Guru-Shishya PARAMPARA
Arathi School of Dance's form of Bharatanatyam is strongly rooted.
Revathi Satyu is a pioneer in bringing g the art of Bharata Natyam to Dallas, TX. She had her training under illustrious Gurus, U.S. Krishna Rao and Chandrabhaga Devi, Pandanallur Muthiah Pillai, Tanjore K.P. Kittappa Pillai and Mysore Venkatalakshamma. Revathi was a sought after Bharata Natyam dancer and stage actress in India from 1965-1974, performing for Sri Jayachamarajendra Wodeyar , Maharaja of Mysore; Prime Minister Indira Gandhi and President V. V. Giri amongst others. Revathi was chosen by the Govt. of India to represent her State at the Expo World Fair in Montreal, Canada in 1972. Revathi established the Arathi School of Dance in Dallas and San Antonio in 1980 and has graduated over 100 students. She is the recipient of several awards including 'Singar Mani'; 'Karnataka Kalashri'; 'Bharata Kala Rathna'; 'Sangita Sambrahma' ; and recently the Mary McLarry Lifetime Achiement Award from the Dance Council of North Texas. Revathi has been the choreographer and Artistic Director for a number of dance dramas, raising funds for deserving causes. She is currently the President of Indian Cultural Heritage Foundation, Director, Dance Council if North Texas, and the Founder/ Director of Arathi School of Dance in Dallas, TX.
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Shalini Varghese Chandragiri - Showing a keen interest in this classical art form, Shalini joined the Arathi School of Dance under guru Smt. Revathi Satyu, at the age of five. With the guidance of her guru, she performed in many different dance dramas including Sita Swayamvara, Anmol Bhakti, Meera, Virangana, Pragati, and many others. She has also had the privilege to learn extensively from other accomplished gurus, including the legendary dancer couple – Padma Bhushan's The Dhananjayans, Padma Shri Adyar K. Lakshman, Kalaimamani Smt. Priyadarsini Govind, Padma Bushan Kalanidhi Narayanan, Smt. Padmini Ravi, Dr. Maya Rao, Smt. Priya Murle, Dr. Seshadri Iyengar and Smt. Nirupama and Rajendra to name a few. Smt. Shalini had her arangetram in 1997. Since then, she has performed extensively in the US and internationally. In addition, she had the honor of being formally presented by her guru for a performance in India during January of 2004. The Arathi School of Dance has always been Shalini’s home. She has been teaching for over 20 years and her students have performed widely within the DFW metroplex. She has presented her students in multiple large dance dramas. Shalini has had more than 20 students complete their arangetram in bharatanatyam. She is a board member of the Indian Cultural Heritage Foundation (ICHF), a non-profit organization whose vision is to promote intercultural awareness by providing a platform for the interaction between Indian and American cultures through workshops, presentations and performances. Shalini is also a founding member of Indique Dance Company - a dance troupe started in June of 2008 that attempts to take Indian classical dance in new and creative directions. She has choreographed for and taken part in many original dance productions of this troupe. In September of 2015, Shalini was awarded the prestigious Natalie Skelton Award for Artistic Excellence by the Dance Council of North Texas of which she is a member. She is immensely supported by her loving husband, Sameer, and is a devoted mother to their daughter, Zara. Shalini teaches in Carrollton and Plano, TX.
Alpana Kagal Jacob - Alpana Kagal Jacob was inspired to join the Arathi School of dance after watching her Guru, Shrimati Revathi Satyu’s riveting performance. Alpana began training and performed her Arangetram, or solo debut recital in 1987 under the guidance of Smt. Revathi Satyu. She has continued studying and deriving inspiration under the guidance of Smt. Revathi Satyu, where she has participated in dance dramas such as Anmol
Bhakti, Virangana, Nava Rasa Sansar, and Akhilam Madhuram. She has had furthur
training with Guru’s Mahalingam Pillai, U.S. Krishna Rao and Chandrabhaga Devi,
Padmini Ravi, Priyadarshini Govind, Smt. Maya Rao, and Radhika Ganesh. In 1994 She
was presented by her Guru, in Bangalore and Mumbai, India. In 1995 Alpana was
featured as a lead dancer with the folk dance company called ‘Sundara Mana Madhi
Burli’. Alpana was a resident artist and performer with Big Thought of North Texas.
She was highlighted in the Dallas Guide as a top children’s performer and has worked
with the Dallas Theater Center’s summer program in merging dance and theater. Alpana
conducts various master classes and has created choreography for Texas Woman’s
University, The University of North Texas, The University of Dallas, Brookhaven
College, and Booker T. Washington school of arts. She currently resides in Frisco, Tx
with her husband Pavin and children Savini, Jude, and Siena.
