Smt. Deepa S Pillai

🪔 About

Deepa Somasekhara Pillai is an Indian classical dancer, actor, and choreographer, recognized for her expertise in Bharatanatyam, Kuchipudi, and Mohiniyattam. Her artistic journey is complemented by a strong academic foundation, including a Master of Arts in Performance Studies from New York University, where she was listed as a 2020 alumna of the Martin Scorsese Institute of Global Cinematic Arts. She further honed her classical dance skills by earning a Master's degree in Bharatanatyam from REVA University in Bengaluru, India, and also holds a Senior Exam certification in Bharatanatyam from the Karnataka Secondary Education Examination Board. Beyond her artistic pursuits, Deepa Pillai possesses a diverse educational background with an MBA in Banking Technology and a Bachelor of Technology in Information Technology, both from Pondicherry University. As a multi-hyphenate artist, Deepa Pillai integrates her roles as an actor, dancer, and choreographer, alongside her practice as a Hatha Yoga practitioner. Her work is driven by a profound curiosity to explore the intrinsic link between storytelling and life, delving into how the modalities of storytelling form the roots of existence. She is fascinated by the oral traditions of India, which have served as the basis for knowledge transmission for millennia, and seeks to understand the underlying patterns in daily life that constitute a living that transcends space and time. Deepa performs Bharatanatyam compositions, some choreographed centuries ago, passed down through her guru's lineage. She views art forms as crucial dimensions through which stories are propagated, considering bodies as both ephemeral blocks of life and the enduring threads that weave the fabric of culture.