Our Dancers
Here are our wonderful dancers that you will see on stage!
Ramya Raghavan
Teacher, Choreographer, & Dancer
Ramya began training in Bharatha Natya under the tutelage of 'Nrithyarani ' Lata Kalpalatha and Sarasi Raj of PEALI Arpana Academy of Dance, Montreal, Canada. After completing her Arangetram in 1986, she underwent further training in Bharatha Natya with Sri. T.S. Bhatt of Menaka Nrithya Shala, Bengaluru, India and also took lessons in Kuchipudi with Smt. Sunanda Devi of Chaya Nrithya Niketan, Bengaluru, India. To further her experience in the art of 'Abhinaya ' (expressive dance), she had lessons with Priyadarshini Govind, Chennai, India and Padmini Rao, Bengaluru, India. She is currently learning the Art of Nattuvangam from Kalaimamani Guru Madurai R. Muralidharan. Ramya has performed extensively in Canada, the United States, India, the United Kingdom and Poland in both live and televised shows. Through her dance, she has helped raise money for temples in India and for medical organizations and social causes in Canada. She continues to actively pursue the art of dance as a performer and choreographer and is looking for ways to incorporate social issues relevant to society today into her dance choreography. In 2021, drawing from her expertise as a cardiologist, Ramya began Bharatha Natyam inspired fitness classes aimed at helping people of all ages and all dance backgrounds improve their fitness.
Jaya Srivastava
Dancer, choreographer and teacher
Jaya Srivastava was born and brought up in Montreal and started her training in Bharata Natya, at the age of 4. She trained in the Pandanallur style under her Guru, Dr. Mamata Niyogi-Nakra at Kala Bharati, where she also taught for many years. Jaya had the good fortune of training with other Gurus as well namely Guru U.S. Krishna Rao and Chandra Bhaga Devi, Guru Jai Govinda and Guru Govindarajan. Jaya completed her Ranga Pravesh in 1991, alongside her sister Seema and has performed extensively over the years at various prestigious venues within Canada, as well as abroad, such as in India, Martinique and Holland. Over 15 years ago she co-founded Lasya, school of Bharata Natya, along with Seema and her colleague Alexandra Van Veeren. Jaya is now based in Toronto and continues to keep her passion for dance alive by performing, choreographing and teaching. She also enjoys collaborating with other dancers and sharing her love for dance in a variety of settings. Jaya is a certified Reiki Master and has more recently found a way to combine her love for dance with her healing work, which has been a very rewarding experience for her.
Nirosha Suthesan
Teacher, Choreographer, & Dancer
Nirosha Suthesan embarked on her Dance Journey at the age of 5. Initially, she became a part of the Yarl Kalabaranam Dance School in Jaffna Sri Lanka under the guidance of the talented sisters, Smt Shanthini Sivanesan and Smt Kumuthini Srikanthan. Notably, their father was the renowned dance teacher Kalaichelvan Erampu Suppiah. Unfortunately, due to the tense situation in Jaffna, Nirosha and her family were compelled to relocate to another province. Her training persisted as she continued her instruction under the tutelage of dance teachers Smt Vyjayanthimala Selvaratnam and Smt Thayananthi Vimalachandran. In 2005, She proudly showcased her skills during her Arangetra performance in Sri Lanka. In 2007 Nirosha achieved distinction in the Grade level examination held by North Ceylon Music Academy and was awarded the title of “Bharatha Kala Viththakar”. In 2009, she earned her Bachelor of Dance from Bharadhidasan University, India garnering the esteemed title “Kavin Kalaiyiyal Ilayar” and she underwent specialized training under the guidance of the esteemed “Natiyacharya” Mr & Mrs. V. P Thananjayan in India. In pursuit of further excellence, Nirosha pursued postgraduate studies in Dancing at Annamalai University under the guidance of Dr. Uma Anand and obtained the title “Muthukalaimaani” in 2019. Additionally, Nirosha has dedicated herself to refining her skills through Natuvaangam classes conducted by the accomplished Kalaimaamani Madhurai R. Muralidharan. Her commitment to her craft led her to partake in the Adaiyar K. Lakshman’s 50th Golden Jubilee Program in India with her students in 2019. The year 2021 witnessed Nirosha’s participation in the “Guinness World Records” program alongside her students, an event orchestrated by Kalaimaamani Madhurai R. Muralidharan. Subsequently, in 2022, she and her students showcased their talents in the Sanga Thamil Natya Nadagam during the FETNA, USA and repeating their success the following year in Toronto.
