Artistic Directors

Photo by: Scot J. Wittman

Dr. Shriya Srinivasan

Founder & Artistic Director

Dr. Shriya Srinivasan has learnt Bharathanatyam from her Guru and mother Sujatha Srinivasan, Artistic Director of Shri Kalaa Mandir. She is known for her vibrant stage presence, emotive capacity and ability to blend sharp nritta with elegant grace. Blending the artistic traditions of Bharatanatyam with modern themes, Shriya has recently co-choreographed Vivarta: Transformations-an original work on environmental conservation, Manas: The Charioteer Within, and Samayam: A moment in Eternity. She co-founded and directs the Anubhava Dance Company, comprised of second-generation Indian-American Bharathanatyam dancers and musicians, and has toured over 18 cities with her new productions, winning great acclaim. An upcoming Carnatic vocalist, passionate about sanskrit and yoga, she brings a holistic approach to her art and recently performed in the prestigious Madras Music Academy’s Spirit of Youth Festival, HCL series, Mid-Year series, and 18th annual December season Dance Festival. Shriya is currently a professor of Biomedical Engineering at Harvard University and aims to bring current social themes to life through the beauty and pristine form of the classical Indian arts.

Joshua George

Founder & Artistic Director

Joshua began his dance journey at the age of 4 under the tutelage of Sri Thomas Ottakkunnel. His early dedication to the classical form of Bharatanatyam was recognized in 2003 when he was awarded the title Nritha Rajan by the Federation of Kerala Associations in North America (FOKANA), becoming one of the youngest recipients of the Kanaka Chilanga (golden bells) for his performance. His training continued under the able guidance of Smt. Poonam Mahesh, artistic director of Nrityanant Performing Arts, whose mentorship helped shape his approach to both technique and rendition. Under her guidance, Joshua has widely performed and received numerous accolades including the first-prize award at the Cleveland Thygaraja Festival dance competition in 2009 and 2011 as well as being honored by Kalavedhi International for his contribution to the arts. He co-founded the Anubhava Dance Company in 2015 with the hope of amplifying the voices of second-generation Indian-American artists and inspiring more youth to engage with the traditional-Indian art-forms. As a medical student, Joshua aims to blend the intersections of art, community engagement, and social-conscience through a holistic approach to health and well-being.

Photo by: Scot J. Wittman

The Anubhava Dance Ensemble

Photo by: Scot J. Wittman

Shriya Srinivas

Principal Dancer

Shriya Srinivas is a student of Acharya Aishwarya Balasubramanian, Arpanam Academy of Bharatanatyam. She learned for 20 years under Guru Sridevi Ajai Thirumalai, Natyamani School of Dance, and is now continuing her training under Acharya Aishwarya. Shriya has participated and won in local dance competitions in the New England area and at the Cleveland Thyagaraja Aradhana Festival. She recently participated in the North American Dance Initiative at Cleveland Aradhana 2024, choreographed by Smt. Aishwarya. Shriya has given many solo and duo performances and has participated in group productions from Natyamani School of Dance in both USA and India. Since 2022, she has been a dancer in the Anubhava Dance Company, and company created by Dr. Shriya Srinivasan and Joshua George. She is very passionate about Bharatanatyam and with the blessings of her Gurus, hopes to continue to explore its vast horizons in the years to come. Outside of dance, Shriya is a Graphic Designer and is currently pursuing a Masters in Interior Architecture at Suffolk University.

Swathi Jaisankar

Principal Dancer

Swathi Jaisankar is a Bharatanatyam Artist based in Boston. She has garnered numerous accolades and has performed at several prestigious venues across the US and internationally. She has frequently presented solo margams during the Chennai Margazhi Season, most recently for the Madras Music Academy’s Spirit of Youth Festival. Notably, she has also performed at the World Government Summit in Dubai opening for the PM of India, the United Nations Headquarters, the Indian High Commission in London, the Jacob’s Pillow Festival, and the Erasing Borders Festival. Her work has been featured in the Times of India and Gulf News. Swathi is the disciple of Smt. Aishwarya Balasubramanian, with her formative training being from Smt. Suba Parmar & Sri. Swamimalai K. Suresh. Her accolades include being a National YoungArts Winner, NJ Natya Sangamam Winner, and being awarded the title of “NJ Natya Shiromani”. As the Creative Director of Dance at IndianRaga, Swathi choreographed and performed in over 30 productions amassing millions of views online and receiving global acclaim. Through this platform, she has raised awareness on various social topics such as narrative medicine and LGBTQ+ rights. Swathi is currently employed as a Senior Business Analyst at Franklin Templeton Investments.

Photo by: Scot J. Wittman

Photo by: Scot J. Wittman

Sita Vakkalanka

Principal Dancer

Sita Vakkalanka began learning Bharatanatyam under Guru Sujatha Srinivasan, Artistic Director of Shri Kalaa Mandir, in 2008 and completed her Arangetram in 2015. Sita has had the opportunity to perform in numerous festivals in both the United States and India, garnering praise for her artistry. She has also clinched top honors in various prestigious dance competitions including the Cleveland Thyagaraja Aradhana, Natya Idol in St. Louis, National YoungArts, and she most recently won first place at the New Jersey Natya Sangamam Natyanjali 2023 competition. In addition to her dance, Sita is a budding Carnatic vocalist and has been under the tutelage of Dr. Ravikumar Malladi of the Malladi Brothers since 2008. Sita graduated from from the University of Wisconsin-Madison in 2022, and she is passionate about striking a harmonious equilibrium between her profession and the arts.