Sivagami Vanka, Principal Teacher

Sivagami Vanka is a dedicated teacher, with over 30 yrs experience having trained hundreds of students both in Cleveland and Portland.

                  • She is a teacher who focuses on discipline, dedication and determination.
                  • She brings out the best in her students through her rigorous  and intensive training of this dance so that they maintain the authenticity and integrity that is an essential part of this dance form.
                  • She believes in nurturing a love for this art by giving the students several varied varieties of experiencing dance through dance camps with great dancers from India, through interactive dance with other local professional groups and cultures.
                  • Sivagami’s dedication to holding and expecting a very high standard is shown by the highly acclaimed repeat performances of her students at various prestigious venues and events throughout the northwest.
                  • Sivagami’s belief that “a great teacher inspires” has resulted in many of her student’s outstanding achievements both in India and here, after completing their arangetrams.

Sivagami is an eloquent speaker and a wonderful educator. She has conducted several lec dems on Indian dance at Universities, schools, churches, and public events and is a much sought speaker on dance and women’s issues.

Vithra Appu, Teaching Staff

Mrs. Vithra Ramakrishnan hails from Southern part of India and has a long history of being associated with Bharathanatyam. She has undergone about 16 yrs of training in Vazhuvoor style under late Mrs. Shobana Ramanathan. After completing her arangetram in India, she has performed in various venues and events in India.

After moving to US, she continued dancing and was further exposed to Pandanallur style in Austin, Texas. She moved to Portland in 2011 and joined Kalabharathi school of Dance and continued to train under Smt. Sivagami Vanka. She has participated in several of Kalabharathi performances and productions.

Apart from learning dance, she has also been undergoing teacher’s training under her guru. As part of her teaching at Kalabharathi, she has been coaching students for various events, assisting and preparing them for their solo performances (arangetrams). Vithra is also very efficient in coordinating other activities at school.

“Vithra shares my passion for dance, and my high expectations of children to achieve excellence in Bharathanatyam.” – Sivagami Vanka.