Vaishnavi Sai Sritharan
Dancer, Choreographer, & Web Development
Vaishnavi has been learning Bharathanatyam since age five and has continued learning for 19 years. She has completed her Arangetram in 2019. Vaishnavi is under the tutelage of Smt. Poomgulali Elengkumaran of Shanthanayaki Nattiyakkovil before continuing her learning through The Kalakshetra Foundation until early 2023. Vaishnavi has been performing with Ramya Raghavan for the past 3 years, Vaishnavi graduated from Centennial College with an Advanced Diploma in Child and Youth Care and is a CYC for the Toronto Catholic School Board.
Mahisha Thiru-Abeyewardene
Dancer
Born in Jaffna, Sri Lanka, in 1986, Mahisha was introduced to Bharatanatyam at the age of six and continued her training under various gurus after immigrating to Toronto at eight. She has been involved with Oviya Shakthi since its inaugural show at the Richmond Hill Centre for Performing Arts in 2022, where she performed as a dancer. In addition to her passion for dance, Mahisha has a deep interest in Carnatic music, which she is earnestly trying to pass on to her young son. Outside of the arts, she enjoys spending time outdoors, volunteering, biking, and being with friends and family.
Calpanaa Jegatheeswaran
Dancer
Calpanaa Jegatheeswaran has been learning Bharathanatyam since the age of four. She is currently pursuing her training under the guidance of Smt. Poomgulali Elengkumaran. Alongside her dance practice, she is trained in playing the veena and in Carnatic music. Academically, she holds an HBSc in Neuroscience and Psychology and an MA in Developmental Psychology and Education from the University of Toronto. Currently, she is a Ph.D. Candidate in the Developmental Psychology and Education program at the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education. Her research focuses on the impact of environmental risk factors and parenting on the socio-emotional and cognitive development of low-income children during their formative years. Recently, she has also worked in the equity, diversity, and inclusion space, examining how these factors shape the experiences of children and their families within social institutions, particularly in the home and school. Calpanaa remains deeply committed to her passion for Bharathanatyam and looks forward to continuing her journey in this ancient art form.
Vidyashree Kumara Gowda
Dancer
Vidya is a passionate dancer, biotech engineer and a mother of two. She started her dance journey at the age of 10 under the guidance of her guru Shri.Jilani Basha in Ballari, Karnataka. She has completed junior and senior exams in Bharatanatyam and junior in Kuchipudi conducted by the Karnataka school examination and assessment board. She has also learnt Carnatic music. She has participated in various stage performances, dance reality shows, singing in concerts, and dance dramas across India and Canada. Vidya is currently working as a Clinical Data Manager at Alimentiv and continues her dance journey alongside.
Nitya Chawla
Dancer
Nitya is 14 years old and has been training in Bharata Natya for over 10 years, under the guidance of her mother Jaya Srivastava and the teachers at Lasya, school of Bharata Natya. She is also enrolled in the Dance program at a specialized arts school in Markham, Ontario where she trains in a variety of western dance styles, namely jazz, contemporary, hip hop and ballet. She has been learning Carnatic violin as well as Hindustani music for several years now and hopes to broaden her exposure to both music and dance in the future.
Laya Sri Devan
Dancer
Laya is eleven years old. A competitive acro artist, she has been performing acro, jazz and ballet with the Northern Lights Dance Studio. She has won numerous awards, including most recently placing first in the Luv2Dance National Competition in Orlando, Florida. She performed on the Disney Springs stage in July 2024 as part of the Elite National Team. She has been learning Bharatha Natyam for seven years under the guidance of her mother, Ramya Raghavan, and also learns Carnatic music from Shree Coorg of Gana Sudha School of Music.
