Fabulous@14 | We list out the most exciting and young classical dancers from Bengaluru for 2025!

Dance is synonymous with Bengaluru. In fact, some of the best dancers from the world of Indian classical dance call the city home. We spoke to several gurus and experts to get a feel of whom the city can look forward to in terms of craft and quality and these lucky 14 made it to our special Fabulous @14 list of Indian classical dancers to look forward to in 2025!

Priyanka Chandrasekhar

Priyanka is a lawyer by education and a movement artiste. She has trained in bharatanatyam and kathak  for more than two decades and is an Doordarshan A-graded artiste. She is also the founder and director of The Nirali Collective which reimagines Indian classical dance pedagogy. “I started dancing as a child because of my mother’s unfulfilled dream to dance. Getting into dance professionally, many years later, somehow was most effortless and natural to me. I realised that dance was a language I wanted to express myself in and with that, tell stories and ask questions that are important. In 2025, I will be expanding my body of work further, pushing some more boundaries, asking more questions and sharing the process of it all. I also have some exciting initiatives and collaborations planned.”

Suranjana Endow Basu

A disciple of guru Sharmila Mukherjee at the Sanjali Centre for Odissi Dance, Suranjana started learning odishi at the tender age of nine under guru Susmita Bhattacharya of Kalakhetram in Kolkata. She has been deemed as a graded artiste by Doordarshan. “I was initiated into odishi  by my mother who believes that development of one’s personality should be all rounded, through the diverse fulcrum of humanity, grace, academia and the arts — a belief that I also share. In 2025, I am very keen on exploring my creative instincts as a dancer. With their blessings, I have just started work on a pallavi. In the long run, I would also love to engage extensively with children, through the medium of odishi.”

Navyashree KN

A disciple of guru P Praveen Kumar, Navyashree is passionate about the beauty and depth of Indian classical dance. She is a recipient of the CCRT scholarship, is a Doordarshan graded artiste and a Bal Bhavan Kalashree awardee. She directs the Bharathadyuthi Arts Centre, where she furthers her artistic vision. “My passion for dance was ignited during my early years of formal training. I quickly realised it was my calling and knew I’d want to devote my life to it. I hope for 2025 to be a year of growth, filled with lots of learning and dancing. I would also like to devote more time to mindful practice — one where I am able to immerse myself in the process, without any agenda.”

Shobhit Ramesh

A bharatanatyam practitioner and performer, Shobhit is currently training under guru Mavin Khoo along with additional guidance from the Upadhye School of Dance. Having practiced the art form for over 19 years now, his aim through his career in dance is to find his voice through the language of bharatanatyam. “I have pursued an academic degree, cracked competitive exams and worked for a global firm but dance keeps me grounded. It motivates me to focus on the process and be in the present. I hope the coming year presents me with new learnings, challenges me with deeper questions to ponder and excites me with nuanced artistic experiences on-and-off stage.”

Divya Hoskere

Dance is a perennial source of joy for young and vibrant bharatanatyam artiste, Divya Hoskere. She is one of the foremost disciples of guru P Praveen Kumar at the Chithkala School of Dance. Divya is also a research scholar at the National Institute of Advanced Studies (NIAS), IISc, Bengaluru, pursuing a unique PhD in choreography and alankarashastra (Indian aesthetics). She is the founder director of the Kalamarga School of Dance. “I was ten when I decided that I wanted to be a dancer and it was simply because it truly made me happy. Coming from a family of artistes, I have been very fortunate to be surrounded by art. This year has been about quiet exploration — hours in my studio exploring ideas, new vocabularies, dabbling in choreography, innovating in my teaching and of course, practicing. A lot of ideas have crystallized and my hope is that in 2025, they will blossom into performances.”

Akshiti Roychowdhury

An alumnus of the world-renowned Nrityagram, where she trained under gurus Bijayini Satpathy, Surupa Sen and Pavithra Reddy; Akshiti brings to the stage a kind of daring and charisma that can only be described as explosive. More recently, she has been training in kalaripayattu and is carving a name for herself as a soloist and a choreographer. “It’s been 14 years and I eagerly look forward to another 14 years of dancing. It is my source of strength and happiness, it is my beating heart. It completes me in ways I cannot explain. As I look forward to 2025, I approach it with an open mind and a willingness to take on new challenges, seeking fresh opportunities and experiences through innovative dance projects that will usher in a new era of possibilities in both my personal and professional life.”

Neethu Anand

A young talented dancer who was initiated into the nuances of bharatanatyam under the guidance of guru Deepti Mukund at the age of six, Neethu then proceeded to learn under the tutelage of guru Dr Sanjay Shantaram, director of the Shivapriya School of Dance. Since then, she has been performing this art form along with other forms such as kuchipudi, kathak, folk and contemporary. “I have always been driven by a curiosity to learn and grow. My mother’s unwavering passion and dedication played a pivotal role in nurturing my love for dance. Her guidance helped shape me into the dancer I am today. As I look forward to 2025, I am excited to continue on my journey of growth and self-improvement. I hope the new year will bring fresh opportunities, challenges and lessons that will help me evolve both as a dancer and as a person.”

