Padmaja Kelam

🪔 About

Smt. Padmaja Kelam is a highly acclaimed figure in Indian classical dance, recognized as a consummate artiste, dancer, nattuvanar, choreographer, and gifted teacher of Bharatanatyam. She is the founder and Director of the Kalaivani Dance and Music Academy, established in 2004 in Atlanta, Georgia, USA. Padmaja Kelam received her training in Bharatanatyam from Guru Madurai R. Muralidharan. She has dedicated over 30 years to teaching Bharatanatyam, with 25 of those years spent in the United States. Under her tutelage, numerous students have completed their Arangetrams, with over 65 such debut performances to her credit. Her 50th Arangetram took place in 2017. Padmaja Kelam is known for her ability to blend tradition with innovation in her choreography, creating captivating dance pieces. She emphasizes perfection in the execution of mudras, adavus, bhedas, and karanas, while also fostering a lifelong commitment to the spiritual journey inherent in the art form. Her academy, Kalaivani Dance and Music Academy, is nationally renowned and plays a pivotal role in preserving and promoting the rich heritage of Indian classical arts across geographical and cultural boundaries. Her son, Siddarth Kelam, also a Bharatanatyam dancer trained by his father Sudershan Kelam and then by Padmaja Kelam, serves as the Co-Director of the academy.