Sumitra Keshava

🪔 About

Sumitra Keshava is a Swiss-Indian Bharatanatyam dancer, dance instructor, and choreographer, known for her expressive performances and dedication to the Mysore style of Bharatanatyam. Born in Basel, Switzerland, into a family deeply rooted in Indian classical arts, she is the daughter of renowned dancers Esther and D. Keshava, and the granddaughter of storyteller Trudi Gerster. Sumitra began her intensive training in Bharatanatyam at the age of five under the tutelage of her father, D. Keshava. She made her Indian classical dance debut, or Arangetram, in 2006, at the age of sixteen, with a demanding full-length solo performance in Basel. Following her Bachelor of Law degree from the University of Basel in 2012, she furthered her dance education in Chennai, India, receiving advanced training from distinguished dancers such as Shanmugha Sundaram and Bragha Bessell, and nattuvangam artists Girish Madhu and Nithyakalyani. Sumitra has since performed internationally as a solo artist and as a member of the Kalasri dance ensemble, gracing stages in theaters, museums, festivals, and cultural events across Switzerland, India, and other European countries. Her repertoire extends beyond classical Bharatanatyam to include Indian folk dances and semi-classical Bollywood styles. She is particularly recognized for her presentations of the Mysore Style of Bharatanatyam. As a choreographer, Sumitra has contributed to several productions, including "Himalaya" (2016) for Kalasri's 40th jubilee, "Symbiose" (2017) with Swiss dance award recipient Kilian Haselbeck, "zwei zu Zwei" (2020) with her sister Anjali Keshava and authors Ralph and Norwin Tharayil, and the touring theater production "Ajala" (2021) created with Anjali Keshava and author Donat Blum. She also serves as a dance instructor at the Kalasri dance school, co-founded by her parents in 1976, and conducts classes and workshops at institutions like the University of Basel. Sumitra Keshava currently divides her time between Switzerland and India, continuing her artistic endeavors and combining classical dance with music, yoga, and contemporary dance.