COME IMMERSE YOURSELF IN THE WORLD OF INDIAN DANCE WITH US!
Faculty
RAMYA GUNASHEKAR Founder & Director
Ramya is a passionate and accomplished Bharatanatyam dancer and one of the emerging artists of the younger generation. At the age of four, Ramya began learning Bharatanatyam in Chennai, and she completed her arangetram at Natyarpana - School of Fine Arts under the guidance of Guru Diyva Lakshmi. While learning the art form, Ramya discovered the extended benefits of her studies - a discovery and connection with her culture and its fundamental ideals. Ramya seeks to pass on to her students the elegant and rhythmic expressions just as she was taught.
Ramya is the Director of Mayura Dance Academy, where she creates and teaches graceful dance sequences to increase the accessibility of both classical and modern arts to all audiences. As an artist and instructor, she has given lecture demonstrations and workshops in schools and libraries throughout the Tri-State area.
Ramya's passion for teaching Bharatanatyam stems from its intricate beauty and grace and she has found the experience to be enriching. Personally, she considers it a blessing to be able to share her knowledge and culture with her students and believes that it adds a layer of completion not only to her professional career but to her life as a whole. By combining her devotion to the dance with her Western upbringing, Ramya hopes to bridge the cultural boundaries and present Bharatanatyam in a clear and enlightening manner.
SAMANTHA MANOHARAN Creative Director
Samantha has been a teacher with Mayura Dance Academy since the beginning of 2016. She has been taking dance classes since the young age of 3 in tap, ballet and jazz. She continued her ballet training till the age of 14. At the age of 9, Samantha began her training in Bharatanatyam and continued for 9 years. She had the opportunity to train under a dance teacher while in India at the age of 10. Through her years of training under her guru, Samantha was exposed to various teachers from India who taught her different pieces and helped her to hone her craft. Samantha performed her Arangetram of 9 different dances on August 23, 2004.
Samantha attended The Pennsylvania State University for undergrad and attained a B.S. in Mechanical Engineering. At Penn State she was a member of various dance groups: NOMMO (African dance group), Penn State Bhangra Dance Team (with whom she performed in Bhangra Fusion 7 in Michigan) and PSIDE (Penn State International Dance Ensemble). She became the Assistant Director and Director of PSIDE from 2007-2009, running a completely student run group of 50 dancers. She performed at various functions throughout main campus and performed and coordinated all fall and spring showcases during her time there. She also had the opportunity to coordinate the group's first theater production at The Pullo Center at York Penn State. This production included 50 dances of varying styles, full stage lights and sound, costumes and 65 dancers. Some of the styles performed included: Tahitian, Belly dance, Irish, Binesuan, Hip Hop, Chinese Ribbon, Bharatanatyam and more. Samantha has had the chance to learn dance styles such as Salsa, Greek, Bhangra, Raas-Garba, Swing as well as those included above. After undergrad, once she returned to Westchester County, she joined Bollywood Beats and performed different pieces at functions in NYC, CT and Westchester County. She attended City College of New York for her graduate degree and earned an M.S. in Biomedical Engineering. During her graduate coursework she returned to Bharatanatyam and trained with her old guru for a few years participating in the annual recital and as an assistant dance teacher. In 2014 she became a member of NOOTANA, a volunteer organization of dancers, musicians and singers who promote the Indian culture to the Washington, D.C. and Maryland area. She has performed in 2 spring showcases and one fall showcase as a dancer with NOOTANA showing off her abhinaya abilities in duets and solos. She continues to be a member of the group and performs in Maryland and D.C. when she can.
Dance holds a special place in Samantha's heart, it is her passion. She is extremely happy to continue dancing and creating new pieces while sharing her joy with her students as she watches them grow as dancers. The 3 year old Samantha would be very pleased to know that her dreams of becoming a dance teacher have been fulfilled and continue to be fulfilled by each of her students!
Samantha is currently working fulltime in the Biomed Quality Assurance Department of a top New York hospital, as well as a dance teacher, freelance design engineer, teacher/instructor, bookkeeper and tutor.
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