Nivedha Ramalingam Kabilashan

🪔 About

Nivedha Ramalingam is a Canadian Bharatanatyam dancer, teacher, choreographer, and Kinesiologist. Born in Pickering, Ontario, she began her journey in Bharatanatyam at the age of five, formally commencing her lessons at seven under her mother's guidance. Her mother, a former prominent dancer in Singapore, instilled in Nivedha the discipline and encouragement to excel in dance. Ramalingam completed her Arangetram in 2003. She holds a Diploma in Bharathanatyam and a "Natiyakalaimani" (Bachelor in Bharathanatyam). While primarily self-taught and self-trained, she has also undertaken intensive training with leading artists in India and locally. Ramalingam founded the Bharathalaya Dance Academy in 2006, where she instructs students in Bharatanatyam. She also holds the distinction of being the University of Toronto's (Scarborough campus) first Bharathanatya Dance teacher. As a performer, Nivedha Ramalingam is a principal dancer for the Menaka Thakkar Dance Company and has graced numerous international dance festivals. Her performances have taken her to cities such as Vancouver, San Antonio, Chicago, and New York. A cherished moment in her career was dancing at the Chidambaram Dance Festival in India on Shivaratri. Her exceptional talent has been recognized with several prestigious awards. In 2013, she was the Grand Prize Winner of the Cleveland Thyagarajah Dance Competition, triumphing over Bharatanatyam dancers from India. She is also the recipient of the 'Vazhavoor Ramaiya Pillai' Endowment Award from the Cleveland Thyagarajah Aradhana and the 'Guru Subbaraya Pillai Endowment Award from Sri Krishna Gana Sabha in Chennai. Beyond her dance career, Ramalingam balances her artistic pursuits with a professional career as a Kinesiologist in cardiac rehabilitation. Awards & Honours: Grand Prize Winner of the Cleveland Thyagarajah Dance Competition (2013), Vazhavoor Ramaiya Pillai' Endowment Award, Guru Subbaraya Pillai Endowment Award.