Artistic Director
Symbolizing the peak of purity and performance, Sudha Chandra Sekhar has been classed with "the all-time greats" of classical Bharata Natyam and Kuchipudi schools. Meticulous in each portrayal and adhering to the purity of style, Sudha has become "one of those artists who combine versatility and artistry." As a dedicated dancer and a rare genius, Sudha understands the art, is very much alive in the field and has shifted her activities from India to the U.S. and Canada. Sudha has given over 5,000 performances in many parts of India and abroad. She conducts classes for young aspirants and also imparts theory classes for those interested in her art. During summer recesses Sudha has conducted advanced dance camps and workshops both in U.S. and Canada, where students have intensive training and research opportunities. She has also taught seasonal course sessions and independent study courses through University of Windsor, Wayne State University, Albion College and University of Michigan-Ann Arbor. Though a long-time professional, Sudha has always helped various charitable institutions and temples to raise funds for worthy causes.
Sudha's extensive experience dates back to 1943 when she first began her classical dance training in Manipuri and Kathak at the Rupatayan Institute in Bombay, India. She began studying Bharata Natyam in 1945 under the guidance of such greats as Sri Thiruvadamaradur Kuppiah Pillai, Guru A.T. Govindraj Pillai, Srimati Karunambal, Guru T.K. Mahalingam Pillai and Guru K. Kalyanasundaram, the renowned masters of the Sri Rajarajeshwari Bharata Natya Kalamandir. They trained her intensively in the Tanjore style, as passed down from the great Panchapakesha Nattuvanaar, Guru Kuppiah Pillai's own great-grandfather and the author of the Abhinaya Navaneetham, a treatise on Bharata Natyam in the language Tamil.
In her teenage years, Sudha received the Government of India Scholarship for Advanced Training in Bharata Natyam, on the insistence of the late, great pioneers of Bharata Natyam Srimati Rukmini Arundale (founder of Kalakshetra) and E. Krishna Iyer. In the 1960s, Sudha and her dear Guru Kuppiah Pillai researched and revived the rare and ancient Navasandhi Kavuthvams, for which they were bestowed with great praise. A lovely interview about Sudha's lifelong relationship with the dance art can be viewed here:
Dance is her Pathway to Heaven article
SUDHA'S UNSURPASSED RECOGNITION
Quoting the late Professor Dr. T.K. Venkateswaran, Professor Emeritus, Department of World Religions and History at the University of Detroit, "In 2000, Natya Veda Bharati Sudha Chandrasekhar's 60th Birthday, 'Shastiyabdhapoorthy,' was celebrated. With the twist of words, we can call it 'Natya Shastryabdhapoorthy,' as Sudha has been dancing since the very childhood years - 60 years of dancing. Some years ago, the community recognized her for her great art and admirable talent as 'Natya Veda Bharati.' She has also been an outstanding and exemplary teacher of the Bharata Natya Sastra all these years to hundreds of students and they have performed their unique and glorious Arangetrams. Today, we want to recognize and applaud her as 'Bharata Shastra Samkranthi Chudamani' the crest jewel among the great teachers and transmitters of the Bharata Natya Shastra unsurpassed in the Sam-kranthi, the transmission of the great art. The talent and complete and successful transmission of the great art is the mark of a great artist, according to Poet Kalidasa."
