Join us in a story circle led by Dr. Yashoda Thakore, with participants Annabattula Lakshmi Mangatayaru, Charumathi Chandrasekar and Aniruddha Knight, as they discuss their ancestral connections to their respective art forms and share their experiences navigating the art space today.

Yashoda Thakore descends from a long line of Kalavantalu dancers (hereditary women singer / dancer families). She is a renowned performer of Kuchipudi and Devadasi Nrityam. She has a PhD for her research on the Interrelationship Between Yoga and Indian Classical Dances and authored “Kaivalya-Joy in Yoga and Dance” (2014), co-translated and critically edited “Nritta Ratnavali”, a 13thC text. She was an artist in Residence at the University of Pennsylvania (2019), and performed at the Wesleyan University (2019). Yashoda is a Chair for Kuchipudi Department at The University of Silicon Andhra, California. She was conferred the Bangalore Nagaratnamma award (2017) by the Samskruti Organisation, Guntur and the Ugadi Puraskaram by the Government of Andhra Pradesh. Yashoda works relentlessly to recover the voices and dances of the Kalavantalu women and to bring the next generation of artists from her community back to singing and dancing, Her main goal is to increase awareness and pride in these art forms.

Smt. Annabattula Mangatayaru's ancestors were professional dancers supported by Umamaheshwara Devalayam, a Siva temple in East Godavari district. They had tax-free land grants and regular performance opportunities and the earliest traceable ancestor was Annabattula Satyabahama I. Her daughter was Annabattula Suryakantam who was the mother of Annabattula Buli Venkataratnam, a renowned performer of early 20th century and recipient of Bharata Kala Prapoorna by Andhra Pradesh Sangeetha Nataka Academy.

Annabattula Buli Venkataratnam's daughter was Annabattula Satyabhama II who started a school Annabattula Buli Venkataratnama Nritya Niketan in Mummidivaram in 1985. This was an opportunity for the family to impart their art and were supported by Nataraja Ramakrishna.

Annabattula Mangatayaru is the daughter of Annabattula Satyabhama II and with such an illustrious lineage has performed and taught extensively throughout Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu and Kerala. Together with her cousin, Smt. Annabattula Leela Sai, are recipients of the Sangeet Natak Akademi award conferred upon by the eponymous organization, an autonomous body of the Ministry of Culture, Government of India.

Aniruddha Knight, solo dancer, is acknowledged today in India and the US as a mature and eloquent interpreter of the family style of bharata natyam associated with his grandmother, the world-famous dancer T. Balasaraswati. The first male dancer in nine generations of one of India’s most distinguished families of professional performing artists, Knight presents with stunning clarity and power the improvisational flow, musicality and precision of his family’s demanding art.

Aniruddha began his career as a vocalist for his mother during the 1990’s, presented his debut dance concert in India in 1994 and made his American debut at Jacob’s Pillow Dance Festival in 1997. He has been presented by leading cultural organizations throughout India, and has received support in the US from the National Endowment for the Arts, several state arts agencies, and private foundations. Knight was the first solo traditional artist to receive development and touring grants from the prestigious National Dance Project. He and his ensemble perform regularly in India and the US. Knight lives and teaches in Chennai. His school of performing arts, the Balasaraswati Institute, provides instruction in dance, music and performance etiquette at both basic and advanced levels to children who would otherwise have no access to such training.

Charumathi Chandrasekar, a bharatanatyam artist, is the 9th direct descendent of Tanjavur Quartet. She is the daughter and disciple of Thanjavur K. P. K. Chandrasekaran and granddaughter of Isai Perarignar Thanjavur K. P. Kittappapillai. Charu completed her MBA from Thanjavur Sastra University and is currently pursuing her masters in bharatanatyam from Annamalai University. She received the Kalai Ilamani Award from the Government of Tamilnadu in 2018 and Swami Vivekanandar Award in 2017 for academics and dance.