Sahana Suthesan
Dancer
Sahana Suthesan is a Grade 6 student at Brookside Public School in Toronto. She embarked on her dance journey at the age of 4, guided by her mother, Nirosha. Sahana's dedication and talent have led her to excel in dance 4th grade examinations through Annamalai University in India. She has also been part of notable dance programs, including a performance at Adaiyar K. Lakshman's 50th Golden Jubilee Program in India at the tender age of 7, and Madhurai R. Muralidharan's Sanga Tamil Program in Toronto. Beyond her passion for dance, Sahana finds joy in activities such as swimming and practicing yoga.
Pujitha Sai Kurukuri
Dancer
Pujitha has been learning Bharatanatyam under the guidance of Guru Natyatharagai Smt. Suneetha Prakash for over 12 years. In her numerous years as a dancer, she has performed at various cultural events and festivals across the GTA, Kitchener-Waterloo, and London. She has also participated in the 60 Jathis challenge and the Guinness World Record attempt for "Most people performing a choreographed dance online simultaneously," organized by Kalaimamani Guru Madurai R. Muralidharan, and has been awarded certificates from The Guinness World Record, Asia Book of World Records, India Book of World Records, and The World Records Union. Pujitha has just recently completed her International Baccalaureate Diploma, and is now pursuing a Bachelors in Neuroscience at McGill University.
Nilanjana Rajamony
Dancer
Nilanjana started learning dance under the tutelage of Sri Seshakamal Iyengar at the Swarakamalam School of Music and Dance in the Pandanallur style of Bharatanatyam. After watching several dancers perform when she was little, Nilanjana grew curious and started her training at the age of 5. Over the years, she has performed at a multitude of events such as ISKCON and Natyanjali to name a few. Nilanjana has been able to adapt to her stage when being a part of group performances as well as when she performs as a soloist. She completed her Bharatanatyam arangetram in 2023 at the age of 12 demonstrating her flexibility in some of the pieces. Nilanjana pursues her interest in other activities such as soccer, gymnastics, Carnatic vocal training and mridangam. She now attends a high school, Collège St-Louis.
Abinaya Pandy
Dancer
Abinaya Pandy is currently 18 years old and Is in her second year at John Abbott College in the commerce program. She has been learning Bharatanatyam under the guidance of Sri. Seshakamal Iyengar since the age of 5. She has since then performed in many cities across Canada such as Toronto, Montreal and Ottawa. Abinaya has also danced at the Rata Yatra festival, the Natyaanjalifestival and the Youth Encouragement Program in connection with Bharatiya Sangeetha Sangham. Abinaya completed her arangetram in 2022 in virudhunagar india along side her siste.
Abhinaya Ramasamy
Dancer
Abhinaya began her journey in Indian classical dance at the age of 7 at the Swarakamalam School of Music and Dance in 2011 under the guidance of Sri Seshakamal Iyengar. She has performed for the school under various banners. Swarakamalam’s school presentations, CANAM festival by Bharati Kala Mandram, Toronto, The Great India Festival, Ottawa, ISKCON Ratha Yatra, and Montréal Natyanjali to name a few. Abhinaya has also learnt Carnatic vocal for many years at Swarakamalam. In addition for her love of Bharatanatyam, Abhinaya was an athlete throughout her High school and Cegep years, which has provided her a unique opportunity to blend the discipline and techniques she has learnt in sports and the expressive art of dance. She has choreographed for many cultural events in Montreal. Abhinaya is a second year student at Université de Montréal (Trois-Rivières, Qc) pursuing her studies in medicine.
Prisha Patel
Dancer
Prisha began her journey in Indian classical dance at the age of 4. She began learning Bharatanatyam at the Swarakamalam School of Music and Dance in 2011 under the guidance of Sri Seshakamal Iyengar. She has performed for the school under various banners. Swarakamalam’s school presentations, CANAM festival by Bharati Kala Mandram, Toronto, The Great India Festival, Ottawa, ISKCON Ratha Yatra, and Montréal Natyanjali to name a few. She has completed her Bharatanatyam Arangetram recently, in August. Prisha Patel is now 17 years old and attending John Abbott College in the Science program.
Prachi Patel
Dancer
Prachi Patel is 17 years old and has been learning Bharatanatyam at Swarakamalam School of Music and Dance, under the guidance of Sri Seshakamal Iyengar since the age of 4. She has performed at the Swarakamalam’s school presentations, CANAM festival by Bharati Kala Mandram, Toronto, The Great India Festival, Ottawa, ISKCON Ratha Yatra, and Montréal Natyanjali. She completed her Bharatanatyam Arangetram recently, in August. Prachi Patel is now attending John Abbott College in the Science program.
