Professional Dancers | Youth Wing | Neo Wing
Professional Dancers
Balance. Being able to handle sinuous stage-craft as well as boardroom boleros. That’s what Vishwa is all about. One of our youngest dancers, Vishwa’s athleticism is sure to help him bound up the corporate ladder – one of his self-professed long-term goals.
An early bloomer, Vishwa has already notched up considerable critical acclaim for his performances at leading art festivals. His corporate achievements are another story – we’ll save that for when he turns CEO.
Vishwa is currently choreographing a presentation, for the dancers in the youth wing of the company.
The fundamental rhythm of the human pulse was apparently enough to get Rohan Raj on his twinkle-toed way to stardom.
“Dance,” he says, “is my entire life.” Period.
Rohan is part of Nritarutya’s training program. With a strong background in Indian cinematic dance, he brings a rare blend of artistic skill and earthy appeal to Nritarutya’s productions.
Keenly interested in gymnastics, stunts, acting, directing and lyric-writing, Rohan is a colourful character, to say the least.
Youth Wing
Namitha B Rao - ‘Dance is me giftin’ myself’
An old soul of the Youth Wing, Namitha brazenly confesses her willingness to ‘stay forever’ if the company would so kindly oblige. Dancing for NritaRutya is a form of release keeping her in tune with herself. She is ever impressed by the experimentation of themes and the accommodating of new ideas. Still awestruck, regardless of how familiar she is with NritaRutya’s choreographic textures and having a high regard for the way everyone is encouraged to be the best they can be as performers.
A proud member, seeing the bigger picture, defining her time with NritaRutya so far as the period of ‘making history; a time that everyone else will come to envy and wish they were a part of; like the 60’s and 70’s music era.’ Importance is given to bettering herself as a dancer from yearning to experience that superior feeling of awareness and understanding of one’s own body.
The dance bug hit at age 7, as the student of late Sundari Santanam. Although her short term aspirations are to make money, quit her job and go all over India on bike; Namithas accomplishments as a dancer personify her enthusiasm and talent. She presented her Arangetram in 2000 and is a Doordarshan graded artist. Moreover, she also received the ‘Aryabhatta’ award for dance.
On a more formal note, Namitha has a B.E in Computer Science from SJBIT and is currently an SE in Infosys. Though, this is apparently to fund herself to have whatever she wants from life… However, her career has not deterred her from wanting to enhance as a dancer, but we should also watch this space to see her make it someday as a tattoo artist.
Rachana Malagi - ‘Dance has become more than just dance with NritaRutya’
Rachana’s amore for dance and her gratitude for 
being a part of NritaRutya hold no bounds. A long established member of the youth wing, Rachana’s molding as a dancer has much to do with the many thematic performances she has given. The company has provided a platform to exhibit and elevate her passion. It was a self made decision to further her training after completing her studies. She strives to achieve the state of mind of NritaRutya’s seniors. Her constant contribution as a performer comes from sheer respect for the work ethic & team spirit which is imaginably why she has matured as a dancer, along with admiring the benevolence given to other aspects of being a performance artist. She enjoys confronting her body’s limits by engaging it into structures that transcend from more familiar dance forms.
An unforgettable performance with NritaRutya was at ‘Shivanasamudra’, where the performance was on a massive stage setup with an audience of 3000. Adding to this, she was chosen to participate for the dance shoot of the Kannada art movie “Ijjodu” in 2010. Such opportunities have created an unrelenting a sense of exhilaration towards dance and how it can be contextualised. Encouragement from her family has been central. After completing her B.Com graduation from Christ College, she expanded her knowledge further in Bollywood, Hip-Hop, jazz & modern contemporary.
Between 2005 and 2008 she was associated with ‘Swingers dance academy’ and has done a range of choreography.Other than dance ventures, Rachana worked in event management companies, before taking up a course in EMDI, where she is currently pursuing a Post graduation in Event Management and Public Relations.
An avid collector of stationary and an enthusiast for scrapbooking surely has played its role in how Rachana has collated her dance experiences into being an extension of her personality. The future is, simply to excel in contemporary dance and learn styles like belly dancing, salsa and meringue. Other than that, she is content in allowing her inquisitions to guide her.
Keerthi Basavarajaiah – ‘Dance is where I belong. I love dancing, being in that moment.’
Joining in 2008 as a saccharine 16 year old and submitting herself to audition for the scholarship program has lead Kirthi to perform on many occasions, including the Kannada art film ‘Ijjodu’, The Raghu Dixit project and the International Arts Festival. What drew kirthi to NritaRutya are the Indian classical elements within the choreography. Her dance background compelled her to experiment with this unique combination of movement. To think, it was initially just for the experience.Playing witness to new repertoire taking shape fascinates Kirthi’s enquiring mind; she is all praise for the amiable persona of the company.