Shreya Anand

Shreya began dancing at the age of seven, inspired by a desire to prove herself after being excluded from school dance performances. This determination bore fruit when she was awarded the prestigious Karnataka Jyoti Prashasti at the age of nine. Her formal training in bharatanatyam began early, culminating in the successful completion of Junior, Senior, Pre-Vidwat and Post-Vidwat certifications under KSEEB and Gangubai Hangal University. “Over the years, I have had the honour of representing Karnataka at the Republic Day Parade in Rashtrapati Bhavan and performing at renowned platforms. This September, I was recognised as a graded artiste by Doordarshan and shortlisted for the CCRT Scholarship. Besides dance, I am also a hindustani vocalist and a tabla player, further enriching my artistic repertoire. Looking ahead, 2025 promises to be a milestone year as I prepare to present my dance production on shakti, showcasing the divine feminine energy.”

Richa Das

A passionate bharatanatyam dancer with over 14 years ofexperience, training under esteemed gurus at the Upadhye School of Dance, Richa is the founder of Kalarpane, a dance school. She is a Doordarshan-graded artiste and a Karnataka Sangeetha Nritya Academy scholarship recipient. “I got into dance because I was attracted to it from a young age, inspired by watching my older sister. Bharatanatyam brought me joy and comfort, teaching me discipline, respect, surrender and self-discovery providing me reassurance, like a warm hug that keeps me grounded. When I dance, I don’t need to pretend, I am actually enjoying myself. Concluding 2024 with a performance on December 29 at Medai; in 2025, I look forward to a lot more dancing and hope to focus on learning, collaborating and creating memorable experiences for audiences and myself.”

Shreema Upadhyaya

Bharatanatyam artiste, model and actress, Shreema trains as a solo performer under guru P Praveen Kumar. She has performed extensively as a soloist and an ensemble artist across the world, winning accolades for her exceptional technique and eloquent abhinaya. “I have danced for as long as I can remember, movement being the most freeing form of expression in my experience. Bharatanatyam drew me in at a very young age and it’s versatile yet nuanced language fascinates me every single day. The practice of such an art form endlessly opens up a universe of possibilities and insight. I hope 2025 will be for me a lot of learning and performing and also wish it brings me the joy and luxury of dancing without an agenda. New experiences, new places, new people and new lessons to carry with me in my journey.”

Akruti Shah

The first graduate from the prestigious Indian classical dance institute, Nrityanidhi; Akruti Shah is a renowned kathak performer in the city. She is now the vice president at the institute, overseeing training in two major Indian cities — Mumbai and Bengaluru. “I embarked on the journey of pursuing dance because it ignites a deep passion within me. For me, it is meditation in motion — a profound expression of my soul’s language. I wish for 2025 to bring opportunities through which I can keep raising my flag of participation in promoting Indian art while making contributions for a better world!”

Kavya Kasinathan

A disciple of natyacharya Mithun Shyam, Kavya has presented five solo thematic presentations, so far, and completed her masters in bharatanatyam. She is also the author of a book on dance — Memoirs of Bani. “Dance provided a space to experience and explore my inner self while also helping me understand the wealth of knowledge that our culture holds. In 2025, I look forward to a year with new beginnings, new work and holistic growth.”

Prateeksha Kashi

Hailing from the artistic family of Dr Gubbi Veeranna, Prateeksha has been pursuing kuchipudi under the guidance of her mother, guru Vyjayanthi Kashi. She is the first kuchipudi dancer from Karnataka to receive the prestigious Ustad Bismillah Khan Yuva Puraskar from the Sangeet Natak Academy, New Delhi; and has also won the Aditya Birla Kalakiran Puraskar and the Medha Jalota Puraskar. “I believe dance embraced me with open arms, as I was born into a household of artistes. Dance, for me, started off as a family legacy and has now developed into an inseparable relationship; of love, strength, hope and surrender, which keeps me alive and going. At the moment, I am looking forward to new learnings and creating new choreographies in the solo, duet and group formats. But, I hope 2025 will bring in much more than what I have envisioned.”

Shryansi Das

Studying and simultaneously preparing for the medical entrance exam (NEET), Shryansi started her dancing journey at the tender age of six and has been learning odishi at the Sanjali Centre for Odissi Dance. Over the course of years she has developed a deep fascination and interest for the dance form and dedicated herself to it by actively participating in multiple stage shows and various dance festivals. “As a young kid I have always been fascinated by dance because of my mother who is a trained kathak dancer. But joining Sanjali in 2013 is what ignited my passion for the art form. Since then, dance has become a safe haven for me while I deal with all the academic pressure as a student. As the new year approaches, I hope to be able to continue nurturing my love for dance while simultaneously working towards becoming a doctor.”

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