Tanjore Balasaraswati also known as Srimati Balasaraswati (13 May 1918 - 9 February 1984) was a celebrated Indian dancer, musician and lineage holder for the ancient Tanjore tradition of Bharata Natyam. Her arangetram (ceremonial debut performance) took place in Kanchipuram, India in 1925. Balasaraswati was a seventh generation representative of a traditional marilineal family of musicians and dancers who have been described as the greatest single repository of the traditional performing arts of music and dance of the southern region of India [("Balasaraswati" by V.K. Narayana Menon)]. Poet Gary Snyder described seeing her as, "... an exemplar and teacher of the wholeness of dance. In spite of the temporizers of Madras who tried to excise the sensual element from dance, she always insisted on the authenticity and dignity of the erotic component. She was a true yogini of dance. While still in her youth, hampered by ill-health, feeling misunderstood, it became her deep wish to dance before Shiva, or Murugan, in the temple of Tiruttani. Entering the inner chamber, bribing the watchman, breaking the law, she danced in solitude saying
"Lord, I offer to you humbly both myself and my art."
Srimati Shyamala, founder of The Koothambalam School, and a master of the Balasaraswati tradition of Bharata Natyam, started dancing at the age of seven and at the age of fourteen began her studies with the legendary dance master Srimati T. Balasaraswati. Shyamala received her 'Diploma of Proficiency' and had her Arangetram (ceremonial first performance) in 1978. She taught, performed and lectured extensively with extraordinary generosity and skill, sharing the sublime depth and beauty of the temple arts of South India.
Laurissa Vibhuti currently serves as the director of The Koothambalam School of Bharata Natyam (Indian Dance) located in Boulder, Co. Laurissa began formal ballet training at the age of four, at the age of 15 she turned her attention towards Hatha Yoga, Devadasi Sadir (Traditional South Indian Temple Dance) and Sanskrit which she studied both in the U.S. and India. She has learned traditional Devadasi Sadir with her dance guru, Srimati Shyamala, a master of the Balasaraswati Style. In 2004 Laurissa completed her arangetram (ceremonial debut performance). This momentous and intensive period of study and practice culminates in a formal 2 hour solo dance offering. It is a profound rite of passage that deepens the dancer's devotion and dedication to her guru, to her lineage and the divine, she is the only non-Indian to have completed the formal arangetram margam (sequence or path) in her teacher's lineage. Laurissa has received many awards and grants and regularly teaches at the University of Colorado. She has a depth of devotion and dedication that is reflected in her performances. She offers lecture-demonstrations and classes on sacred arts and traditions of embodied prayer, Hatha Yoga and Bharata Natyam to students and audiences of all levels and ages.
Sonja Radvila has studied Bharata Natyam with Shyamala Mohraj and Laurissa Vibhuti in Chennai and Boulder, and participated in many lecture demonstrations and performances. She is a long-time, dedicated practitioner of Ashtanga Yoga. Sonja has a deep respect for the wisdom and importance of listening to the body while reaching beyond familiar boundaries. She brings to her dance a deeply committed sincerity and elegance.
Romona Mukherjee has been a student at the Koothambalam School of Bharata Natyam since age 10, and completed her arrangetram in 2003. She currently lives and teaches in California. Romona found her dharma as a dancer at a very early age, her performances reflect her highly disciplined yet gentle presence. With a cheerful willingness to freely share her deep reverence and gratitude for the Srimati Balasaraswti Tradition, Romona teaches all levels of students.