Guru
Dr Vasundhara Doreswamy is a Danseuse par excellence, versatile choreographer of repute and a venerated guru of Bharatanatyam, hails from the princely city of Mysore and has turned very much a phenomenon in the Indian Classical dance scenario over the past five decades and more of her career. Her performances are a manifestation of the profound terpsichorean ingenuity marked by impromptu improvisations, esoteric foot-work and bewitching histrionic propensities. Her myriad choreographies encompassing a wide spectrum of spiritual and secular themes are striking paradigm of her inventive brilliance. Vasundhara is one of the pioneer disciples of renowned Shri Pattabhi Jois from Mysore in Ashtanga Vinyasa Yoga, and has earned a Phd for her research and thesis on the correlation between Yoga and Bharatanatyam.
Vasundhara is a recipient of the ‘Shantala Award’ - the highest Karnataka state award, she is the youngest recipient of the ‘Karnataka Kala Tilak’ the prestigious award from the Karnataka Sangeetha Nrithya Academy and has a post-graduate degree in Folklore and is a consummate exponent of the martial arts of ‘Tang-ta’ and ‘Kalarippayattu’ which vouches highlighting her multidisciplinary achievements. Vasundhara was awareded the prestigeous 'Kala Vipanchi' in Chennai by Padma Vibushan Shri Balamurali Krishna and 'Shreshta Kala Pracharak' from Padma Bushan Saroja Vaidyanathan (Ganesh Natyala- New Delhi) and was recently awarded 'Chandana' award by Doordarshan India. She is the only recipient of Asthana Nritya Ratna from Shri Shri Vishrwapriyateertha, Shri Krishna Mutt, Udupi. She has been honoured with State Rajyotsava Award [Karnataka], Natya Jyothi [Australia] and Millennium Award [USA]- just to name a few. She also holds a post-graduate degree in Folklore and has been involved in multiple solo choreographies like 'Panchali' noted for its singular adaptation of Yakshagana music [form of folk music] to Bharatanatyam and ‘Ganga Lahari’, another solo production depicting a detailed narration of the story of Ganga and many more. She has been the only choreographer in Bharatanatyam who has ventured into a dance production of 'Sama Veda' - the fountain head of Indian Classical music and Bharatanatyam. Vasundhara Doraswamy is an A-Graded Artist in Doordarshan.She is presently a member of ten members’ expert committee for Bharatanatyam appointed by the Department Of Culture, Govt. of India.
Vasundhara is the one and only Bharatanatyam danseuse to have been invited from India to perform for ‘WORLD PEACE’ conference in Paris under aegis of UNESCO in the presence of 2500 representatives from 137 countries. International Accreditations & Relations: Bharatanatyam: Vasundhara travels around the world conducting workshops in Bharatanatyam and Yoga for anywhere between 3-4 months in a year. She performed at the festival for the 50th Independence celebrations in Sydney & Melbourne. Vasundhara has a branch in Melbourne, and tours Australia regularly on an yearly basis. She conducts summer camps for Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan in the UK. She has travelled to Czech Republic, Poland, France, Germany, UK and Austria representing the ICCR [Indian Council for Cultural Relations]. Vasundhara's current tours are primarily based in the US, Singapore and Australia. Vasundhara is a visiting Guest Professor at Alabama University in the US where she spends 4 summer months every year. She was conferred the Honorary Citizen of Louisville and a Lifetime Achievement Award this summer by the Mayor of Louisville, USA. Yoga: Vasundhara has conducted numerous workshops all over the world and an official branch for Bharatanatyam & Ashtanga Vinyasa Yoga at ‘Art of Vinyasa’ in Melbourne led by her daughter-in-law Meghala Bhat.
She has performed for numerous charity organisations regularly in the past and has worked successfully on productions for the blind and recently with the physically and mentally challenged kids.