Ahead of joining NritaRutya, Kirthi trained under her chief inspiration, her sister, Veena Basavarajaiah in creative and contemporary dance for 3 years. Prior to this, her dance training commenced with the Tanjore style of Bharatanatyam for 8 years under the tutelage of Guru Smt.Shubha Dhananjay . She completed her junior exam in first class conducted by the government of Karnataka in 2004 and got her Contemporary Dance Diploma under Attakkalari Centre of Movement Arts. She then proceeded on to the kalakshetra style of bharatanatyam under Guru Smt.Minal Prabhu for one year as part of a Diploma foundation course in movement. She has also received training in contemporary dance from Nakula sommana; contact improvisation and yoga under Christine lechner; ballet and Pilates under Clare Coleman; Feldenkrais and release technique under Michel Casanovas and KalariPayittu from Ram Kumar. Academically, Kirthi has completed her pre-university course from Mount Carmel College where she participated in various intercollegiate competitions and has won awards. Kirthi amplifies her artistic idioms through painting, traveling also excites her.
Kirthi’s intention of broadening her dance knowledge may also take her outside India. She has a fond desire to explore the European contemporary movement. Although, yet to confirm that ‘a dancer’ is what she would like to be, she has pledged that her future will be arts orientated. For now, her commitment is solely in learning and performing. Kirthi has fallen in love with dancing steadily and has every intention of nurturing it slowly and surely; happy to be swept away by movement, allowing it to pave her future.
Karthik
Having given more than 30 performances in the past 2 years for the Youth Wing, happy go lucky Karthik’s growth as an able and quality dancer is visible. Finding the company while on a quest to learn something unique and interesting, the dance form has embedded itself into him, igniting a passion that ensures that he will never stop. He feels Indian contemporary is the next edition of classical dance; a place where all styles are married together. Fundamentally being a Bharathanatyam dancer has aided him in expressing the repertory more effectively.
Before discovering NritaRutya, Karthik started ‘blindly following steps’ at age 6; these steps led him to his first dance lessons in Bharatnatyam in which he successfully completed his junior exam in 2003 and went on to training in Bollywood and hip hop before joining Nrita Rutya. Alongside dance; Karthik is pursuing a Bcom in Sheshadripuram College, Yelahanka.
An enthusiastic cricket player too, Karthik leads his college team and represented the state soft ball in 2006. His understanding of team work surely has played a part in his execution of group choreography and in his sharing responsibilities of merchandising and promotion. Further to having a desire to expand his dance abilities, Karthik’s long term goal is to be a successful choreographer as well as pursue a career in event management or the advertising field.
Radhika Prabhu
Intrigued by a company performance, a swift desire grew within Radhika to associate with NritaRutya; and so the sapling was sown to reap a new challenge to journey beyond traditional styles. Fervour and enthusiasm are recharged through each learning and performance opportunity.
Passionate inquisitions have guided Radhika to pursue dance after performing a solo at age 6. Fortunately, art was home grown, a creatively liberal environment and an inspirational father. Formal training began under guru Smt. Shubha Dhananjay in Tanjore style of Bharathanatam for 8 years where she also gained know-how in teaching and choreography. By playing lead roles in dance ballets, she was awarded ‘Aralu Mallige’ title from Gnana Mandara academy. Another addition to her palette is Kathak; again learnt from Shubha Dhananjay for 4 years in which she stood second in the state examinations. Remaining loyal to, Bharathanatyam, her training continues under the guidance of the Kirans at Rasika Academy of performing Arts and presently works at the National Public School as teacher and choreographer.
In the past year, she has been learning ballet from Yana Lewis. The eclectic assortment of training has been a melting point of boundaries between all forms and thus elevated Radhika’s transformation as a dancer. The manifestation of this is in producing her first choreographic work to one of her mother’s poems in 2009. Radhika’s exploration of movement does not end in a dance studio but instead relocates to a canvas; a BA in visual arts from Chitrakala Parishad, specialising in painting with an inherited flair for writing. Needless to say, she has devoted herself early on to preserve and excel in mediums of artistic expression.
Megha R Krishna
Already a budding dancer before her association with the NritaRutya; Megha has been a member of the youth wing since 2010. Megha acknowledges that NritaRutya is consistently preparing her to becoming a more versatile dancer and is instrumental in the exploration of her own creative identity. The showcase in May 2010 was a learning curb, enduring intense training and arduous rehearsal schedules. Irrespective of a lifelong training in Bharat Natyam, NritaRutya, has provided her with a new appreciation for stage geography; the benefits of regular training and realizing the technicalities involved in constructing and delivering a dance sequence to the highest standard. Having no inhibitions of entering unknown territory has helped to elate her in dance sequences that are alien to her stringent classical background.
