Giovanna Leva Joglekar

🪔 About

Giovanna Leva Joglekar is an Italian-born Indian classical dancer and teacher specializing in Bharatanatyam and Bharatanrityam. Her dance journey began with classical ballet, where she trained under Maestro Walter Venditti of the Teatro alla Scala in Milan and performed as a soloist with various choreographers and directors across Italy. She also explored modern dance and living theatre before moving to India in 1993. In India, she dedicated herself to Indian classical dance, studying Bharatanatyam under the guidance of the legendary danseuse Yamini Krishnamurti in the 1990s, with whom she also performed extensively. From 2004, Giovanna collaborated with Jayashree Rajagopalan, a disciple of Dr. Padma Subrahmanyam, to deepen her study of Bharatanrityam, a style that integrates traditional Bharatanatyam with the 108 Karanas. She was a member of Jayashree Rajagopalan's Nrithyodaya Mumbai company for many years. As a performer, Giovanna Leva Joglekar has graced stages at significant events such as the Khajuraho Festival (as a soloist in 2005) and the Natyanjali Festival, as well as numerous international events in India and Italy. She founded Kaustubha Ballet, through which she teaches both Indian classical dance and classical ballet. She has been teaching Bharatanatyam to adults and children for over a decade, incorporating elements of Western classical ballet into her preparatory methods. She currently resides in Chorao Island, North Goa, India, and continues to perform and teach, alternating between India and Italy. Awards & Honours: Yamini Krishnamurti Award (2014).