Bindu Shankar

🪔 About

Dr. Bindu Shankar is a distinguished Bharatanatyam dancer, teacher, choreographer, and researcher with over three decades of experience in the art form. Born on July 13, 1965, in Madras, India, she received her foundational training at the prestigious Kalakshetra Foundation in Chennai, India. She earned both a Diploma and a Post Graduate Diploma in Bharatanatyam from Kalakshetra. Her arangetram (debut performance) was guided by her esteemed Guru, Smt. Sarada Hoffman, a renowned dancer and teacher trained under Rukmini Devi Arundale. During her time at Kalakshetra, Dr. Shankar also trained under eminent gurus such as Sri M.R. Krishnamurthi, Sri Balagopal, Smt. N.S. Jayalakshmi, and Smt. Krishnaveni Lakshmanan. Beyond her extensive dance training, Dr. Shankar holds a Doctorate of Philosophy (PhD) in Art History from Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio. Her doctoral research focused on dance imagery in temples across Tamil Nadu, specifically examining the 108-Karana Sculptural Program, which depicts 108 key dance movements. This research provided profound insights into the integration of sacred dance arrangements into temple architecture and iconography. Upon relocating to the Bay Area, California, in 2005, Dr. Shankar founded the Vrindavan Indian Dance Academy (VIDA) in San Ramon, California. As the Guru and Director of VIDA, she is dedicated to sharing the rich tradition of Bharatanatyam, following the Kalakshetra style. Under her leadership, VIDA has grown into a full-fledged dance institute, graduating nearly 100 students over the past two decades, with 46 students completing their arangetram. Dr. Shankar has also given numerous recitals and lecture demonstrations, and has received recognition at various platforms including the Festival of India in the former Soviet Union and the Tamil Nadu State Art Academy. She currently resides in San Ramon, California. Awards & Honours: Award at Festival of India, Award at Tamil Nadu State Art Academy, Award at The Ohio State University, Award at Dallas Museum of Art, Award at Stanford University, Award at NDEO Annual Conference, Award at Fusion Pleasanton.