Megha learnt Bharatanatyam from Smt. Gayathri Keshavan from age 7. A ‘B’ grade artist at Doordarshan, in 2005, Megha’s Arangetram in ADA Rangamandira drew a full house. Additionally, Megha has given various demonstrations for foreign delegates. Presently pursuing her masters in Bharatanatyam at Jain University, where too, she has danced in prize winning contemporary pieces in the inter-college cultural festivals. Alongside her dance training, Megha has also been learning Carnatic classical music under the guidance of Guru Vid. R K Padmanabha whom she has accompanied on various musical events and has earned appreciation of.
To add to the bisque, Megha has acted in dramas depicting the life and achievements of Saint Thyagaraja and Saint Vadiraja. Such sincere dedication and accomplishment will not be wilting away any time soon. We can eagerly await Megha’s future in dance. She hopes to one day have her own dance school and perhaps a PHD 10 years down the lane…but more than anything else, the plan is ‘to dance till she drops dead’
Niranjan - ‘I have transformed with NritaRutya’
Passionate & docile; a dancer and a true team player dedicated to the operation of the company involved in areas of promotion and merchandising. In 2010, a young Niranjan’s association with NritaRutya began by spoken word; and has begun to find his own voice since. Dance, has become a tool for expression for this reserved personality. It’s ‘A dream come true for him to perform in Sathya’s ‘Mars’ sequence; a piece which he has admired and aspired to upon first sight.
Not being partial to any style, training with the company has formed a respect and interest for the classical, folk and contemporary movement by seeing how they can interrelate. The individualistic approach to choreography from each senior member stimulates Niranjan further. He particularly enjoys prop work & the nuances of hiphop in Vishwa’s choreography.
Before associating with the company, Niranjan did not have any previous dance training, a self taught dancer; a huge Micheal Jackson fan. Since school he has been practicing free style dance, eventually integrating his skills with hip hop and cinematic dance inspired from reality shows. Finally, he landed himself the opportunity to work with Premakaranth for his first play (and stage performance) in ‘Ravindra kalakeshtra’. In 2008, whilst in college, he participated in a street play for ‘No-Tobacco day’. Currently Niranjan is in SEA college of Arts & Commerce pursuing a B.com and occasionally does promotional work within events management.
Playing basketball religiously every morning is a favorite pastime. Relatively apparent is the shade of athleticism in his dance technique. From dance not even being on the cards 2 years ago, Niranjan has a new vision, to one day becoming a choreographer in the arts and in films and perhaps on the slight chance, event management . . . as plan B of course.
Kesha Raithatha – ‘Dance is the unity of mind body and soul’
Having given frequent performances with NritaRutya have begun to ground this ‘floaty’ character, ’making her feel the earth beneath her feet’. Being accustomed to continuous improvisation in Kathak, NritaRutya’s method of focusing on a constant feeling and learning to endure and sustain an emotion gives Kesha more direction as a performer, a sense of maturity in her body language. She admires the aura of the group, it never stales, always something to learn, whether in class, rehearsing, in conversation or in trying to behave efficient in content writing duties! Being immersed entirely by performance art is a dream come true.
An inhibited child, blissful in her own world, Kesha’s mother played the primitive roll in her perusal of dance. Attending her weekly dance classes was the beginnings that lead her down a multi faceted path of Indian folk, classical and modern dances arousing intrigue. Kesha’s formal training in Kathak began in England with Smt. Nilima Devi of the Jaipur Gharana. In those first 14 years she completed all 6 ISTD grades being amongst the first 4 in the country to possess an ISTD Kathak diploma. Kesha has also been performing regularly since age 7 in community and annual dance festivals and later in ‘The House of Commons’, ‘Royal Festival Hall’ and for the Prime Minister of England to name but a few. Kesha has attended many intense Kathak workshops with the likes of Pt. Birju Maharaj, Maulik Shah and now in India, alongside being a part of the Youth Wing, is under the tutelage of Smt. Nirupama Rajendra. She also takes regular Kalari Classes with Ranjan Mullaratt.
Kesha’s contemporary training began at age 16 being accepted to pursue an A-level in Modern dance at college. Her potential in the dance field has extended to teaching Kathak for her Guru to the ISTD syllabus and in other dance academies and schools across England. A lover of Classical, Folk and Fusion music, when not engrossed in dance, Kesha enjoys attending music concerts and of course dance performances. For solitude and reflection, the avid reader and writer in her comes out to play.
Holding a BA (hons) in Graphic Design for Nottingham Trent University’s school of Art and Design, Kesha still enjoys illustrating and exploring the design movement. Her personal mixed media techniques surely define her qualities as a dancer, allowing many styles to influence and mould her.
Kesha looks forward to her future in the dance world as a performer in both contemporary and Kathak with a craving to share and pass on her knowledge through any medium thrown at her. In her own words, ‘Emotion comes from motion..To dance, is to exist.
Neo Wing
 Varsha |
 Shriya Kishanpuriya |
 Shishir Bhargav |
 Shalini Garg |
 Rudrani Gubbi |
 Namratha Rao |
 Deepak MP |
 Ashwini Senan |
