Kirsten Newell

🪔 About

Kirsten Newell is a prominent Bharatanatyam artist, teacher, and choreographer based in Edinburgh, Scotland. Her journey in dance began at a young age with training in ballet and contemporary forms. In 2006, she commenced her Bharatanatyam training in Edinburgh under Priya Srikumar, which marked the beginning of her deep connection with Indian classical dance. She furthered her studies at the Attakalari Centre for Movement Arts in Bangalore, India, before enrolling in the renowned Kalakshetra Foundation in Chennai, India. After four years of intensive immersion in Bharatanatyam, its culture, and traditions, Newell graduated in 2013 with a first-class degree. Since returning to Scotland, Kirsten Newell has dedicated over a decade to her career as a professional dancer, performing and developing her creative abilities in productions across the UK, India, and internationally. She has collaborated with celebrated artists and companies such as Subathra Subramaniam, Akademi, Leela Samson, Shane Shambhu, Seeta Patel, ATMA Dance Company, Srishti Dance Creations, Mathangi Keshavan, and Vyuti Dance Company. Newell is passionate about fostering exciting, collaborative, innovative, and high-quality South Asian dance in the UK. In 2019, Kirsten Newell began a significant collaboration with Oxana Banshikova, working together under the 'Cosmic Dance' umbrella. As co-directors and choreographers, they have created notable productions, including "MaMa," a Bharatanatyam-based dance production exploring themes of pregnancy and early motherhood, which toured throughout Scotland and internationally in 2022. She is also a lead artist for "Hebridean Treasure: Lost & Found." Through Cosmic Dance, Newell and Banshikova aim to promote and grow innovative and high-quality South Asian Dance, offering Bharatanatyam classes for various levels and mentoring new talent.