Sivanuja Balaji

🪔 About

Guru Shrimathi Sivanuja Balaji is a revered Bharatanatyam performer, cultural leader, choreographer, Nattuvanar, rhythm artist, artistic curator, and educator with over 30 years of experience in Indian classical dance. She is the founder, artistic director, and CEO of Nritya Kalakshetra Academy of Performing Arts (NKAPA), an institution established in 2005 to preserve, promote, and innovate Indian classical dance within a global context. An alumna of the world-renowned Kalakshetra College of Fine Arts, Chennai, South India, Sivanuja Balaji carries forward its distinguished legacy of artistic discipline and classical excellence. She received advanced training under the legendary Padma Shri Adyar K. Lakshman and Shrimathi Krishnaveni Lakshman, and further specialized in the intricate Karanas under the mentorship of Padma Bhushan Dr. Padma Subramaniam. Her deep grounding in Carnatic music, nurtured by Vairamangalam Shri Lakshmi Narayanan, enriches her holistic and rhythmically nuanced approach to dance education and performance. In addition to Bharatanatyam, Guru Sivanuja Balaji is also a trained Mohiniyattam and Kuchipudi dancer and choreographer, and has knowledge of Indian folk dances. She has been teaching, performing, choreographing, and promoting art forms for over 28 years. NKAPA offers classes in Kalakshetra-style Bharatanatyam, Mohiniyattam, and Kuchipudi, and focuses on the depth of Bharatanatyam, Natyashastras, Abhinaya (facial expressions), and yoga. The academy also provides international certification pathways through Griffin College London, where Guru Sivanuja Balaji serves as Coordinator and Senior Examiner for Minnesota. She is also a Guest Artist at the Ordway Center and an Advisory Panel Member for the Cowles Center Program & Education Committee.