Smaran Dance Festival Participants Profile
Archana Raja
Archana Raja is one of the senior most disciples of Smt. Sheela Unnikrishnan in Sridevi Nrithyalaya. Trained in the Melattur style of Bharathanatyam for the past 15 years , she is completed her diploma in fine arts at Kalai Kaviri University in Bharathanatyam . Winner of various state level competitions and CCRT scholarship from 2007 to 2012. She bagged the Nrithya Ratna Award along with a cash award of Rs.25,000 in Natraja Natya Dance Festival held in Peravoor (2011) . Archana has played pivotal roles in all the major productions of Sridevi Nrithyalaya
Meena Vemuri
Meena started learning Kuchipudi from Guru Smt. Jyothi Lakkaraju at the tender age of six and completed her Arangetram in 2014. Under her guru’s guidance, Meena has participated in various ballets such as Sense Beyond, Tripaadiganga, and Pooraya Mama Kamam with renowned artists such as Kalaimamani Uma Muralikrishna and more. She has also participated in the prestigious San Francisco Ethnic Dance Festival in 2011 and 2014. Meena was recorded in the Guinness Book of World Records in 2008 for a dance achievement. She has performed for prominent organizations such as Yuva Bharati, and has won numerous competitions hosted by OSAAT, SiliconAndhra, and BATA. In addition, Meena has been studying Carnatic vocal music for the past 13 years and thoroughly enjoys being a part of Mahatee Music Academy.
Jeevika Bhat
Jeevika Bhat has been trained in Odissi dance for the past twelve years, beginning at the age of four. Under the tutelage of Guru Jyoti Rout, Jeevika completed her Ranga Puja in July 2013. Apart from this, she has participated in a myriad of performances both in the U.S. and in India. Currently a senior at Cupertino High School, Jeevika hopes to continue to dance and spread the Odissi culture for the rest of her life.
Divija Bhimaraju
Divija Bhimaraju is a fourteen-year-old sophomore at the Harker School in San Jose, California. Inspired by a captivating rendition of "Mahishasura Mardini," she began her formal training in the art form of Kuchipudi dance in September, 2007. With the impeccable guidance, immense care and immeasurable patience of her guru Smt Samidha Satyam, she has been nurturing her talent for dance with diligent practice and energetic passion. She has taken part multiple times in both OSAAT and Silicon Andhra's "Annamayya Jayanthi" and has also partcipated in BATA and Sanatana Dharma Kendra's competitions both solo and in a group. Divija also took part in the ballet "Paulasthya Parabhavam." She gave her Rangapravesam in September 2014 and has since continued to practice and refine her technique.
Supriya Sasikumar
Classical dancer by profession, specialized in "Mohiniyattam" and "Bharatanatyam". Completed schooling and bachelor's degree in Mohiniyattam and Bharatanatyam from "Kerala Kalamandalam Deemed University for Arts and Culture", under the residential schooling system based on ""Guru Kula Sambradaaya".
- Performed dance as a part of Guinness World Record Dance Performance - Largest Mohiniyattam dance performance, with 1200 mohiniyattam dancers, held at Jawaharlal Nehru International Stadium in Cochin, Kerala, India on 28th November 2006
- Performed Mohiniyattam at the inauguration ceremony of Commonwealth Games 2010 - New Delhi, India
- Performed Mohiniyattam at the "International Film Festival of Kerala"- 2010, Thiruvananthapuram, India
- Participated in various dance shows and festivals.