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President
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Sahana Ratneswaran is a multi talented artist who brings new innovating ideas to flourish choreography, jathis and theater productions. Having an incredible amount of patience as a child, Sahana Ratneswaran took-up the difficult art of bharatanatyam at the young age of three at Laya Bhava Dance Academy under her mother and Guru: ’Athitha Narthaki', 'Niruthya Kalaamani' Mrs.Kirupanithy Ratneswaran. Hailing from a family of artists, Sahana is a born dancer. Sahana completed her arangetram on August 26, 2005, which opened the doors for Sahana to embark on a professional dance career. Sahana has been doing nattuvangam for arangetrams since the young age of 14.
Sahana's interest in bharathanatyam inspired her to travel the world to such places as India where she learnt advanced technical dance training and nattuvangam under the world-renowned dance and nattuvangam master, late Padmasri Adyar K. Lakshman which lead to her solo performance in Chennai. Sahana has expanded her reach from bharatanatyam to other styles such as kuchipudi from Guru Sumathy Timanar and “Kuchipudi Art Academy Chennai”, Odissi from Menaka Thakkar at “Nrityakala Canada”, “Srjan Bhubaneswar” and Sujata Mohapatra and ballet from the “National Ballet School of Canada” just to name a few. Sahana has learnt prenkhini natyam which is the extraordinary art of painting a picture with your feet while dancing; Sahana can paint a dove and elephant. Sahana recently took up the art of Kathakali and completed her Purappadu in 2014 under Guru Anupama Dineshkumar and Guru FACT Padmanadhan. Sahana has trained under eminent artists such as the Dhananjayans and Ambika Buch.
Sahana has had the privilege to perform at prestigious sabhas in Chennai which include the Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan (2018) and the legendary Kalakshetra Foundation (2015). She was the Artist award winner at Tamil Mirror’s Awards Gala 2018. Sahana won first place in the senior category at Analai Express’s & Athavan TV‘s Navarasa Natiyam Dance Competition in 2016. She was a finalist in Harbourfront Centre’s Sadhana 2016. Sahana has been a two-time regional gold medalist at the Canada's National Dance Championships and a gold medalists at the Dance World Cup 2012. Sahana started the Samarpanam Series in 2013 and continues to perform yearly. With such talent, Sahana has founded a charitable organization 'Sahana Dance Company’ to spread her devotion of dance to the community continuing to always reach out, learn and share her knowledge of the many different dance forms of the world.
Sahana continues to teach Bharatanatyam at Laya Bhava Dance Academy and performs regularly. She has performed nattuvangam for many of Laya Bhava Dance Academy’s arangetrams. Her dance drama repertoire includes Sangilian in Sangilian dance drama, Krishna in Krishna Avatharam, Pandaravaniyan in Pandaravaniyan, and Naachiyar in Pandaravaniyan. She has also performed for Flourising in the Further Soil 2018 presented by Menaka Thakkar and Horizon Series 2015 at the Sampradaya Theatre in Mississauga. Sahana has also taken up the traditional art of playing the Veena under Guru Kalyani Sutharshan. She has studied electrical engineering at Ryerson University.
Sahana’s interest in Tamils’ History had led her to choreograph “Sangilian,” a one hour dance drama production in 2017. She remains one of Toronto’s youth who continues to uphold Tamils’ rich culture and history and believes in spreading our Tamil culture in the Canadian diaspora. Sahana is a superb young dancer who has blossomed into this amazing artist. She is one of the only Canadian Tamils to have learnt many styles of dance such as bharatanataym, kuchipudi, odissi, kathakali, prenkhini natyam, ballet and contemporary dance. She is a dancer, teacher, choreographer, and nattuvanar. She has traversed the art internally and externally; Sahana is certainly a rising star in the horizon.
Sahana's interest in bharathanatyam inspired her to travel the world to such places as India where she learnt advanced technical dance training and nattuvangam under the world-renowned dance and nattuvangam master, late Padmasri Adyar K. Lakshman which lead to her solo performance in Chennai. Sahana has expanded her reach from bharatanatyam to other styles such as kuchipudi from Guru Sumathy Timanar and “Kuchipudi Art Academy Chennai”, Odissi from Menaka Thakkar at “Nrityakala Canada”, “Srjan Bhubaneswar” and Sujata Mohapatra and ballet from the “National Ballet School of Canada” just to name a few. Sahana has learnt prenkhini natyam which is the extraordinary art of painting a picture with your feet while dancing; Sahana can paint a dove and elephant. Sahana recently took up the art of Kathakali and completed her Purappadu in 2014 under Guru Anupama Dineshkumar and Guru FACT Padmanadhan. Sahana has trained under eminent artists such as the Dhananjayans and Ambika Buch.
