Vasugi Singh

🪔 About

Vasugi Singh is a prominent Bharatanatyam dancer, teacher, and author based in South Africa, known for her direct lineage to the legendary T. Balasaraswati through her guru, Shyamala Mohanraj. Born in South Africa, Singh traveled to Chennai (then Madras), India, in 1973 with her father, Jugaheesan R. Devar, to pursue her Bharatanatyam training. She became a private student of Shyamala Mohanraj, a senior disciple of Balasaraswati, and lived with her guru in Sastri Nagar, Chennai. During her time in Chennai, Singh also had the privilege of attending classes conducted by Balasaraswati herself at the Madras Music Academy. She had her arangetram (debut performance) in 1975 at the Madras Museum Theatre, becoming the only South African student to have her arangetram under Shyamala Mohanraj's tutelage. Singh is the artistic director of KZN Dance Theatre and runs a consultancy focused on Indian dance in South Africa. She is also the Deputy President of the South African Hindu Maha Sabha. In 2019, her Master's dissertation, which explored the development of Bharatanatyam in South Africa, was published as a historical book. She graduated with a Master's degree in Drama from the former University of Durban-Westville. Singh reconnected with her guru, Shyamala Mohanraj, in 2012 after losing contact for several years. She penned a heartfelt tribute to Shyamala Mohanraj following her guru's passing in 2015.