Purna Bajekal

🪔 About

Purna Bajekal began dancing at Slavin-Nadal School of Ballet at age 3 and started Bharata Natyam at age 6 with her mother, Smt. Anuradha Naimpally, Artistic Director of Austin Dance India (ADI). Purna studied multi-forms of dance throughout her childhood at Tapestry Dance Company including tap, ballet, jazz, and modern. In 2009, Purna began teaching classes at ADI. Purna has had the opportunity to tour and perform in the US, Canada, Mexico, and India. In 2011, Purna was a part of Parampara, which was awarded the coveted Best Dance Concert award by the Austin Critics' Circle and was named by the Austin Chronicle as one of the top five performances of 2011. In 2012, Purna completed her solo performance or arangetram, marking her debut as a professional. In 2013, her performance Two Generations, One Tradition with her mother was nominated for Best Duet Performance by the Austin Critics' Circle. In 2013, she also presented a full-length solo performance in Mumbai, India. In 2014, she was a part of the ADI Heritage Tour of twenty dancers, performing at seven historic temples throughout south India. For ADI’s 25th anniversary in 2015, Purna co-directed Girl Power!, a production at The Long Center promoting the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. As Assistant Director of Austin Dance India, Purna serves as an instructor, choreographer, and performer, while also supporting behind-the-scenes production and organizational work that brings ADI’s artistic vision to life. After experiencing the transformative power of dance in her own life, Purna became interested in using movement as a therapeutic modality. She is a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) and Dance Movement Therapist and currently owns her own therapy practice.