Seema Lala

🪔 About

Seema Lala is a prominent Indian classical dancer and teacher specializing in Bharatanatyam, based in Pretoria, South Africa. Born in Zimbabwe, she lived in Botswana before moving to South Africa when sanctions were lifted. She began her Bharatanatyam training at the age of eight under the tutelage of Shrimati Satya in South Africa. Lala has dedicated over 30 years to the art form as a professional dancer and teacher, viewing dance as a spiritual journey and a form of sadhana. In 1998, Seema Lala founded the Nritya Rupam Academy of Dance, where she serves as the Founder and Executive Director. The academy provides structured training in Bharatanatyam, encompassing Foundation to Advanced levels, with students undergoing practical, theoretical, and research-based assessments. As of October 2025, 25 of her students have completed their arangetrams, and 50 have graduated from the rigorous syllabus. Her training also includes Nattuvangam at the Abhinaya Center for Dance and performing arts at the Sangeeta Nataka Academy of South Africa. She has further enhanced her skills with training in Abhinaya from Kalanidhi Mami and participated in Navarasa Sadhana with Venu G Sir from Nattana Kairali in Kerala in both 2016 and 2019. Beyond dance, Seema Lala is also the founder of Svadhyaya Yoga, established in 2014, where she is a dedicated yoga teacher. She was formerly a Dancer and Dance Mistress at the Tribhangi Dance Theatre.