Shilpa Darivemula

🪔 About

Shilpa Darivemula is an accomplished Indian classical dancer specializing in Kuchipudi, who also incorporates Bharatanatyam into her work. She began her Kuchipudi training at the age of eight at the Academy of Kuchipudi Dance and performed her solo debut recital, or Rangapravesham, in 2011 at the Kalanidhi Dance school. Darivemula's career uniquely intertwines her passion for classical Indian dance with her professional life as a physician. She is a resident physician in Obstetrics and Gynecology and currently serves as a General Research Fellow in Obstetrics and Gynecology at the University of North Carolina. In 2014, Darivemula founded the Aseemkala Initiative, where she serves as Creative Director. This initiative is dedicated to exploring the intersection of traditional dance, women's health, and medicine, utilizing dance as a powerful tool for medical narratives, research, and addressing racial and social inequities in healthcare. Her innovative medical-dance pieces have been presented at various platforms, including the 31st International Papilloma Conference, ArtWallahLA Festival, and the Southern Vermont Dance Festival. Darivemula's interdisciplinary work has earned her several prestigious recognitions. In 2013, she received the Thomas Watson Fellowship to study the connections between traditional dance and women's health across multiple countries. She was also named the AMWA National Artist-in-Residence in 2016 and an ASTMH Kean Fellow in 2018, where she focused on using art to teach about cervical cancer. Her insights and research have been published in reputable journals such as the AMA Journal of Ethics, Empiric Bioethics, BMJ Blogs, and in-House. Through her performances, workshops, and publications, Shilpa Darivemula continues to bridge the worlds of classical Indian dance and medicine, advocating for a more humanistic approach to healthcare. Awards & Honours: Thomas Watson Fellowship (2013), AMWA National Artist-in-Residence (2016), ASTMH Kean Fellow (2018).