AWARDS/TITLES
Among the countless awards of Recognotion, Awards of Excellence, first prizes, medals, citations,and encomiums awarded to Sudha are the following titles:
"Lifetime Achievement Award" 2004, Michigan
Dance Council and National DanceEducators Association, USA
"Jewel of Bharata Natyam" 2004, Paschima Kasi Sri Viswanatha Temple, USA
"Nritya Swarna Bhushanam" 2004, USA
"Natya Mayuri" 2004, USA
"Bharata Shastra Samkranthi Chudamani" 2000, USA
"Michigan Dance Teacher of the Year" 1989, Michigan Dance Council, USA
"Natya Veda Bharati" 1988, USA
"Dharma Ratna" 1984, Voice of the Vedas Cultural Sabha, Canada
"Natana Mani" 1964, India
"Natya Sirobhushanam" 1965, India
"Natya Kalai Arasi" 1963, India
PUBLICATIONS
FEATURING SUDHA
"The Dance In India"
Enakshi Bhavnani
"Hands Across Michigan"
Alan Kamuda/Detroit Free Press
"Bharata Natyam"
Marg Publications, 1997
"Bharatiya Nari"
Moolji Bhai Shah, 1968
CAREER HIGHLIGHTS
Her three hour long Bharata Natya Arangetram at Bombay's famed Mahalaxmi temple in 1956, which drew hundreds of appreciative and delighted devotees.
Command Performance in Rashtrapathi Bhavan, New Delhi, for India Prime Minister Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru and New Zealand Prime Minister Walter Nash, 1958.
First Prize at Youth Festival in New Delhi, 1958.
Government of India Scholarship for Advanced Training in Bharata Natyam,
1958-1960.
"Best Dancer of the Year" Award at St. Xavier College, 1958.
Special performance at the coronation of Bhavnagar Maharaja, 1961.
Charity performance "Deenaa Seva Sangh" presided by India President V.V. Giri in Bangalore, 1963.
First International Charity Performance at the University of Windsor, 1967.
National tour of USA and Canada with Kathak Nritya Samrat Gopi Krishna and
troupe, 1968.
Performance Tour of the Maritimes with Vidya and a live orchestra, 1975.
Vidya's Arangetram for an audience of 5,000 in Chennai in the presence of H.H. Sri Haridhos Giri ("Guruji"), 1980.
Vidya's Shanmukhananda Hall performance draws raves from the press and public, 1981.
Presentation of a record of eight Arangetrams, Summer 1988.
Presentation of Vidya in her outstanding 48-Hour dance marathon in aid of the American Cancer Society earning her first world record for solo performance, 1989.
Dedication of 108 Hanuman Chalisas through dance at Hanuman Mandir, Jackson, N.Y., 8 p.m. to 8 a.m., April 1992.
Presentation of daughter Anjali's Arangetram in Rochester Hills, MI., 1993.
Presentation of daughter Anandini's Arangetram at The Bharatiya Temple in
Troy, MI., 1994.
Vidya beats her own solo dance world record in "72 Hours for the Heart," in aid of the American Heart Association. In all, over 400 traditional and improvised items were presented with a record number of musicians lending support. Vidya donated $10,00 to American Hear Association and the rest to the Bharatiya Temple, 1996.
"Janmotsavam," Sudha's four-hour dance performance of unique and specially-choreographed items in celebration of her 60th birthday, 2000.
Choreographer and principal dancer of a special group of guest performers in "Lakme," the French opera presented at the Detroit Opera House, 2002.
Presentation of Krithika Rajkumar as the 50th Arangetram student, 2004.
Visit to Athens, Greece, for the 20th Annual International Dance Congress,
October 2006.
Presentation of Pallavi and Pavitra Abraham as the 60th Arangetram, 2007.
Presentation of Kandha Leela dance drama, choreographed by Guru Kalyanasundaram and performed by students of HTR, 2007.
Charter Member and Inaugural President of the Oak Park/Royal Oak Township Optimists
Club, 2008.
Visit to Montevideo, Uruguay in South America to explore business opportunities for
HTR, 2008.
Presentation of seven students in their Bharata Natyam Arangetram performances in a three months span, including Haritha Vadari in HTR's 70th Arangetram. Presentation of Nikila Lakshmanan in Chennai, India, with the participation of Guru Kalyanasundaram. Also, Sudha performed for Lord Nataraja in Chidambaram, while also visiting other major temples in India, 2009.
Featured in the prestigious Cambridge's Who’s Who Registry, an index of individuals who have demonstrated leadership and achievement in their
occupation, 2009
