Bala Devi Chandrashekar is a Bharatanatyam exponent, research scholar, and a passionate committed teacher of Bharatanatyam.
Bala is know for her distinct scholarly style and takes on subjects based on ancient texts, backed by intense research, collaborates with renowned scholars in the respective fields, carving messages from scriptures relevant to the contemporary world and actively presenting across the world.
Her lineage is from a family of philosophers and literary scholars. She strives through her classical dance to interpret ancient philosophical and spiritual concepts and presents in a classicism that is always contemporary in interpretation and communicates across cultures. All of her productions are accompanied by world class music.
Bala started her initial training under Guru Jayalakshmi Narayanan in Hyderabad and then went onto learn with Dr Padma Subrahmanyam in Chennai. Dr Padma Subrahmanyam has awarded the titles ” Bharata Nrtya Seva Mani” and ” Nrtyasali- completed course in 108 Karanas” to Bala Devi Chandrashekar.
Extremely passionate about teaching, and as a Professor of Practice & as the Artistic Director of SPNAPA Academy of Performing Arts, Princeton, New Jersey, she imparts valuable knowledge to her many dedicated students.
She constantly works on developing and perfecting the style that would be seamless and fluid while yet retaining the precision, power and purity of line – typical of classical dance.
As a Professor of Practice, Bala is constantly developing “Performing studies” in collaboration with Theater and Dance, History, Philosophy, Linguistic anthropology and South Asian Departments of various Universities in the United States and served as Fellow and Artist in Residence at The Carl A fields Center at Princeton University.
Bala is one of the few Bharatanatyam artist worldwide to have released seven critically acclaimed dance production based on her extensive research. They are Nandanar Charithram, MLV favorites, Krishna Arpanam, Uddhava Gita – Lord Krishna’s last message, Tripura – Divine Feminine, Karna – Destiny’s Child, Brihadeeswara – Form to formless through the eyes of a Devaradiyal. All of these works have been produced in digital format.