Sahana Ratneswaran

🪔 About

Sahana Ratneswaran is a multi-talented Indian classical dancer, teacher, choreographer, and Nattuvanar, primarily known for her expertise in Bharatanatyam. Born into a family of artists, she began her Bharatanatyam training at the tender age of three at the Laya Bhava Dance Academy under the tutelage of her mother and Guru, Kirupanithy Ratneswaran. She completed her Arangetram on August 26, 2005, marking the beginning of her professional dance career. Ratneswaran furthered her training in India, pursuing advanced technical dance and Nattuvangam under the late Padmasri Adyar K. Lakshman, which led to several solo performances in Chennai. Her artistic exploration extends beyond Bharatanatyam to include Kuchipudi, which she learned from Guru Sumathy Timanar and the Kuchipudi Art Academy Chennai. She also trained in Odissi under Menaka Thakkar at Nrityakala Canada, Srjan Bhubaneswar, and Sujata Mohapatra. Additionally, she has studied Kathakali, completing her Purappadu in 2014 under Guru Anupama Dineshkumar and Guru FACT Padmanadhan, and has explored Prenkhini Natyam and Ballet at the National Ballet School of Canada. She has also trained with eminent artists such as the Dhananjayans, Ambika Buch, Indira Kadampi, and M.S Hariharan. In 2011, Sahana co-founded the charitable organization 'Sahana Dance Company' to support and advance the careers of Bharatanatyam artists. She initiated the 'Samarpanam Series' in 2013, performing annually. A notable choreographic work is "Sangilian," a one-hour dance drama production created in 2017, reflecting her interest in Tamil history. Sahana Ratneswaran serves as the Executive Director of Laya Bhava Dance Academy and continues to teach Bharatanatyam there, also performing Nattuvangam for the academy's Arangetrams. Awards & Honours: First Place (Over 15 years old category) (2016), Artist Award Winner (2018), Finalist (2016), Regional Gold Medalist, Gold Medalist (2012), Dance Training Grant (2013), Dance Training Grant (2014), Dance Training Grant (2015), Dance Training Grant (2018), Community Engaged Art Project Grant (2024).