Sanjana Chandawarkar

🪔 About

Sanjana Chandawarkar is a Bharatanatyam dancer whose journey in the classical Indian dance form began at the age of five in Bombay. She continued her tutelage in Sydney, Australia, under the guidance of Guru Hamsa Venkat at the Samskriti School of Dance. Chandawarkar's path to her arangetram, a significant debut performance, was marked by a sports injury that tested her determination. She credits yoga with aiding her recovery and helping her to meet the physical demands of Bharatanatyam. Her arangetram, which took place in 2019, showcased her unique style, incorporating innovative themes and bold choreographic techniques. The performance was described as an "exquisite kadamba garland," featuring a diverse repertoire that included an invocatory Omkaram, a jathiswaram composed by Mohan Iyer, a rendition of a Panchatantra classic titled Kathanam, Aananda Thaandavam, a padam in Begada, Swati Thirunal's Dhanasri Thillana, and Omkaara Kaarini. The accompanying orchestra for her arangetram included Sai Vigneshwar (vocal), Hamsa (nattuvangam), Pallavarajan Nagendran (mrudangam), and the Sritharan siblings Saumya (veena) and Venkhatesh (flute). Beyond her dance, Sanjana Chandawarkar is also a biomedical engineer. Her guru, Hamsa Venkat, emphasized maintaining high standards during Chandawarkar's training, even through her recovery, fostering resilience in the dancer. Chandawarkar's approach to dance is influenced by her guru's philosophy, inspired by George Bernard Shaw's quote: "I dream of things that never were and ask why not."