Ashwini Kaarthikeyan

🪔 About

Ashwini Kaarthikeyan is an Indian classical Bharatanatyam dancer, teacher, poet, and artist. She possesses over 25 years of dedicated training in Bharatanatyam, having received her foundational and advanced instruction from the esteemed Guru Smt. Nirmala Madhava of Pampa. Beyond her extensive practical training, Kaarthikeyan has delved deeply into the theoretical and philosophical underpinnings of Indian performing arts. She undertook an in-depth study of the Natya Shastra, an ancient Indian treatise, under the tutelage of Shri Piyal Bhattacharya, a renowned Tagore research scholar, director, and dancer associated with Kerala Kalamandalam and the founder of Chidakash Kalalay in Kolkata. Her academic pursuits also extended to exploring various Indian philosophies, including Nyaya, Vaisesika, and Shaivism, under Bhattacharya's guidance, which she credits with enriching her artistic approach and deepening her understanding of the cultural and historical context of her dance practice. Kaarthikeyan currently serves as an instructor at the KANHA School of Dance. Her commitment to continuous learning and research is evident in her participation in a significant ten-day residential workshop in November 2013, titled 'Source of Performance Energy.' This workshop, held at the Adishakti Laboratory for Theatre Arts & Research in Puducherry, India, focused on experiential studies of breath techniques used by performers of Koodiattyam, an ancient classical dance form. Following this intensive experience, she authored a twenty-page paper that meticulously compiled notes on the technique of entering any of the nine emotional states, or navarasas, as articulated in the Natya Shastra. As a multifaceted artist, Ashwini Kaarthikeyan has also contributed to the discourse on Indian classical dance through her writing. She has published articles on Narthaki, an online portal dedicated to Indian dance, including a notable piece in April 2013 that featured a sketch and text on the legendary Bharatanatyam dancer Balasaraswati (1918-1984).