Yamini Kalluri - Artistic DirectorYamini Kalluri, an internationally acclaimed Kuchipudi dancer, has been recognized as one of the youngest sensations in the classical dance world, with interviews featured in The New York Times and on BBC Radio in 2016. Her unique artistry blends tradition with contemporary influences, rooted in her formal training at Potti Sreeramulu Telugu University and in ballet and modern dance at the Martha Graham School of Contemporary Dance.
As a former instructor at the prestigious Mark Morris Dance Center and Martha Graham School, Yamini's teaching reflects her commitment to elevating Kuchipudi on the global stage. She is the visionary founder of the Kritya Foundation and its ensemble, fostering an environment for bold experimentation while preserving Kuchipudi’s classical essence. |
Arohi Dandawate - Principal DancerArohi Dandawate began learning Kuchipudi under Smt. Divya Yeluri (Nritya Madhavi School of Dance, Edison, NJ) at the age of seven, going on to complete her dance debut in August 2022. Since then, Arohi has continued her Kuchipudi journey under the mentorship of Kum. Yamini Kalluri (Kritya School of Dance) and has integrated her study of Indian folk dance under Smt. Madhavi Devasthale (Nupur School of Dance) and Odissi under Kum. Prithvi Nayak (Bengaluru, India) into her practice. Arohi has performed in several esteemed venues such as the White House (Washington D.C., USA) and Birla Science Centre (Telangana, India). She has played a variety of roles in different dance dramas, performing as a group and as an award winning solo artist widely across the tristate area. She has recently begun developing her own compositions, Dawn on the Fall Equinox and bzz bzz...In the Queen‘s Cabinet, inspired by the divinity in seemingly mundane experiences.
Arohi has committed herself to the arts, studying classical Piano under Ms. Elena Leonova at the Mannes Preparatory School (NYC) and later under Prof. Scott Cuellar at Oberlin Conservatory. Apart from her artistic endeavours, Arohi works as a postgraduate research associate at the Yale School of Medicine. |
Geetha Vonga - SoloistGeetha Vonga is a dedicated Kuchipudi artist committed to preserving and advancing the classical art form. Trained by her esteemed Guru, the late Padmasri Dr. Shobha Naidu, Geetha combines traditional Kuchipudi with unique technical insights from her academic background, including degrees in Commerce, Computer Science, Performing Arts, and Information Technology. As a member of the Kritya Ensemble, she collaborates with leading practitioners to create performances that blend heritage with contemporary expression. Known for her captivating stage presence, she has performed at renowned festivals worldwide, including the Ojai World Dance Festival and Konark Dance Festival. Geetha also passionately shares her expertise with students globally, ensuring Kuchipudi’s vibrancy and cultural relevance for future generations.
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Shruthi Ailneni - DancerHolding a Master's degree in Computer Science, Shruthi Ailneni built a successful career, in Michigan, as a software professional over the past decade. Her dancing journey began with a love for movie tunes in her teenage years. The spark for classical dance ignited when she accompanied a friend to a Bharatanatyam class, but the idea of starting as an adult held her back. It wasn’t until pursuing a Master’s degree that she decided to take the plunge into classical dance but faced financial challenges that delayed her desire. Once she settled in a stable job, she began searching for local Kuchipudi classes, only to find that the available sessions were limited and required a lengthy wait to begin. She then decided to advantage of digital age and the search introduced her to the talented instructor, Monika Mucharla, under whose expertise she honed her Kuchipudi skills for seven years in one-on-one setting. Monika encouraged her to expand her horizons by attending workshops and learning in group settings to gain valuable exposure. The transformative moment came when she stumbled upon a workshop led by renowned dancer Yamini Kalluri, which appeared on her social media feed. Embracing this opportunity, she attended the workshop and was immediately captivated by the energy of group dancing and the wealth of knowledge shared by co participants. Motivated by the positive impact of that workshop and Yamini’s unique and mindful teaching techniques, Shruthi made the decision to continue training under her mentorship, a choice whole heartedly supported by Monika. Dance is more than just an art form. It has been a source of happiness and resilience, helping her navigate through life's challenges. It is her aspiration to refine her Kuchipudi skills and one day pass on the knowledge and love for this art form to future students. With each step she takes, she celebrates not only her journey as a dancer but also the transformative power of art in her life.
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Sunayana Jampanaboyana - DancerSunayana Jampanaboyana is the newly appointed Managing Director of the Kritya Foundation, where she merges her passion for Kuchipudi with her ability to transform ideas into reality. Her diverse background spans biomedical engineering, entrepreneurial strategy, and movement studies, enriched by guided research into the sociopolitical contexts of traditional Indian arts.
Sunayana’s passion for Kuchipudi was sparked at the age of 15 under the tutelage of Dr. K. Neelima Raju. In 2017, she presented her first full-length solo recital and earned a Level 1 Certification in Kuchipudi from the International Dance Council (CID-UNESCO). She has since performed across the US, including a notable portrayal of the character Kuyili in "Veeramangai: The Fearless Women” (2021) by CWRU Nritya, where she provided choreographic direction for this character. Since then, Sunayana has gone on to integrate contemporary western influences into her artistic practice through intensive training and mentored choreographic research. Today, she is focused on furthering her artistic growth through technical refinement and choreographic development — and is actively honing her Kuchipudi artistry under the guidance of Yamini Kalluri at the Kritya School of Dance. |
Rohan Ravirala - Apprentice DancerRohan began learning Kuchipudi with Yamini Kalluri at the Kritya School of Dance in 2022. He first started dancing through Raas/Garba in college but later pursued classical dance to reconnect with his Telugu heritage. As a Kritya student, he had the opportunity to perform this summer at the inaugural New York Kuchipudi Dance Festival and at various cultural events at his university. Since starting Kuchipudi, he has found a passion for classical dance and hopes to perform a Rangapravesham someday.
In 2022, Rohan graduated from Washington University in St. Louis with a degree in Biochemistry. He currently lives in San Francisco, where he works as a Clinical Research Coordinator at UCSF School of Medicine. |
Sushma Gurram - Apprentice DancerA software professional based in Dallas, TX, is currently on a career break to care for her two-year-old son. Her journey with Kuchipudi began in 2012 while she was pursuing her bachelor’s degree in India. After about a year, she left for the U.S. to complete a master’s in computer engineering, and her busy academic life put her Kuchipudi training on hold.
It wasn’t until 2020, amid the global pandemic, that she felt a pull to reconnect with the dance form. Newly married and navigating a challenging period both emotionally and professionally, she found herself experiencing burnout and emotional exhaustion. She explored various wellness practices, including meditation through Art of Living and Inner Engineering, but it was Carnatic music and Kuchipudi dance that brought her the peace and rejuvenation she sought. Discovering Yamini’s classes on YouTube, she began training with her—and hasn’t looked back since. Her practice has become a source of calm and fulfillment. Her experience with Kritya Foundation has been transformative, introducing her to the importance of posture, alignment, strength, flexibility, and agility—all of which were aspects missing in her previous training. She credits her pain-free progress to the detailed, holistic approach Kritya emphasizes. Looking forward, she intends to dedicate her life to Kuchipudi, aiming to continue performing and one day sharing the art through teaching. The positive impact of this practice drives her commitment to contribute meaningfully to the Kuchipudi tradition. |
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