Viji Prakash speaking at Shakti School of Bharata Natyam annual performance on April 23, 2025. Photo: Surendra Prakash
Viji Prakash
South Indian Bharatanatyam
Bharatanatyam is one of the oldest dance forms of Southern India. Originating in ancient temples, Bharatanatyam has been handed down over generations. It is heavily integrated with Hindu mythology and draws much of its inspiration from Hindu texts and scriptures, portraying Hindu mythology and its gods and goddesses through storytelling and mime. The three main aspects of Bharatanatyam are: nritta (pure dance), nritya (a mixture of pure dance and interpretive dance), and natya (mime). Rhythm and footwork are a key part of the nritta aspect of Bharatanatyam. Abhinaya, or facial expression, complimented by stylized hand gestures, is the soul of Bharatanatyam. Bharatanatyam celebrates the human spirit and is not only limited to the portrayal of the Hindu pantheon, but can explore any issue that may arise in today’s world.
Viji Prakash is a pioneering Bharatanatyam artist, teacher, and cultural leader who has played a foundational role in establishing Indian classical dance in the United States since 1977. Raised in a family of art lovers, she began formal training at a young age in the Thanjavur style of Bharatanatyam under renowned gurus Kalyanasundaram and the late Mahalingam Pillai at the Sri Raja Rajeshwari Bharata Natya Kala Mandir in Mumbai. She trained intensively for nearly two decades and later expanded her practice by studying Mohini Attam and Kathakali with Padmabhushan Guru Kanak Rele. After relocating to Los Angeles, Viji founded the Shakti School of Bharata Natyam and the Shakti Dance Company, creating a vital cultural bridge for the Indian diaspora and the broader Southern California community. She has trained more than 2,000 students across multiple centers, with over 300 students completing solo dance debuts (arangetrams) and touring internationally.
Viji has toured extensively across India, the United States, Europe, and Asia, presenting performances, lecture-demonstrations, and group productions at major festivals and venues. Her numerous honors include the Best Guru Award from the Music Academy in Chennai, lifetime achievement awards, and prestigious fellowships supported by UCLA and the U.S. Department of State.
Shakti School of Bharata Natyam and Shakti Dance Company’s Website
Shakti School of Bharata Natyam and Shakti Dance Company’s Instagram
Apprenticeship Program
2025
Viji Prakash will mentor Raaga Mahesh in Bharatanatyam, focusing on choreography, nattuvangam (the use of small cymbals), and jathi recitation—the spoken rhythmic utterances for nritta (pure dance) that are often interspersed with songs. The apprenticeship will emphasize precise pronunciation of sollukattu, mastery of rhythm and tala, and the practical techniques needed to support dancers and build strong, rhythmically grounded choreographic work. Rooted in Bharatanatyam’s identity as a complete art form—integrating music, lyrics, movement, and storytelling through costume, gesture, and verbal expression—this mentorship supports Raaga’s growth as a well-rounded artist with deeper musical and compositional command within classical Indian dance performance.
2008
Viji Prakash was a mentor in the 2008 Apprenticeship Program with 17-year-old apprentice Kasi Aysola of Reseda, conducting lessons in South Indian Bharatanatyam at Prakash’s studio in Cheviot Hills, West Los Angeles.
The apprenticeship focused on improving solo repertoire for Aysola. As a male practitioner of a predominantly female art form, Prakash wanted to take the opportunity in the course of the apprenticeship to refine choreography and develop repertoire that would be appropriate to Aysola, an opportunity which would differ from working with her other female students. The skills developed in the course of the apprenticeship included strengthening Aysola’s stamina and endurance, exploring the emotions of Abhinaya, and perfecting a solo repertoire suitable to Aysola’s body, capacity and potential. Additionally, Prakash has encouraged Aysola to develop choreography on his own, as a way to develop movement and thought processes for himself. Together, they intend “to produce a solo program that accustoms to the male physicality and energy in content, context and performance,” with an ultimate goal to allow him to perform solo repertoire in India.
Gallery
Kasi Aysola's (right) 2008 apprenticeship with master artist Viji Prakash focused on developing Kasi’s solo repertoire suitable to his ability and physicality in the predominantly female-performed South Indian Bharatanatyam dance. Photo: Sherwood Chen
