Anandini Chandrasekhar

DANCE TRAINING
Anandini Chandrasekhar has been trained in the traditional Thanjavur style of Bharata Natyam since the age of two. She was trained primarily by her mother, the world-renowned dancer Sudha Chandrasekhar (formerly Doraiswamy), the Founder and Artistic Director of Hindu Temple Rhythms (HTR) – Metro Detroit’s foremost Indian Classical Arts organization. Anandini also had the opportunity during her formative years to train under Sudha’s own gurus, Guru T.K. Mahalingam Pillai, Smt. Karunambal Pillai and Guru K. Kalyanasundaram Pillai of Sri Rajarajeshwari Bharata Natya Kalamandir of Mumbai, India.

After completing her arangetram under her mother’s tutelage in 1994, Anandini began assistant teaching for the Hindu Temple Rhythms dance school while simultaneously serving as a principal dancer for the Vidyanjali Dance Troupe of Michigan. She began teaching private and small group Bharata Natyam classes in Michigan full-time after graduating from college in 1999. She also co-founded an organization named "SAADHANAI" at University of Michigan, which seeks to preserve and promote traditional art forms by bringing master teachers to the university campus to teach intensive seminars.  Anandini went on to teach Beginner and Intermediate Bharata Natyam levels in Chicago, New York City and Boston. 

In 2002 Anandini was amongst the ten selected dancers to take part in Michigan Opera Theatre’s production of the French opera LAKME, which was choreographed in Bharata Natyam by Sudha Chandrasekhar.

In 2003, Anandini co-founded RASA DANCE COMPANY – a Bharata Natyam touring company. Together with her friends Shalini Ravindran (student of Smt. Chitra Vishweshwaran) and Aparna Srinivasan (student of Guru Mahalingam Pillai and Guru Kalyanasundaram Pillai), she performed all over Chicagoland, in the Metro-Detroit area, and in Shreveport, Louisiana.  In 2006, Anandini was selected to perform the role of “Autumn” in Smt. Shoba Natarajan and Samskriti Foundation’s premiere production of SURYAKANTHA: Beloved of the Sun.

Anandini also has trained in several other dance styles under various artists, including Kuchipudi (Sudha Chandrasekhar), Kathak (Sudha and Vidya Chandrasekhar and Sandeep Mahavir), Mohini Attam (Sudha Chandrasekhar and Radha Dutta), Ballet (Roberta Campion, Vladimir Angelov and Rose Marie Floyd), Tap and Jazz (Roberta Campion), Modern Dance (Naima Prevots and Anne Donahue), and Congolese Dance (Biza Sompa). She is also known for her choreography of light/Bollywood dance numbers, and currently teaches Zumba-style Bollywood exercise classes as well as Bharata Natyam. She also offers choreography and private dance lessons via Skype.

MUSIC BACKGROUND
Initially introduced to Carnatic vocal music by Sudha Chandrasekhar and her sister Vidya Chandrasekhar, Anandini also trained under Smt. Bhanumati Chari in her early years. She spent a number of years developing her vocals in the Western style and was actively involved in musical theatre during her high school years. She also was lead keyboardist and back-up vocalist for Ishara – a Hindi movie music band, and Ragamalika, a Tamil music band. During college, Anandini began performing as lead female vocalist with local light/film music bands such as India Jam in Metro D.C. and North Carolina, and Ishara and Umang in Metro Detroit. Anandini continued her training in Carnatic vocal music under Smt. Nivedita Shivraj of Ragachitra Foundation, Queens, NY from 2006-2008, and is currently undergoing nattuvangam training from her mother, Sudha Chandrasekhar.

MARKETING/SALES BACKGROUND
Beginning in 1999, Anandini took on the role of HTR’s Performance and Project Coordinator. Anandini organized several major productions of HTR, including the annual TANDAV performance, HTR’s RECOGNITION NIGHT recital, SITA SWAYAMVAR dance ballet, and JANMOTSAVAM – a special celebration of Sudha Chandrasekhar’s 60th birthday featuring Sudha herself in some of her most famous dance numbers. She also created HTR’s quarterly newsletter, Echoes of HTR, developed educational materials and worked extensively on the early designs and content of HTR’s Web site. She currently serves a volunteer role as HTR’s Marketing Director.

A graduate of University of Michigan – Ann Arbor, Anandini’s career in Marketing has also included roles at General Motors, The Museum of Science and Industry in Chicago, the Chicago’s North Shore Convention and Visitors Bureau, and Group Sales Box Office/BestofBroadway.com in New York City. She has also done volunteer Marketing and PR work for The Arch Foundation in New York City and The West End Community Center in Boston, MA.

Anandini currently lives in Boston, Massachussetts. For information about dance classes in the downtown Boston area or online lessons via Skype, please e-mail her at anandini77@hotmail.com.