SCHOOL
Arpana means 'offering' in Sanskrit and it is with this spirit of offering dance to the Divine that the school began. Since humble beginnings in 1982, Ramya Harishankar has personally trained several 100 students in this rigorous art form with more than 150 of them 'graduating' and performing their dance debut or Arangetram. The teaching follows much in the pattern of the 'Guru-Shishya' tradition of yore. The students are not mere enrolees in the school but develop a personal relationship with their teacher over the years, learning many intricacies of the dance form, performance techniques and cultural awareness. Through her school, Ramya has helped build artistic sensitivity, appreciation and understanding of cultural traditions in the community. Her students also acquired physical and mental discipline, strength of character and personalities that have held them in good stead through their high school, college and working careers. Many continue to be a part of the Arpana Dance Company post Arangetram and some have become torchbearers of the form.
Assistant Director
VISALINI SUNDARAM
Visalini Sundaram started her training in Bharatha Natyam in 1996 at the age of five under the tutelage of guru Ramya Harishankar in Irvine, Ca. She has participated in several performances, both as a student of dance and as the vocal support. In 2014, she completed her Bharatha Natyam Arangetram, and has since performed all over the US, in India during the December Margazhi season, and abroad. Visalini currently performs solo and with the Arpana Dance Company, and teaches dance in the Arpana School of Dance.
Visalini is also trained in Carnatic music by her guru, Smt. Padma Kutty, from the age of 5. She has had the privilege of studying music with Shri Palai Ramachandran, one of the prime disciples of Sangeetha Kalanidhi Semmangudi Srinivasa Iyer. From her childhood through her teen years, her late maternal grandfather, Shri Palakkad Seshamani Iyer (student of G.N. Balasubramaniam), a Carnatic musician and composer, furthered her understanding of the art form. She hails from a family of musicians and dancers, and her maternal great grandfather is the late Shri Palakkad Rama Bhagavathar, a contemporary of Maharajapuram Vishwanatha Iyer.
Visalini was placed first at the Cleveland Thyagaraja Aradhana Music Competition in 2007, and has been teaching Carnatic music in Southern California for the last 15 years.
In 2022, Visalini was awarded the Alliance for California Traditional Arts grant to further pursue her musical and dance abilities. She also had the privilege and honor of dancing in the world famous Pageant of the Masters in Laguna Beach for their summer residency in the summer of 2022.
Staff
NANDINI KANNAN
Nandini Kannan has been training in Bharatanatyam under the guidance of Ramya Harishankar from 1999. Since her Arangetram in 2006, Nandini has performed for ADC in a variety of venues for both traditional and experimental works involving cross-art collaborations. In 2010, she received an honorable mention for the world dance forms category through YoungArts. During her public health and psychology studies at UC Irvine, she took classes in contemporary and Spanish dance at the Claire Trevor School of the Arts. While continuing her training and performing with ADC, she also mentored the Arangetram cohorts from 2012-2016.
The deep love and foundation of dance instilled by Ramya Harishankar carried through Nandini’s time in NYC. From 2016, she has diversified her movement vocabulary, understanding, collaboration, and artistry through creating/performing with Dance Haven (Columbia University Medical Center’s dance organization), cross-training in other dance styles (dancehall, contemporary, jazz funk, heels, and hip hop), taking artist development intensives with Galen Hooks, participating in NavaDarshana (holistic Bharatanatyam intensive), co-founding/facilitating NYC Adavu (a meetup providing an inclusive space for Bharatanatyam dancers to connect and continue practicing), serving as a guest teaching artist and volunteer for Dance Project of Washington Heights (a non-profit organization that removes barriers to dance access for uptown families), and teaching for a semester at Jiva Arts as well as participating in their showcases and Dance on Camera festival. In addition, Nandini has trained in Sugarfoot Therapy, a physical therapy-based conditioning for dancers.
Nandini has a Master's in Public Health and has worked in community wellness promotion and equitable access initiatives. As both a public health professional and artist, Nandini is integrating her two passions to make movement, expression, and art an accessible way of living, healing, and being well in mind, body, and spirit for all communities.
STUDENTS OF ARPANA
"I believe learning a performing art and achieving a certain amount of proficiency requires regular attendance, a good practice schedule, exposure to all dance forms/ dancers, family support, self motivation and an intelligent approach. Even though it may be only an extracurricular activity for many students, the art form itself is no less than any other art or science, requiring years of dedicated mental and physical work. It is a life long journey of growth and learning." - Ramya
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
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Classes are offered to students starting age 5 and all held in Irvine, CA. Please go to our Contact Us page to get in touch for enrollment and inquiries.
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New group classes commence every August (we follow the Irvine Unified School District calendar).
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The dance company and school is based out of Irvine, California and classes are held in multiple locations in the area.