Nitya Venkateswaran

🪔 About

Nitya Venkateswaran is a Bharatanatyam dancer, born and raised in California, U.S.A.. She has been immersed in the classical dance form for over 30 years, beginning her training in the Tanjore style at the age of four with Vishal Ramani, Artistic Director of Shri Krupa Dance Company in San Jose, CA. Venkateswaran performed her arangetram, or solo dance debut, in 1985, alongside her sister Swapna, after five years of training. She is recognized for her dynamic stage presence, precise footwork, and soulful interpretation of Bharatanatyam's musical content. Venkateswaran is noted as one of the few second-generation Indian Americans to pursue Bharatanatyam professionally. Her solo performance career commenced in Chennai, India, in December 2001, during the city's annual Music and Dance Season, where she has given over ten solo performances. She has also performed in Bangalore's Gayana Samaj and the Indira Gandhi Center for Arts in New Delhi. In 2005, she was honored to perform during the Maha Shivarathri celebrations at the Brihadeeshwar Temple in Thanjavur, a UNESCO World Heritage site. Her performances have garnered positive reviews from critics in The Hindu, Dinamalar, and Dinathanthi newspapers. In the U.S., Venkateswaran has performed extensively in the San Francisco Bay Area and was selected as a soloist for the prestigious 27th Annual San Francisco Ethnic Dance Festival in June 2005. In the same year, she received a choreography commission from the San Francisco Foundation and presented her own Bharatanatyam margam titled “Legacy of Love”. This work was a culmination of her choreography apprenticeship under her guru, Mrs. Vishal Ramani, supported by the Alliance of California Traditional Arts' Apprenticeship Program. She also performed at the Northwest Folklife Festival in Seattle, WA, in May 2011 and May 2013, and the Seattle World Rhythm Festival in April 2009 and April 2010. Beyond Bharatanatyam, Venkateswaran has studied Sanskrit, Tamil, nattuvangam, Carnatic music (vocal and veena), Modern/Graham technique, and Flamenco. Awards & Honours: Choreography Commission (2005).