Guru Vidushi Smt. Naina Shastri is the Artistic Director of Ushanjali School of Dance, a premier Tri Valley-East Bay based South Indian Classical Dance academy. Students are trained in the Mysuru style of Bharatanatya and taught both theoretical and practical aspects of this ancient art form. Students of Ushanjali have…
Surabhi Bharadwaj, Artistic Director of Siddhi Creative and Siddhi Dance Academy, is a seasoned Bharatanatyam dancer, teacher, and choreographer trained under eminent Gurus including – Guru K M Raman, Guru Radha Sridhar, Guru B Bhanumati, and Mavin Khoo. She learnt the Karana movements under Dr. Padma Subrahmanyam and Guru Nirupama…
Jon has over twenty years experience creating theater in the San Francisco Bay Area and NYC. Since 2006, he has pursued classical Chinese drama (opera) and how to make this art form accessible to Western audiences and performers. Directing credits include the West Coast premiere of Sarah Ruhl’s Passion Play,…
Mel was born and raised in Vallejo, CA. He has been a martial artist since 1972. He teaches Balintawak Arnis, Filipino Martial Art, in the context of Philippine and Filipino culture and history. He’s is also the author of “Filipinos in Vallejo.” Mel is a member of the Mark of…
Antara Bhardwaj is one of the most dynamic kathak artists of this generation. She began her study of kathak (an Indian classical story-telling dance form) at the age of nine with legendary maestro Pandit Chitresh Das, and now runs her own dance ensemble and school, Antara Asthaayi Dance. Antara’s panache…
Gayatri Subramanian is the Founder/Artistic Director of KA Academy of Indian Music & Dance. She is a professional Bharatanatyam dancer, choreographer and instructor is one of the senior most disciples of Guru Smt. Padmini Radhakrishnan, the Founder-Director of the institute “Soundarya Natya Kalalaya Foundation”, Mumbai. She has undergone intensive training for over…
Nobuko Fukatsu is a Biwa (Japanese lute) player based in Los Angeles, California. Born in Japan, she started to study Satsuma-biwa under the prominent biwa musician Yoshiko Sakata in 2005. After moving to the Los Angeles area, she started to perform at various cultural gatherings, festivals and educational settings, as well as…
Will Marsh has been a dedicated student of the sitar since 2006. He was initiated into the rich tradition of Hindustani music by Ustad Aashish Khan (eldest son of Ustad Ali Akbar Khan) while a student at the California Institute of the Arts. He has also had the privilege of…
Farah Yasmeen Shaikh is an internationally acclaimed Kathak artist – performer, choreographer and instructor, and Founder & Artistic Director of Noorani Dance. As a performer, Farah is known for her evocative storytelling, technical precision, delicacy and grace, with two decades of training from the late Pandit…
Indian-American percussionist and composer Dr. Rohan Krishnamurthy is one of the leading voices of Indian classical and cross-genre music in the South Asian diaspora. Acclaimed a “musical ambassador” and “pride of India” by The Times of India, Rohan received advanced mridangam training from maestro Sri. Guruvayur…
