Presenter Bio:

Rukmini Vijayakumar began her dance training at the age of eight. She studied Bharatanatyam under Guru Narmada, Guru Padmini Rao and Guru Sundari Santhanam and practiced the Karanas for several years under Guru Sundari Santhanam.  Rukmini holds a BFA degree from the Boston Conservatory in Ballet and Modern Dance. She also studied jazz, tap, african, choreography, laban movement analysis, Stagecraft and Human Anatomy at the Boston Conservatory.   She has studied acting at the New York FIlm Academy, Los angeles and under Director, Prakash Belawadi, India. She is the Artistic Director of her dance company Raadha Kalpa, where she teaches, choreographs and creates new Bharatanatyam, Modern and experimental theater work. She currently pursues a Fitness Training Certification at UCLA, and a professional dancer's MFA program in Bharatanatyam at the Shastra University, Chennai under Dr. Padma Subrahmanyam. She also is a certified Power pilates instructor. Her extensive knowledge in Human anatomy and dance pedagogy is incorporated in her teaching curriculum at her dance institute Raadha Kalpa.

As a soloist Rukmini has performed at the Khajuraho Festival, the Kalidas Samaroha in Ujjain, the Natyanjali in Chidambaram, Thanjavur, Kumbakonam, Hampi Festival, Uttarardh Utsav in Modhera Gujarat, Bharta Kalachar, Krishna Gana Sabha, Kartik Fine Arts, Baadal Raag Samaroh at Bhopal, Raagamala festival, Seattle,etc.

 In FIlms, she has acted as the lead in Tamil films  "Bommalattam” with Nana Patekar, directed by Bharathi Rajaa, and Ananda Thandavam, directed by Gandhi Krishna.

Rukmini believes that the inner journey of self discovery  that dance takes us on is a powerful tool in finding oneself. Dance at the same time is fun, relaxing and a way of letting go of inhibitions It allows you to accept yourself as you are and present yourself to others unapologetically and confidently. Ultimately, it becomes a way of going inward and being with ourselves.

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