Rashme Hegde Gopi

🪔 About

Rashme Hegde Gopi is a prominent Indian classical dancer, choreographer, and cultural revivalist based in Bengaluru, India. She is primarily a Bharatanatyam dancer, also proficient in Mohiniattam, and has explored Kuchipudi and Andhra Natyam. Her dance journey began at a young age, with her first performance at four and her arangetram at nineteen. She received tutelage in Bharatanatyam from Guru Mutaya and Guru Kapap Pillai of the legendary Padalur school. For Andhra Natyam, she trained under the legendary Guru Dr. Nataraja Ramakrishna, who guided her in an intense exploration of Naaj Janardana Paratum, a rare temple dance repertoire from Andhra Pradesh. Beyond her performances, Rashme Hegde Gopi is deeply committed to preserving and promoting traditional Indian arts. In 1992, she founded Rudraksha, a cultural center that became a hub for arts in Bangalore, promoting tribal and folk dance forms. A decade later, in 2002, she established the Shankaraa Foundation on Kanakapura Road, a charitable trust and cultural space spread over four acres. Shankaraa aims to be a confluence of art and life, offering an academy for traditional arts, workshops, and a council for crafts. It also houses the Purvaranga program, which imparts courses in music, dance, yoga, and kalari, and is affiliated with IGNOU, offering a Masters Degree in Bharatanatyam. As a choreographer, Rashme Hegde Gopi has successfully blended diverse dance idioms. A notable achievement was her flamboyant choreography for the 1997 National Games, where she orchestrated 500 tribal, Yakshagana, and Kathak dancers, combining folk and classical forms to spectacular effect. Her contributions to the arts have been recognized with several accolades, including the Karnataka State Rajyotsava award and the Karnataka Kalashree Award from the Sangeet Nritya Academy, which she received for Kuchipudi and Mohiniattam. She is also known for her role as a cultural ambassador, presenting dance in India and abroad, and fostering cross-cultural interactions, such as her long-standing association with Russia's White Lotus Group since 1990. Awards & Honours: Karnataka Sangeeta Nritya Academy Award (2012), Karnataka State Rajyotsava Award, Karnataka Kalashree Award.