Francisco Valiente

🪔 About

Francisco Valiente is a Bharatanatyam performer, teacher, and choreographer hailing from Madrid, Spain. His formal training in Indian classical dance began in Madrid in 2018 under the tutelage of Chandrika Chinoy. Following several years of dedicated study and mentorship, he was awarded the prestigious ICCR scholarship, which enabled him to pursue advanced training at the renowned Kalakshetra Foundation in Chennai, India. During his time in Kalakshetra, he has being trained under Smt. Prithvija Balagopalan, Smt. Sreedevi Jayakrishnan, Smt. Athena Madhu, Sree KP Rakesh, Smt. Nandini Nagaraj and Sree Girish Madhu. Deeply rooted in the Kalakshetra tradition, Valiente specializes in both performance and pedagogy, actively sharing the richness of Bharatanatyam through stage work and structured training. During his time in Chennai, he performed at notable venues including the Indian Institute of Technology Madras, Vivekananda Cultural Center, Kaldan Samudhra Palace, and Mahabalipuram. In March 2025, he participated in a Bharatanatyam performance for IAS trainee officers at the Rukmini Arangam Auditorium as a student of RDCFA at the Kalakshetra Foundation. Currently based in Madrid, Valiente offers regular Bharatanatyam classes for students of all levels, alongside online classes for learners worldwide. His teaching methodology emphasizes preserving the authenticity of the classical form while fostering creativity within tradition, exploring aspects like talam, developing original choreographies, and working with music in innovative ways. He actively collaborates with the Embassy of India in Spain and Casa de la India (Valladolid) on cultural and educational programs, promoting Indian classical dance through participation in events such as the International Day of Yoga and India's Independence Day celebrations. He also collaborates with companies and teachers across Spain and in other European cities like Paris. Awards & Honours: ICCR Scholarship / Pratibha Sangam Prize 2025