Smt. Savitri Naidoo

🪔 About

Smt. Savitri Naidoo is a distinguished Bharatanatyam exponent, choreographer, and teacher, recognized for her pioneering contributions to Indian arts in South Africa and Australia. Her dance journey began with training in Western genres such as Ballet, Modern, and Spanish dance before she immersed herself in Indian classical dance. She pursued Bharatanatyam in the classical Pandanallur style under the tutelage of Guru Natya Kala Ratnam, Natya Kala Bhushan Smt. Indira Rajan in India, studying within the traditional Gurukul system. Following her Arangetram, she further expanded her repertoire by training in Kathak in Mauritius and traditional Indian folk dance at Darpana Academy (Ahmedabad) and Triveni College (Delhi). With her guru's blessings, Savitri Naidoo established Vadhini Natyalaya, later known as Vadhini Indian Arts, in South Africa. For over three decades, she spearheaded this institution, staging innovative productions and collaborative works, and was instrumental in establishing Bharatanatyam as an HSC-equivalent subject in South Africa. During this period, she continued to learn from stalwarts such as Smt. Vyjayanthimala, Madurai R. Muralidharan, and the Dhananjayans. She performed and conducted masterclasses across India, Mauritius, Poland, Germany, Botswana, and South Africa. In 2010, Savitri Naidoo immigrated to Australia, where she founded Chakras Performing Arts in Mayfield, NSW. As the Founder and Artistic Director, she continues to provide students with diverse performance opportunities, upholding the traditions of Indian dance while embracing global artistic influences. She has been honored with the Swami Thyagaraja Award for Arts and Culture Promotion in South Africa and the Arts and Culture Award from GOPIO Australia for her sustained contributions to the field. To date, 23 students have completed their Bharatanatyam training under her guidance in Australia. Awards & Honours: Swami Thyagaraja Award for Arts and Culture Promotion, Arts and Culture Award.