Archana Raja

🪔 About

Archana Raja is a distinguished Indian classical dancer, teacher, and choreographer, primarily known for her expertise in Kuchipudi and Bharatanatyam. Based in the United States, she is the Artistic Director of Laya Dance Company, which she founded in India in 2018 and later re-established in the Bay Area, California, in 2020. [2, 5, 11] Her foundational training in Bharatanatyam was under Guru Sheela Unnikrishnan at Sridevi Nrithyalaya in Chennai, India. [1, 2] She holds a Master's degree in Bharatanatyam. [5] Archana Raja began her extensive training in Kuchipudi under Kasi Aysola, the Director of Prakriti Dance, and presented her Kuchipudi Rangapravesam in Chennai, India, in January 2023 at the age of 28. [1, 2, 4] She also receives advanced learning in Bharatanatyam with Renjith Babu and Vijna Vasudevan. [1] With over two decades of experience as a soloist, Archana Raja has performed in major dance festivals globally, including the Kalarasa Dance Festival in Barcelona, the Dancing the Gods Festival in New York City, the Pongal Dance Festival at Krishna Gana Sabha in Chennai, the New York Kuchipudi Festival, Jacob's Pillow Festival, and the Nishagandhi Festival in India. [1, 2, 8] She has collaborated with renowned choreographers such as Dr. Anita Ratnam and Padmashri Shobana. [1, 2] Archana Raja is dedicated to nurturing excellence in Kuchipudi through Laya Dance and contributes to artistic development as the Artistic Associate of Prakriti Dance. [2] Her creative work focuses on developing solo projects that integrate diverse genres of music and storytelling into the fabric of Indian classical dance, aiming to connect with diverse audiences and encourage questioning. [1, 2] Awards & Honours: Nrithya Ratna Award, Graded Artist in Doordarshan National for Bharathanatyam (2017), Scholarship Holder, BIPOC Artist (Base Residency) (2024).