Artistic Directors and ensemble

Prasanna Kasthuri
Master of 2 dance styles, 3 decades of performances, 22 full length dance productions, innumerable students in 3 continents, multiple level creative colloborations, 3 international tours, curator of 3 national level dance festival in USA, South Indian classical singer and music director are some of the achievements that best describes Prasanna Kasthuri. A state level rank in vidwath dance exam, a 24 hour performance that created a world record and a Master's degree in information technology are his past achievements that still shine high on his resume.

An established performer of two Indian dance styles - Bharathanatyam and Kathak, Prasanna is a dancer, teacher and a choreographer who believes dance is meant to entertain the human hearts. He has produced spectacular dance productions under his present dance company "Soorya Performing Arts" in St.Louis Missouri assisted by Missouri Arts Council and Regional Arts Council of St.Louis. Being an innovative artist that he is, Prasanna colloborated with grammy award winner Pandit VishwaMohan Bhatt to successfully present english poems through Bharathanatyam in "Rainbow II". He also is credited with producing the first Indian opera in a foreign country "GokulaNirgama" where the dancers sing on stage as they dance - a rare achievement in the field of Indian dance.
An adjunct professor of dance at the Webster university and Stephen College St.Louis Missouri, his rosters equally boasts of American students as it does of Indians.
He fulfilled his dream of bringing Indian classical dance and drama to the public of the Mid-West by curating 2 dance national level dance festivals and a drama festival where he presented more than a 100 national and internationally reputed dancers.
Prasanna also pursues his passion of playing Mrudangam, a traditional Indian drum.

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Pulikeshi Kasturi
An amicable person, a scintillating nattuvangist with a gifted magical voice, a devoted organiser and a loving teacher - these are the exclamations "Puli" (as Pulikeshi is fondly called) has earned in his two decade carreer. As an acclaimed dancer, nattuvangist, teacher and promoter of classical arts he embraces the world of classical Indian dances with full strength and vigour. His performances are marked with an enjoyable aesthetical experience with an absolute charge of creativity.

Pulikeshi has mastered the art of Bharathanatyam through his training under veterans gurus such as Lalitha Srinivasan (senior disciple of Venkatalakshamma - court dancer of Mysore Wodeyars) and Narmada (disciple of Kittappa Pillai). He was also blessed by Guru Maya Rao who initiated him into the art of Kathak. The govt of India's Human Resources dept. felicitated him with a national scholarship from 1996-98 that facilitated him to pursue his art deeper.

Pulikeshi with strong hold on laya(rhythm) and his perfect pronounciation has been easily acclaimed as the best nattuvangist of Karnataka. and has been invited by all popular Indian classical dancers to accompany them on nattuvangam. Naturally awards such as Kinkini's "Best Nattuvanar of the decade", "AryaBhata Award for nattuvangam" followed soon.

Pulikeshi's major credentials include

• Master's degree in Dance from Bangalore University

• Choreography degree from the Natya Institute of Kathak and Choreography, Bangalore University under the tutelage of Guru Maya Rao

• Vidwath certification from the govt. of Karnataka

• First nattuvangist to conduct nattuvangam workshops in Bangalore back to back owing to popular demand

• Accompanying top dancers of the country for more than two decades on nattuvangam.

Choreographic works :

• Bakasura Vadha - The episode of slaying Bakasura - From the Mahabharatha

• Kirataarjuniya - Arjuna's Penance from Mahabharatha

• Veera Raghava Vyayoga - Scenes from Ramayana

• Mata Daana - A political satire on election

• PachaBhoota - A thematic presentation on the elements

• Usha Parinaya - A romantic story from the Mahabharatha

Pulikeshi has performed Bharathanatyam as well as Kathak at the Soorya Festival, Nitya Nrutha, National Jamboree.................

At present he is the artistic director of Shanthala Arts Academy where along with a dedicated staff he trains hundreds of students in Bharathanatyam and Nattuvangam.

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Sushma Mohan
Sushma is trained in Bharathanatyam by gurus Prasanna Kasthuri, Ranjani Ganesan and the Dhananjayans of Chennai and in Kathak by Gurus Maya Rao and Chitra Venugopal. As an associate director of the Shanthala Arts Academy, Sushma has choreographed numerous dance productions like Mira, Yathiraja Vaibhava and Dashavataara. She has researched on the 18th century court poet Mysore Sadashivaraya and produced Apoorva Sadashiva.
She was the associate artistic director for the New Jersey Branch of Soorya Performing arts where she taught Bharathanatyam, Carnatic music and nattuvangam. Sushma holds the honour of being one of the first dancers in the United States to teach Bharathanatyam to the students of YMCA. She was invited by the State of New Jersey to perform for the State festival twice and was honoured by the State Governor James Corzine.
She was also invited by the State university of New Jersey "Mason Gross schoold of Arts" to conduct lecture demonstrations in Bharathanatyam for its dance students. Apart from numerous performances and lecture demonstrations all over the state of New Jersey for libraries, colleges and private organisations, Sushma has also performed regularly in New York, Philadelphia, St.Louis, Chicago, San Antonio, Springfield and Columbia.

