Uma Chetty

🪔 About

Uma Chetty (née Kannappan) is a prominent Bharatanatyam dancer, teacher, and the Artistic Director of Apsaras Arts, Virginia, USA, based in Richmond, Virginia. She has dedicated most of her life to advocating for Bharatanatyam. Her dance journey began in Singapore at the age of seven, where she was captivated by a performance and subsequently enrolled in classes at the Cairnhill Community Centre. She received her training under the tutelage of Srimathi Neila Sathyalingam of Apsaras Arts. During her formative years, Chetty participated in numerous Navaratri programs and school concerts, and notably performed a "thillana" on television in the program "Siruvar Malar" in the 1980s. In 1983, at the age of 14, Uma Chetty completed her Arangetram at the Victoria Theatre, with the full support of the Sathyalingam family on stage. She continued her dance pursuits throughout her schooling at Raffles Girls and Raffles Junior College, actively participating in and choreographing for Tamil Language Society cultural programs and dance competitions. After completing her undergraduate studies in Accountancy at NTU and commencing work at Ernst & Young, she was already a seasoned dancer. Upon moving to the United States, she continued her passion for dance, eventually establishing and leading the Apsaras Arts branch in Richmond, Virginia. As a guru, Uma Chetty emphasizes the "4Ds: Discipline, Determination, Dedication & Devotion" to her students, guiding them with traditional authenticity, rigorous recital preparations, and a structured syllabus and examination system. She has been recognized with the Bharatha Kalai Mani award from her guru in Singapore, an honor that has significantly motivated her efforts to propagate Bharatanatyam in the U.S.. Chetty has also performed nattuvangam for her students' arangetrams. Her dedication to the art form is evident in her long teaching career, having guided many students, including Priti Gosar-Patil, who later founded her own dance academy after teaching at Apsaras Arts Dance Group for over 15 years. Awards & Honours: Bharatha Kalai Mani.