SAMARPANA INSTITUTE OF DANCE
Dedicated to inspiring creative excellence!
About Us
We welcome students of diverse backgrounds for a cultural enrichment experience through learning Bharathanatyam, its history, cultural context along with the technicalities of the art form.
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Our approach to training is quite unique and holistic with a keen focus on enhancing mind and body awareness through specialised warm-up routines, stretches, and breathing exercises developed from Yoga, Kalaripayattu and Silambam. Combined with the practical training students learn important theoretical aspects, fundamentals of rhythm and develop knowledge of Indian classical music.
Our Mission & Vision
Our Values
Dedication
We are dedicated to preserving this beautiful and ancient art form and passing it on to the next generation. We are dedicated to supporting our students to develop their confidence in themselves and in their art practice, so they may go on to become dedicated practitioners of Bharathanatyam themselves.
Inspiration
We inspire our yonger generation to value and nurture this art form and practice it with integrity. Our teachers do not simply sit on the floor and instruct verbally as was traditionally taught in Bharathanatyam. Our teachers being actively performing artists themselves, teach through modelling and various other contemporary teaching techniques that instil children's motivation to learn and become naturally curious. Given the need for various learning needs, and the technological world we live in, we provide a holistic learning environment so that every student is inspired to take responsibility for their own learning and development.
Excellence
It is very important to us that Bharathanatyam is represented in the Australian community with the utmost quality. Coming from professional and esteemed training backgrounds, our teachers do not compromise on quality, and impart strong foundational training to students, which enables them to carry on this excellence that our school stands for. We hope that through excellence in our teaching of classical Indian dance, students develop skills such as confidence, perserverence, discipline, resilience and respect; that will also help them excel in other areas of their lives.
Creativity
At Samarpana we help our students to develop a deep understanding and appreciation for this art form, so that they get in touch with their natural creative energy, to become amazing art makers in the future. We nurture students' creativity and potential, through a stimulating and challenging environment.
We are committed to providing quality training in Bharathanatyam in an environment that motivates and nurtures students' creativity. Our vision is to produce lifelong learners who become future performing artists or dance teachers and continue to preserve this art form.
OUR INSTRUCTORS
SHOBANA SURESH
Bharathanatyam Artist & Teacher
Co-founder of Samarpana Institute of Dance
Shobana is a gifted Bharathanatyam Dancer and a practicing Psychotherapist, who was introduced to the art of Bharathanatyam at a very young age, with her first guru, Smt Shivananthy Haridarshan in Sri Lanka. After completing her school and tertiary education in Australia, she travelled to India to pursue professional Bharathanatyam training. She was fortunate to be trained under the esteemed Guru Padmabhushan Prof. C. V. Chandrasekhar, and later pursued classes in Abhinaya under Smt. Bragha Bessell.
Shobana has been performing for nearly 15 years across India and Australia on various notable platforms, both as a solo artist and as part of ensembles for acclaimed productions. Shobana was recognised and honored with The International Women’s Day Award 2018, by the Rotary Club of Granville, for her contributions to the arts and culture of NSW. She was also nominated as a finalist in the 2022 Blacktown Local Business Awards, Business Woman of the Year category, for her leadership and innovation in developing the Samarpana Institute of Dance.
With her background in Education, Shobana understands and caters to the diverse learning needs and abilities of students. She takes a gentle and creative approach to training her students in the nuances of Bharathanatyam.
CHIDAMBARAM R. SURESH
Bharathanatyam & Nattuvangam Artist, & Choreographer
Co-founder of Samarpana Institute of Dance
Suresh is a multi-faceted artist excelling as a Bharathanatyam dancer, choreographer, nattuvangam artist and teacher. He was trained under renowned exponents of the art form in India, 'Kalaimaamani' Dr Uma Anand & 'Padmabhushan' Prof. C. V. Chandrasekhar. Suresh is a qualified Bharathanatyam teacher, who holds a Diploma in Bharathanatyam (Natyakalaimani) and Diploma in Nattuvangam (Nattuvangakalaimani) from Annamalai University, India.
Suresh has been recognised for his innate sense of rhythm, and has composed jathis (rhythm syllables) and compositions for dance in rare & complex rhythm sequences. He recently published some of the jathis he has composed in the form of a book titled 108 Bharathanatyam Jathis, which received raving reviews from experts in the field. He was also bestowed the title of "Laya Gnaana Thilagam" by hereditary nattuvanar, Kuthalam M. Selvam in 2022. Suresh has been a dance practitioner and teacher for almost 17 years, and has developed his own teaching methodologies over the years.
VISHNU ARUNASALAM
Dance teacher
Vishnu is a trained Carnatic vocalist, who initially commenced his training in nattuvangam under guru Chidambaram R. Suresh in 2016 to aid his understanding of layam, which then kindled his interest to learn Bharathanatyam with the encouragement of his gurus, Suresh and Shobana.
He completed his arangetram (debut recital) in August 2022 under the guidance of Suresh and Shobana.
Vishnu has also been the artistic director of Agal Dance Company which was formed in 2018 by a group of dance practitioners including his gurus, where he has been able to utilise his creative ideas and lead the company to present globally recognised works; including a film-based dance project that was screened in an International film festival. He is an emerging leader and art maker who has been selected by Australia Council for the Arts for the 2022 Future leaders program.
Vishnu has been a support teacher at Samarpana over the past couple of years and will be starting his venture as a regular staff member in 2023 while continuing his advanced dance training under his gurus.