Vibha Harikar

🪔 About

Vibha Harikar is an Indian classical dancer and teacher specializing in Bharatanatyam. Her dance journey commenced at the age of seven under the tutelage of Smt. Girija Rajendran in Dubai, U.A.E. During this foundational period, Harikar not only developed a strong base in Bharatanatyam but was also introduced to other South Indian dance forms, Mohiniattam and Kuchipudi. She actively performed across the United Arab Emirates, accompanying her teacher. Harikar further honed her Bharatanatyam skills under the guidance of Smt. Padmini Ravi, the founder of Pradhan Dance Center in Bangalore, India. Under Smt. Ravi's mentorship, she specialized in the distinctive "Vazhavoor" style of Bharatanatyam. Her comprehensive training also included Carnatic music and dance theory, which she studied at the Pradhan Dance Center. In 1988, with the encouragement and guidance of Smt. Padmini Ravi, Vibha Harikar performed her Arangetram, marking her formal debut in Bharatanatyam. She continued to perform as a member of Smt. Ravi's dance group until her marriage and subsequent relocation to Fairfax, Virginia, in the United States. Currently, Vibha Harikar is dedicated to propagating the art of Bharatanatyam by teaching interested students in Fairfax, Virginia. She founded Natyamala, a Bharatanatyam dance school, which celebrated its 10th-year anniversary in March 2019, indicating its establishment around 2009. Harikar is passionate about preserving and transmitting the grandeur of Bharatanatyam to the next generation of artists. Awards & Honours: Recognition by the Governor of the Commonwealth of Virginia.