Bhakti, Virangana, Nava Rasa Sansar, and Akhilam Madhuram. She has had furthur
training with Guru’s Mahalingam Pillai, U.S. Krishna Rao and Chandrabhaga Devi,
Padmini Ravi, Priyadarshini Govind, Smt. Maya Rao, and Radhika Ganesh. In 1994 She
was presented by her Guru, in Bangalore and Mumbai, India. In 1995 Alpana was
featured as a lead dancer with the folk dance company called ‘Sundara Mana Madhi
Burli’. Alpana was a resident artist and performer with Big Thought of North Texas.
She was highlighted in the Dallas Guide as a top children’s performer and has worked
with the Dallas Theater Center’s summer program in merging dance and theater. Alpana
conducts various master classes and has created choreography for Texas Woman’s
University, The University of North Texas, The University of Dallas, Brookhaven
College, and Booker T. Washington school of arts. She currently resides in Frisco, Tx
with her husband Pavin and children Savini, Jude, and Siena.
Shilpi Mehta - Shilpi Subramanian Mehta started learning Bharatanatyam when she was a young girl, growing up in Texas. She joined the Arathi School of Dance at the age of 12 under Guru Revathi Satyu. After completing her arangetram in 2002 with Revathi Aunty & Latha Shrivatsa, Shilpi started teaching dance for the Arathi School, and continues teaching to date, except for the few years when she lived outside the DFW area. While she was away from Texas, Shilpi learned for nearly three years under Smt. Sudha Srinivasan of Chicago; and while living in the bay area, she performed with Nava Dance Theatre in San Francisco. Shilpi has participated in several dance workshops under esteemed gurus including Smt. Priyadarshini Govind, Smt. Bragha Bessell, Smt. Padmini Ravi, and Smt. Leela Samson. Shilpi is an active member of the Dallas-based performing group, Indique Dance Company, and has choreographed and performed with the group since it was established in 2008. She lives and teaches in Irving.
Latha Shrivatsa is a dancer, choreographer, and teacher. She studied Bharatanatyam intensely from Revathi Satyu of Arathi School of Dance and Adyar Lakshman of Bharatha Choodamani Academy. Additionally she has trained with Padmini Ravi, Priyadharshini Govind, and several other notable dancers from India. For two years, Latha was a part of the Natya Dance Theater Company in Chicago before moving back to Dallas. In 2008, Latha founded Indique Dance Company and remains the director.
Anu Sury - Anu Sury started learning dance at the age of 12 under the watchful eyes of Smt. Revathi Satyu in Dallas. Fueled by the loving guidance of her Guru, she has continued at the Arathi School of dance as a teacher. A priceless lesson she has learnt from Guru Revathi Satyu is the love for and importance of continuous learning and growth. She has also had the privilege of training under Prof. Sudharani Raghupathy in Chennai, India. Through this experience, she saw a living legend in action. Anu is a Physician by profession but has a passion for dance that has led her to be engaged thru performing, teaching, and promoting this art form. She is a founding member of Indique Dance Company which focuses on creating and presenting elegant productions based on contemporary, relevant themes, using a classical dance vocabulary. She also serves on the Board of Directors of Indian Cultural Heritage Foundation, a premiere cultural organization in Dallas, bringing top quality Artists to the community. Anu’s principal teaching philosophy is to nurture and allow a student to bloom at her own pace. Anu lives and teaches in Frisco, TX.
Sarita Venkataraman - Dance has always been Sarita’s first love. Sarita started her Bharatanatyam dance training under the tutelage of Guru Shri Mani, director of Kalasadan in Mumbai India. After a couple of years, she moved on to learn Kathak from Smt. Guru Asha Joglekar in Mumbai, India. Inspired to study in the US, Sarita moved to Dallas in 1995 as a graduate student at the University of Texas at Dallas. Her passion for dance brought Sarita to Arathi School of Dance in Dallas. She started her Bharatanatyam training once again under the tutelage of her Guru Smt. Revathi Satyu. Sarita continued her training and did her Arangetram under the training of Smt. Revathi Satyu and Smt. Latha Shrivatsa. Sarita has had the privilege of being a part of several dance productions taught by renowned dance exponents like Smt. Kalanidhi Narayan, Kalaimamani Smt. Priyadarsini Govind, Smt. Padmini Ravi, Smt Nirupama and Shri Rajendra, Smt. Vasundhara Doraiswamy, Dr. Seshadri Iyengar to name a few. Arathi School of Dance has been Sarita’s second home. She has been teaching for this school for several years and her students have performed widely within the DFW metroplex. Sarita is also a founding member of the Indique Dance Company (IDC) in Dallas, Texas. Established in June 2008, Indique Dance Company has set its course to achieve an artistic composite of what is Indian and what is unique. Sarita is currently serving as a board member of the Indian Cultural Heritage Foundation (ICHF), a non-profit organization whose vision is to promote intercultural awareness by providing a platform for the interaction between Indian and American cultures through workshops, presentations and performances. Sarita actively participates in community related activities. Using dance as a medium for fitness, she has worked with elementary school teachers and staff members creating awareness about the importance of a healthy heart, mind and body. Sarita teaches in Plano, TX.
