Arts West Ethnic Festival soloist (2010), Asianet's North American classical dance winner.