Akshaya Pandy
Dancer
Akshaya Pandy is 16 years old and has completed her fourth year of highschool at Collège Sainte-Anne. She began her journey in Bharatanatyam at the tender age of 6 under the guidance of Sri. Seshakamal Iyengar and has since then performed at Swarakamalam school presentations, Natyanjali, the Ottawa tulip festival in connection with the Indian festival of Canada as well as the Iskcon Rata Yatra. Akshaya completed her arangetram in 2022 in Virudhunagar india along side her sister.
Poorvajha Gowrishanker
Dancer
Poorvajha Gowrishanker is currently 20 years old, and is a student at Université de Montréal pursuing a bachelor's in Biochemistry and molecular medicine. She has been learning Bharatanatyam since 2011 at the Swarakamalam school of dance and music. Throughout the years, she has performed in cities across Canada such as Montreal, Ottawa, and Toronto for various events and festivals. She has also been learning vocal music since the age of 8, initially from Smt. Uma Kumar, Smt. Meena Srinivasan, Ms.Shruthi Raman and currently from Sri Dr. Subba Narsaiah.
Ananya Narayanswamy
Dancer
Ananya is currently 17 years old and is attending Dawson College in the Art, Literature, and Communication program. She has been learning Bharatanatyam under the guidance of Sri Seshakamal Iyengar since the age of 4. She has since performed in many cities across Canada, such as Montreal, Toronto, and Ottawa. Ananya has danced at the ISKON Ratha Yatra festival, the Montreal Natyanjali festival, and the CANAM festival conducted by BKM Toronto. She completed her Bharatanatyam arangetram in the summer of 2022. Ananya also learns Carnatic vocal music and has many interests outside of dance, such as music, reading, and writing.
Oviya Devan
Performer
Oviya is a 17 year old student attending Dr. G. W. Williams Secondary School as a grade 12 student. Born with complex special needs, she strives to communicate using alternative communication methods and is the spokesperson for the Hummingbird, a specialized device that transforms a person’s vocalizations into computer accessible switch outputs. She has travelled extensively pursuing intensive physiotherapy and is passionate about music and spending time with her family and friends.
Krishna Hari Sairam
Performer
Krishna Hari is seven years old and attends Peter Hall School. He has a passion for music and has a beautifully endearing smile and laugh.
Musicians
Here are our talented musical artists who will be performing tonight!
Anjana Srinivasan
Violinist and composer
Drawing from her training in Carnatic and Western Classical Violin as well as Carnatic Vocal music, Anjana explores the world of music as a way to touch the soul through melody and emotion. She is a disciple of Sangitha Kalanidhi Smt Lalgudi Vijayalakshmi. She received her initial training in Carnatic Violin under the late Sri Anoor Ramakrishna of Bangalore, India. Anjana is very active in the Indo-Canadian musical scene. She performs regularly as a soloist, as part of instrumental groups, and as an accompanist for vocal and dance performances. Her musical journey has included collaborations with artists of varied international backgrounds, which has led to numerous performances at Canadian festivals including the well-known Montreal International Jazz Festival. She has lent a Carnatic violin touch to many recordings by Canadian and Indo-Canadian artists of different musical styles. Anjana enjoys imparting her art by conducting violin lessons for local youth and adults. She plays an active part in organizing educational musical opportunities for students of music in Montreal.
Medha Srinivasan
Singer
Medha Srinivasan is currently a student at McGill University, pursuing a Bachelor of Science in Honours Physiology with a minor in Neuroscience. Her journey in Carnatic vocal music began at the tender age of two, under the guidance of her late mother, Smt. Sree Meenakshi Srinivasan. She continued her training with Smt. Uma Kumar, granddaughter of Vidwan Sathur A.G. Subramaniam. For the past 15 years, Medha has immersed herself in Carnatic music under the tutelage of Dr. Subba Narasiah, a disciple of Sangeetha Kalanidhi Vidwan Nedunuri Krishnamurthy. Medha has performed extensively across Montreal and Ottawa, both as a soloist and as part of group and dance ensembles. She continues to share her passion for music by teaching young students in her community, passing on the tradition of Carnatic vocal music to the next generation.
