Vaibhav Arekar

🪔 About

Vaibhav Arekar is a leading Indian classical dancer and choreographer, primarily known for his contributions to Bharatanatyam. He is recognized for his intense, calm, and immersive approach to performance, and his choreography often explores modernity within the classical framework. Arekar received his foundational training in Bharatanatyam from Smt. Saroja Srinath, and furthered his studies at Nalanda Nritya Kala Mahavidyalaya in Mumbai, where he earned his Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA) and Master of Fine Arts (MFA) degrees. He received rigorous training in nritta (pure dance) from Smt. Thangamani Nagarajan and advanced tutelage in abhinaya (expressive dance) under the guidance of his mentor, the late Padmashree Dr. Smt. Kanak Rele. Arekar also received basics of Kathak from Smt. Rajashree Shirke and trained in theatre under Shri Chetan Datar, which significantly influences his dance performances. Vaibhav Arekar is the founder and artistic director of the Sankhya Dance Company, a prominent dance company in western India known for its dynamic repertoire ranging from traditional to contemporary dance productions. Through Sankhya, he investigates and interrogates concepts and performance techniques to find the 'contemporary' within classical forms. His collaborative work in theatre-dance with Rajashree Shirke and Chetan Datar led to the creation of "Range Nritya," a symbiotic presentation of spoken words and dance. Arekar has performed extensively across India at prestigious festivals like Khajuraho, NCPA's 'Mudra' and 'Nakshatra' festivals, and the Music Academy dance festival, and internationally in countries including the USA, Canada, Japan, Brazil, Poland, Russia, Germany, France, and Australia. He also co-founded YATRA: International Dance Day Festival in 2002, an annual event aimed at bringing together various dance styles and choreographic visions. He was a faculty member at Nalanda Nrithya Kala Mahavidyalaya for nearly a decade and was instrumental in designing Diploma courses in Kathak and Bharatanatyam at Lasya Centre for Dance Education and Research in Mumbai. Awards & Honours: O B Obul Reddy endowment, Narthaka Nipuna.