Prarthana Prashanth

🪔 About

Prarthana Prashanth is an accomplished Bharatanatyam dancer based in Chicago, USA, who has been a dedicated disciple of Smt. Hema Rajagopalan and Smt. Krithika Rajagopalan at the Natya Dance Theatre since August 2008. She has trained under her gurus for over 14 years, learning the nuances of Bharatanatyam, an Indian classical dance form that she uses to connect with her Indian culture and spiritual journey. Prashanth has a rich performance history, having graced various stages across Chicago, including Night Out in the Parks, Chicago's Stomping Grounds Festival, and multiple events for the Indian Consulate General. Her performances extend to prestigious venues such as the Art Institute of Chicago, Harris Theatre, Pritzker Pavillion, Field Museum, Chicago Cultural Center, Garfield Conservatory, Navy Pier, and the Taste of Chicago. She has also been an integral part of Natya Dance Theatre's productions, including "Ramanuja Darshanam," "Vedanta Desikar," the 2019 World Tamil Conference, and "Daya Devi Darishanam." In January 2023, she performed in Chennai, India, as part of Natya's Marghazi Performance Series. Beyond performing, Prarthana Prashanth is also involved in teaching and sharing her passion for dance. She performs at local Temples and teaches Bharatanatyam at various local schools. Her teaching experience includes leading workshops at Stevenson High School, UChicago Lab School, and Daystar Academy, and she has taught as part of Natya's Chicago Public School Residency program. She completed her arangetram in 2022, which was postponed from 2020 due to the pandemic. In recognition of her talent, she was awarded the 2021 National YoungArts Honorable Mention Award in Bharatanatyam. In addition to Bharatanatyam, Prashanth has also trained in Carnatic Classical Music for 10 years under Smt. Shanthala Subramaniam and Western Classical Piano for 11 years. Awards & Honours: National YoungArts Honorable Mention Award in Bharatanatyam (2021).