Bharathanatyam Dancer
Trichur | Kerala

Kalathilakam Aparna K Sharma known for her adept style of pure nritta, mastery in rhythm and knowledge in music hails from a traditional Namboodiri family of Kerala. She is the Director of Layahari School of Dance and Music in Guruvayur, Kerala.

Based on the precepts of Natyasasthra, Aparna has carved her own niche in the world of dance ranging from Bharatanatyam, Kuchipudi, Mohinitattam, Kerala Natanam and Contemporary form. Her literary talents were ignited by her own parents K.S. Sarman and Geetha Sarman. Later at the age of ten, her real talent in dance was discovered and blossomed by Sri R.L.V. Anand, a performing artist and master in dance. Her talent in music scaled new heights under Sri Vayala Rajendran of Kalamandalam, Sri Guruvayoor Venkiteswaran and Sri V.R. Dileep Kumar, a well-known musician in South India. She has now much acclaim to her credit. Showing her thirst for greater knowledge in dance, she pursued Bachelors and Masters in Bharatanatyam and plans to do a Ph.D. in ‘Dance Music Pertaining to Bharatanatyam’ to explore her strength of being a musician and dancer.

Aparna has been the District Kalathilakam from her 5th standard onwards to the admission to her Degree course in Sree Sankaracharya Sanskrit University, Kalady. She won the State Kalathilakam Award in the year 2000 at the State Youth Festival held at Palakkad, Kerala. She also won the State over-all champion in the Keralotsav held by the State Youth Welfare Board, Govt. of Kerala. At the National Youth Festival held at Jamshedpur, Jharkhand in 2003, Aparna was the National winner in Kuchipudi. She was University Kalathilakam at Kalady Shankaracharya University, Kerala.

Aparna K. Sharma, a recipient of CCRT Scholarship of Govt. of India in Bharatanatyam till March 2006, had the fortune of working with Dr. Ananda Shankar Jayant of Hyderabad in her several productions.

Aparna also travelled with her to Brazil and Liechtenstein in 2011 and continues to be associated with her. She has also been part of Guru. Narendra Kumar’s team. She has been conferred with the prestigious Prem Nazir and Mayilpeeli Awards.

Aparna is a dancer, guru and choreographer instilling a challenge and spirit in the audience in every performance of her. Her dedication and unsullied devotion to Bharatanatyam has fetched her laurels such as ‘Balasaraswati’ award from the Sri Ragam Fine arts Chennai in 2012 and she is Member of the Council for International Dances, UNESCO, Paris. Aparna’s career started at the age of 5 has led to more than 550 performances to her credit so far. Ramayana, Aghanashini and Layahari have been some of her well known productions. She is ably supported by her husband Dr. Nanda Kishor and daughter Bhakti Hiranmayi in realizing new heights in the world of dance.

ACADEMIC PROFILE 

M.A. (Bharathanatyam)  –  University of Hyderabad, Hyderabad

B.A (Bharathanatyam)  –  Sri Shankaracharya University of Sanskrit, Kalady, Kerala

PRE UNIVERSITY –  Sree Krishna Higher Secondary School Guruvayoor, Kerala

SSLC – High School Thiruvalayannoor, Vadakekkad, Kerala

GURUS 

BHARATANATYAM  –  Kalamandalam Jaya Anand, R.L.V Anand & P Ramalinga Sastry, Dr. Ananda Shankar Jayant and Narendran L (Advanced Training)

KUCHIPUDI –  R.L.V Anand & Ardhanareshwaram Venkat

MOHINIYATTAM –  R.L.V Anand

CONTEMPORARY – Dr.Bharath Sharma & Prof. Alan Sener (University of Iowa)

AWADRS/LAURELS/FELLOWSHIP 

Natya Sringara Mayuri – Gaana Mukundapriya – Chennai 2016

Nrithya Vilasini – Nrithyathi Foundation – Bhilai 2016

Balasaraswathi – Sri Ragam Fine Arts – Chennai 2012

Kalathilakam – District Youth Festival – Trissur, Kerala 1994-2003

Kerala Kalathilakam  (State Award) – State Youth Festival Govt. of Kerala – Kerala 1999-2000

Kerala Kalathilakam (State Award)  – State Youth Festival Govt. of Kerala  – Kerala 2003-2004

National Award – National Youth Festival Govt. of India – Jemshedpur-2004

University Kalathilakam – University Festival – Kalady, Kerala, 2003-2005

Prem Nazir Award  – Trivandrum, 2001

Mayilpeeli Award – Guruvayoor Nair Samajam – Guruvayoor, 1996

CCRT (Centre for Cultural Resources and Training) – Ministry of Youth and Cultural Affairs, Government of India – Delhi, 2000-2006

Inauguration of State Youth Festival Govt. of Kerala – Trissur, 2004

Republic day Parade  – Govt. of Kerala & Delhi, 2005

Best Achievement Award – Yogakshemam, Kerala – Trissur, 2010

SOME PROMINENT PERFORMANCES 

1. Performed at Kuchipudi Art Academy, Chennai in the Margazhi Season of 2016
2. Performed at Gaana Mukundapriya, Chennai in the Margazhi Season of 2016
3. Performed at Nrithyathi Festival Bhilai and received the award Nrithya Vilasini
4. Performed at Sri Krishna Temple, Udupi as part of Nrithyaniketana’s annual celebrations
5. Performed Panchatantra and other productions of Dr. Ananda Shankar Jayant across the country
6. Performed at Aghanashini at Udupi and Kolloor on the occasion of Vijayadashami
7. Performed on World Photographers Day (19-08-2012) in the memory of Ku. Shi. Haridasa Bhat at MGM Ravindra Auditorium, Udupi.
8. Performed at Melpathur auditorium in the Guruvayoor Temple Festival, Guruvayur (March 2012)
9. Performed at Mammiyoor Temple Festival at Guruvayur, April 2012
10. Performed for the Paryaya Sode Vadiraja Mutt at Rajangana (February 2012), Udupi Sri Krishna Mutt.
11. Performed at Melpathur auditorium in the Guruvayoor Temple Festival in the year 2007 March.
12. Performed at RLV (Radha Lakshmi Vilasam College for Music and Dance) in the year 2007.
13. Performed at Mumbai Malayalee Samajam in the year 1998 at Mumbai, Ullas Nagar
14. Performed at Jemshedpur Malayalee Samajam in the year 2004 in Jemshedpur.
15. Performed South Zone Youth Festival in the year 2005 at Vishakapatnam.
16. Performed at Shilparamam of Hyderabad in the year 2002 on behalf of the CCRT Government of India.
17. Performed at the Republic day Parade on behalf of the Kerala State representation in the Year 2005.
18. Acted in a Documentary of late musician M.D. Ramanathan, as a dancer by choreographing his own Thillana.

APARNA K SHARMA 

Ph.D. (Pursuing at University of Mysore)
M.A. Bharathanatyam (UOH)
Member (Council for Int. Dances, Paris)

Department of Geopolitics & IR
Old TAPMI Building, Next to Police Station, Manipal University
Manipal, Udupi, Karnataka- 576104

E-mail: natyarpana@gmail.com
Phone: +919916751787, +917829241663