Suman Nayak

🪔 About

Suman Nayak is an accomplished teacher, a performer, and humbly considers herself a lifelong student of Bharatanatyam. With over 30 years of experience in this field, Suman has carved a niche for herself in San Diego as a reputed teacher. Suman is well known for her fluid grace, excellent sense of rhythm, elegant expressions and creativity. She enjoys exploring the intricacies of movement and rhythm and creating beautiful choreography within the framework of the traditional art form. As a teacher, Suman excels in breaking down the complexity of the art for children to understand, but sets high standards of commitment and learning. Suman’s dance journey began at a very young age mainly due to the keen interest of her mother, Smt. Geeta Pai. She encouraged Suman to receive formal training and perform her Arangetram. Suman gravitated to dance very effortlessly as she responded naturally to rhythm and movement even as a child. What started as a mother’s dream turned into a lifelong passion for Suman, who has worked to take every opportunity and experience to evolve as a bharatanatyam dancer. Suman has been positively influenced by the teachings of her Guru Bhagawan Sri Satya Sai Baba. She is ever grateful to Bhagawan Baba for His grace, blessings and guidance. Suman performed her Arangetram in 1996 in Mangalore. Ever since, she has given several performances and danced in productions at various events in India and the United States. In 2000, she completed the Vidwath exam conducted by the Karnataka Education Board. This earned Suman the title ‘Natya Vidhushi’ and credentials to teach dance. After moving to the United States in 2001, Suman started the Natesha School of Bharatanatyam while completing her degree in Environmental Chemistry at University of California, San Diego. Although she had plans to pursue a research job, she had a strong spiritual calling to establish a school of bharatanatyam, her inner passion. Suman's tireless efforts to perfect and teach the sacred art form has earned her a great reputation in Southern California, and her school has been recognized widely in the community. As a Management Committee member on the Board of the Indian Fine arts Academy of San Diego (IFAASD), Suman actively volunteers and helps organize Indian music and dance concerts.