Swapna Sundari (dancer)

🪔 About

Swapnasundari is a distinguished Indian classical dancer, choreographer, vocalist, and author, renowned for her profound contributions to Kuchipudi, Bharatanatyam, and the revival of Vilasini Natyam. Born in Chennai, she began her dance training at the age of five and had her first stage performance at fifteen. Her extensive training in Kuchipudi was under esteemed gurus such as Pasumarthi Seetharamaiah, Yeleswarapu Suryaprakash Sarma, and Vempati Chinna Satyam. For Bharatanatyam, she trained under K. J. Govindarajan, K. N. Dakshinamurthy, B. Kalyanasundaram, and Adyar K. Lakshman. She also received specialized training in abhinaya (expressional dance) from the veteran Kalanidhi Narayanan. A multifaceted artist, Swapnasundari is also an accomplished Carnatic vocalist, having been trained by her grandmother C. Sundramma, her mother Sarala, and T. Mukta. Her meticulous research into the temple dance traditions of Andhra Pradesh led to the unearthing and reconstruction of the nearly defunct dance genre, Vilasini Natyam, a form she actively performs and propagates. She is the founder-director of the Kuchipudi Dance Centre in Delhi, an institution dedicated to training students and fostering dialogue among artists and scholars. Swapnasundari has authored significant books, including "The World of Koochipoodi Dance," "Tracing the roots of the classical dance," and "Vilasini Natyam: Bharatam of Telugu Temple and Court Dancers." Her contributions to Indian classical dance have earned her numerous accolades, including the Padma Bhushan from the Government of India. Awards & Honours: Padma Bhushan (2003), Sangeet Natak Akademi Award, Sahitya Kala Parishad Award (1990), Nandi Award (1993).