Namita Bhaggoe-Ajodhia

🪔 About

Namita Bhaggoe-Ajodhia is a Surinamese dancer and dance teacher specializing in Indian classical dance, particularly Bharatanatyam. Her journey in dance began at the age of three with Bollywood dance steps, and at five, she started Kathak lessons at the Indian Cultural Center (ICC) in Suriname. At twelve, she began teaching young children at the ICC under the guidance of Indian dance teacher Ram Mohan Mishra. In 1996, she was captivated by a Bharatanatyam performance by Geeta Ramlal from the Netherlands, which inspired her to pursue this classical form. She commenced her Bharatanatyam training in 1997 under Madhoerie Jagmohan, completing her arangetram (debut performance) on May 18, 2001, as part of Jagmohan's first cohort of graduates. Shortly after her arangetram, on June 4, 2001, Bhaggoe-Ajodhia founded her own dance school, Namita Nritya Vidya Bhavan, in Suriname. The academy offers classes in Bharatanatyam, folk dances, fusion, and film dances. Over its first two decades, the school produced eleven dance productions and saw several students complete their arangetrams. She continued to study with her guru, Madhoerie Jagmohan, until March 2019. Bhaggoe-Ajodhia has performed in various events and shows, including in temples and Theater Thalia. Her school has also performed internationally, including in Saint Vincent in 2019 and Curaçao in 2023 and 2024. During the COVID-19 pandemic, she contributed to a book about Bharatanatyam in Suriname, documenting her and her teacher Madhoerie Jagmohan's experiences. She is recognized for her dedication to preserving and developing Bharatanatyam as a cultural heritage in Suriname.