Sangeetha Balachandar

🪔 About

Sangeetha Balachandar is a distinguished Bharatanatyam dancer and teacher, specializing in the traditional Pandanallur Style. Her journey in Indian classical dance began at the tender age of six in Chennai, India, where she received rigorous training from esteemed gurus Smt. Prabha Nagarajan and Smt. Radha Srinivasan. Complementing her dance education, Sangeetha also pursued Carnatic vocal training under the guidance of Guru Mudikondan Krishnamoorthy and her mother, Smt. Umaparvathy Rajasekar, a trained classical vocalist. She marked her formal debut, the arangetram, at the age of thirteen. Throughout her career, Sangeetha Balachandar has graced numerous prestigious stages in both India and the United States. Her performances in India include appearances at the renowned Natyanjali dance festival in Chidambaram, the Ulaga Thamizh Manadu in Tanjore in 1997, and the Centenary Celebrations of Kanchi Paramacharya at Kanchipuram. She has also performed in prominent sabhas such as the Music Academy and Vani Mahal. After relocating to the USA, she continued to share her art, performing at venues like the Bridgewater Temple in New Jersey, the Delaware Mahalakshmi Temple, Penn's Landing Celebrations in Pennsylvania, and for the Om Shakthi Peedam's Temple's Celebrations. Sangeetha Balachandar commenced her teaching career in the USA in 2001, initially serving as the lead Bharatanatyam teacher at the School of Indian Traditional Arts (SITA) in New Jersey. In 2007, she and her husband, Balachandar, a renowned flutist, established "Natyaswara" – an Indian arts school located in Chester Springs, Pennsylvania. Natyaswara is dedicated to the propagation of ancient Indian art forms, offering instruction in Bharatanatyam dance, Carnatic Vocal, and Carnatic Flute. Her commitment to promoting Indian classical arts in the community was formally recognized in 2017 when Senator Andrew E. Dinniman from the Senate of Pennsylvania presented her with a Citation. Among her documented students are Advika Ravishankar, who was her first dance student at Natyaswara and completed her arangetram at the age of sixteen after twelve years of training, as well as Smita, Shruti, Charitha Marni, and Abirami Murugadoss. Awards & Honours: Citation from Senator Andrew E. Dinniman (2017).