Sahana has had the privilege to perform at prestigious sabhas in Chennai which include the Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan (2018) and the legendary Kalakshetra Foundation (2015). She was the Artist award winner at Tamil Mirror’s Awards Gala 2018. Sahana won first place in the senior category at Analai Express’s & Athavan TV‘s Navarasa Natiyam Dance Competition in 2016. She was a finalist in Harbourfront Centre’s Sadhana 2016. Sahana has been a two-time regional gold medalist at the Canada's National Dance Championships and a gold medalists at the Dance World Cup 2012. Sahana started the Samarpanam Series in 2013 and continues to perform yearly. With such talent, Sahana has founded a charitable organization 'Sahana Dance Company’ to spread her devotion of dance to the community continuing to always reach out, learn and share her knowledge of the many different dance forms of the world.
Sahana continues to teach Bharatanatyam at Laya Bhava Dance Academy and performs regularly. She has performed nattuvangam for many of Laya Bhava Dance Academy’s arangetrams. Her dance drama repertoire includes Sangilian in Sangilian dance drama, Krishna in Krishna Avatharam, Pandaravaniyan in Pandaravaniyan, and Naachiyar in Pandaravaniyan. She has also performed for Flourising in the Further Soil 2018 presented by Menaka Thakkar and Horizon Series 2015 at the Sampradaya Theatre in Mississauga. Sahana has also taken up the traditional art of playing the Veena under Guru Kalyani Sutharshan. She has studied electrical engineering at Ryerson University.
Sahana’s interest in Tamils’ History had led her to choreograph “Sangilian,” a one hour dance drama production in 2017. She remains one of Toronto’s youth who continues to uphold Tamils’ rich culture and history and believes in spreading our Tamil culture in the Canadian diaspora. Sahana is a superb young dancer who has blossomed into this amazing artist. She is one of the only Canadian Tamils to have learnt many styles of dance such as bharatanataym, kuchipudi, odissi, kathakali, prenkhini natyam, ballet and contemporary dance. She is a dancer, teacher, choreographer, and nattuvanar. She has traversed the art internally and externally; Sahana is certainly a rising star in the horizon.
Noteworthy Performances:
Guru Adyar K. Lakshman Tribute - Kalakshetra Foundation, Chennai 2019
Flourishing in the Further Soil 2018 - presented by Menaka Thakkar
Margam 2018 - Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan, Chennai
Sangiliyan Dance Drama 2017 - Navarasa Virunthu, Markham
Samarpanam 2016 - under the guidance of Kuchipudi Art Academy
Harbourfront Center's Sadhana Series Finalist 2016
Navarasa Virunthu Dance Competition, First Place Winner 2016
Nrithya Kalabam by Carnatic Youth Society of Canada 2016
Blends of Bharatham Charity Fundraiser 2016
Sampradaya Dance Creations; Horizon Series for Emerging Artists 2015
Guru Samarpanam 2015 Toronto
Samarpanam 2015 - margam
Guru Samarpanam - tribute to Adyar K. Lakshamn - Kalakshetra, Chennai 2015
Naada Inbam, Raaga Sudha Hall 2015 under the guidance of the Dhananjayans, Chennai 2015
Samarpanam 2014
Kathakali Purappadu, 2014
Samarpanam 2013 - margam
Ganamukhundapriya, RK Swamy Hall, Chennai under the guidance of Guru Sri Adyar K. Lakshman and Deepa Baba Prasad 2013
Varasithi Vinayagar Temple Program under the guidance of Guru Sri Adyar K. Lakshman, Toronto 2006
Arangetram - under the guidance of Smt. Kirupanithy Ratneswaran 2005
Guru Adyar K. Lakshman Tribute - Kalakshetra Foundation, Chennai 2019
Flourishing in the Further Soil 2018 - presented by Menaka Thakkar
Margam 2018 - Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan, Chennai
Sangiliyan Dance Drama 2017 - Navarasa Virunthu, Markham
Samarpanam 2016 - under the guidance of Kuchipudi Art Academy
Harbourfront Center's Sadhana Series Finalist 2016
Navarasa Virunthu Dance Competition, First Place Winner 2016
Nrithya Kalabam by Carnatic Youth Society of Canada 2016
Blends of Bharatham Charity Fundraiser 2016
Sampradaya Dance Creations; Horizon Series for Emerging Artists 2015
Guru Samarpanam 2015 Toronto
Samarpanam 2015 - margam
Guru Samarpanam - tribute to Adyar K. Lakshamn - Kalakshetra, Chennai 2015
Naada Inbam, Raaga Sudha Hall 2015 under the guidance of the Dhananjayans, Chennai 2015
Samarpanam 2014
Kathakali Purappadu, 2014
Samarpanam 2013 - margam
Ganamukhundapriya, RK Swamy Hall, Chennai under the guidance of Guru Sri Adyar K. Lakshman and Deepa Baba Prasad 2013
Varasithi Vinayagar Temple Program under the guidance of Guru Sri Adyar K. Lakshman, Toronto 2006
Arangetram - under the guidance of Smt. Kirupanithy Ratneswaran 2005