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Shantala Dance Ensemble

Vijayashree Ashok
Vijayashree is one of the senior most disciples of Shanthala Arts Academy. After preforming her arangetram under Guru Prasanna, she has been a regular performer at all the academy's dance festivals, workshops and performances all over the country. Vijayashree was one of the invited dancers to perform for the former Prime Minister H D Devegowda at the Rajiv Gandhi Smaran Divas at New Delhi. She was invited by the Soorya Performing Arts St.Louis, USA to perform with them at the AKKA Kannada Sammelana in Chicago along with performances at St.Louis, Columbia and Springfield. At present Vijayashree is a senior dance faculty at the Shantala's branches in Yeshwanthpur, Vidyaranyapura and Yelahanka.

Priyanka L Achar
Priyanka a student of Shanthala Arts Academy since 1997 has been a winner in almost all competitions she has participated in. The department of Kannada and Culture’s ‘KISHORA PRATHIBE’-2008, ‘GOPINATHA DASA NYASA’-2009, ‘SRI SWANANDAASHRAMA’-2009,‘DAYANANDA SAGAR MEMORIAL COMPETITION’-2008 to name a few apart from innumerable inter school and inter collegiate competitions.
A student of commerce at Mount Carmel College at present, she is a recepient of KARNATAKA SANGEETHA NRUTYA ACADEMY scholarship. She has performed for the Reserve Bank of India’s Kannada Rajyotsava at Yavanika, every Wednesday programme and Chiguru programme at Nayana, Cultural programme conducted by Kannada culture apart from all performances of Shantala.

Kavyashree Jay ram
Blessed with an impressive stage presence and a stamina unmatched by few Kavyashree is a young dancing star on the horizon. Being a winner came from the start ‘KISHORA PRATHIBE’Yuva Pratibhe, ‘GOPINATHA DASA NYASA’, Aryabhata Competitions are a few of her winning feathers.
She has performed at Kinkini Festival, Bruhan Natyanjali Chidambaram and Sai Nrutyostava.
A recepient of the Karnataka Sangetha Nruthya academy and the Centre for cultural resources scholarship Kavyashreee, a post graduate in commerce is at present a manager at the syndicate bank.

Akshatha Bhargav

Ramya

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Dance Productions


• Kavya Kinkini
• Subhadra Parinaya The story of the pandava prince Arjuna who marries Subhadra-the sister of Krishna and Balarama. Balarama is not very happy about Arjuna and he decides to marry off Subhadra to somebody else, but Arjuna with the help and blessings of Krishna is able to win the heart and hand of Subhadra. Has been performed in India and France.
• Usha anniruddha
• Parivarthane
• Bali moksha- A popular story from the Srimad Bhagavatha of Lord Vishnu's incarnation as Vaamana who come to King Bali to subdue his arrogance.
• Gajendra moksha-The story of the cursed elephant who is caught by a crocodile but is rescued by Lord Vishnu
• Gnana- Adi Shankaracharya in one of his weak moments argues with a humble woodcutter and condemns him saying that Vishnu is not god available to everybody. And he suggests the woodcutter to bring him a living being which is neither animal nor human, but is a combination of both. After a long search Lord Narasimha himself appears before the woodcutter and he brings the lord to Shankaracharya. But Shankaracharya is unable to see the lord.
• Sillappadikaran This is the first epic of tamil literature found to this day. It is the story of a devoted wife whose husband is mistaken to be a thief by the chola king and is put to death. The angry wife sets out to prove her innocent husband wrong and her anger doesn't cease before she curses the whole kingdom and the king. Known for its beautiful poetry this epic work still captures the attention of scholars and layman alike
• Yathiraja Vaibhava A dance presentation of Sri.Ramanujacharya's compositions and his life. The dance numbers are selected from Sri Bhasya
• Apoorva SAdashiva A research dance production on Mysore Sadashivaraaya who was a well known composer during the 19th century in Mysore but unfortunately all his works are not available to us. Technically superb, this dance production brings into light his musical ingenuity.
• Rasa Gathi Rhythm and expression are the two important aspects of any Indian dance form. This dance feature presents the five important rhythm patterns and the nine moods or the Navarasa with beautiful myth references
• Kaadu Kuniyithu An environmental awareness dance ballet with a message performed by children.
• Mira One of the foremost devotees of lord Krishna, this ballet presents the life and the beautiful bhajans of Mira Bai the famous Rajput princess. Includes impressive north Indian group dances in folk and kathak.
• Dasaru Kanda Balakrishna
• Sri Chakra
• Tiruppavai
• MeghaDoota
Dasavatara - Maha Vishnu takes ten incarnations to balance the injustice in the world. "Whenever there is injustice I will be born again and again,” says the lord.

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Performances
• International performances and workshops
• Performances in India

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Press reviews

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