Sheila Rubin

🪔 About

Sheila Rubin, an American by birth, is a renowned figure in Indian classical dance, particularly Bharatanatyam. She dedicated twelve years to studying and performing Bharatanatyam in India, graduating from Bharata Kalanjali in 1971. Her training included tutelage under the esteemed Padma Bhushan Sri V.P. Dhananjayan and Smt. Shanta Dhananjayan, as well as Kumari Meenakshi at Rishi Valley School and Padmabhushan Sri C.V. Chandrasekhar. During her time in India, she performed extensively with the Bharata Kalanjali Dance Company, earning high praise from the Indian press. In 1978, Rubin established the Natyananda Dance School and Company in Birmingham, Alabama, where she continues to serve as its founder and director. Her performances have reached audiences across the United States, Europe, Central America, and the Bahamas. In 1986, she received an Individual Artist Fellowship from the Alabama State Council for the Arts. The following year, with a grant from ASCA, Rubin began to innovate within the Bharatanatyam tradition, creating new choreography that explored inter-religious, moral, philosophical, ecological, and social themes. Her creative output includes nine full dance dramas and twenty-two individual choreographies, often in collaboration with artists from Spanish, Middle Eastern, African, and Modern dance traditions, showcasing both commonalities and contrasts between cultures. Natyananda celebrated its Silver Jubilee in 2003, its 35th anniversary in 2013, and its 37th anniversary in 2015, often featuring acclaimed dancers like Shanta and V.P. Dhananjayan. In recognition of her significant contributions, the Soorya Foundation honored Guru Sheila Rubin with a lifetime achievement award for Indian dance in the U.S. Awards & Honours: Individual Artist Fellowship from the Alabama State Council for the Arts (1986), Lifetime Achievement Award from Soorya Foundation for Indian Dance in the US.