Ashwinn Balachandran
Mridangam artist
Ashwinn Balachandran is the son and disciple of Mridanga Vidwan Toronto B Shri Gowrishanker Balachandran. He also has the distinction of learning from his guru’s guru, Sangita Kalanidhi Dr Thiruvaarur Bakthavastsalam. He has accompanied eminent artists such as O. S. Thyagarajan, Thiruvarur Girish, Bharat Sundar, Vishnudev Namboothiri, and many others. He had the great opportunity to work along with Chitraveena Ravikiran in his dance production “Lakshmi Prabhavam” featured during the Cleveland Thyagaraja Aradhana in 2018. Ashwinn has won several prizes from music competitions conducted by several organizations. He has won first prize in the Mridangam competition conducted by the Cleveland Thyagaraja Aradhana in 2013 and 2016 for both solo and accompaniment. Ashwinn has also performed in various sabhas in Chennai. He has been awarded “Yuva Prathiba” presented by the VVS foundation and “Mridanga Kala Jothi” presented by the Varasiththi Vinaayagar temple in Toronto. Ashwinn is currently pursuing his undergraduate degree in Electrical Engineering at the University of Ontario Institute of Technology.
Saivani Virahsammy
MC
Saivani completed her Bharata Natyam arangetram in 1997 in Montreal with Smt. Vasantha Krishnan. Born in Mauritius, she was encouraged from a young age to embrace her Indo-Mauritian roots by participating and collaborating in various cultural projects. Over the years, she has lent her voice as a singer and narrator and is an independent artist always looking for new opportunities. She currently lives in Toronto.
Kirishan Thanajeyan
MC
Kirishan Thananjeyan was diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder at the age 2. He has been immersed in South Indian classical music from a young age, and is almost entirely self-taught. He first taught himself vocal music around the age of 8, and quickly learned the technicalities and subtle nuances of the art. He now formally learns Indian classical vocals from Thiru. S. Pathmalingam, and Western classical vocals from Ms. Karen Gray. He then started playing the violin and piano, teaching himself at first, and now learns formally under Ms. Sabina Sabaratnam. Kirishan has sung and played in many cultural programs, receiving many awards for his music. In 2017, he had the honour of singing the Tamil National Anthem at Parliament Hill, Ottawa, for the first-ever Canadian Tamil Heritage Month Celebrations, as well as having done "Isaiyum Naanum", a CD release, in which he fundraised approximately $3,500 for orphaned girls' homes in eastern Sri Lanka. He also had the wonderful opportunity to perform with the legendary playback singer K.S. Chithra, for ATI’s fundraising show “Chithra Geetham”. Additionally, he starred in his own highly-successful musical "Silver Linings" through the South Asian Autism Awareness Centre (SAAAC), in which he played the lead role. Most recently, he received the "Youth Inspiration" award from the Tamil Mirror Awards Gala 2018, the 2020 “Youth Icon” award from the Canadian Tamil Youth Association (CTYA), and most recently, the 2022 “Outstanding Achievement in Arts” award from the National Council of Canadian Tamils (NCCT).
Acknowledgement
Here are the people who helped in the background!
Saira Easan
Photography & Videography
Saira is a passionate photographer with a love for capturing life's little moments. Although she is a hobbyist, she has a keen eye for beauty and a knack for finding the perfect shot. Whether it's stunning landscapes or the spontaneous laughter of loved ones, she finds joy in documenting the simple wonders that surround us. When she is not behind the camera, you'll find her exploring new places, and looking for inspiration. Photography is her creative outlet and a way to share the world through her lens.
Jeevan Chawla
Lighting & Sound
Jeevan Chawla is a high school student at a specialized art school in Markham, Ontario where he will be completing his final year. He has been exposed to Indian classical dance and music from a very young age and always had a keen interest in the technical aspects of stage productions. Jeevan has been playing tabla for about 15 years and is a percussionist for his school’s jazz ensemble. He has also been learning Hindustani music for the past several years. Jeevan hopes to pursue a career that combines his passion for music and technology in the future.