Guru Prasanna Kasthuri
 Prasanna is a teacher, choreographer, organizer and a performer of two great traditional Indian classical dances - Bharathanatyam and Kathak. His art has a pleasant infusion of the key elements of literature, music, and theatre.

Prasanna was fortunate to receive training from many great legendary teachers of dance field. The main styles which he received training are from Dr. K. Venkatalakshamma and Smt. Lalita Srinivasan of Mysore style and later in Pandanallur style from Guru Narmada. He attended workshops of Chitra Vishweswaran, T. Mahalingam Pillai, Adyar K. Lakshmanan and Pandanallur GopalaKrishna. He received Kathak knowledge from Guru Maya Rao, a very well known authority in Choreography and took Kathak workshops under Birju Maharaj.

Prasanna has performed all around the world and at present is the artistic director of "Soorya Dance Company" in Saint Louis, Missouri. His major credentials include - a rank in Vidwath exam conducted by Karnataka Government, more than a decade of Carnatic music training, a 24 hour non-stop marathon dance feat and a Master's degree in Information Technology.


Prasanna's major dance productions include -

"Kadu Kuniyithu" (1987) -Dance production for children on the story of animals
"Kavya Kinkini" (1989) - A Bharathanatyam repertoire based on poetry from Kannada epics
"Subhadra Parinaya" (1991) - A Sanskrit dance drama from Mahabharatha
"Shrungara Naayakaru" (1994) - A Portrayal of Romantic heroes corresponding to the Nayikas of Indian dance.
"Rasa Gati" (1996) - Adoption of Rasa theory and Carnatic tala structures
"Jnana" (1998) - Mini dance drama based on moral stories
"Avataara" (1999) - Metaphysical interpretation of incarnations
"Cherishnu" (2000) - A dance spectacle of Bengali literature
"Silambu"(2002) - Dance drama based on 2nd century Tamil epic Silappadikaram
"Anubhava Mantapa"(2002) - Dance reflection of 12th century Sharana literature
"Maarga" (2002) - A Bharathanatyam dance repertoi
"Thoughts"(2002) - A thought provoking dance presentation based different works of philosophers of India
 Rainbow - I (2004)  - English poems into Indian Solo dancing
 Katha Kahe Kathaka (2004)  - Presentation of Kathak dances
Rhythms in Motion (2005) – Rhythms across the life
Shaam - e - Kathak (2006) – Dances on Ghazals - love-lorn songs
Rainbow - II (2006) – English poems into Indian Dancing with a Grammy award winning musician
Call of Flute (2007) – USA’s first Indian opera through classical music and dance of India

Prasanna believes that dance is universal and can include any movement in its vocabulary. Feelings and emotions are the colors

which a dancer enjoys painting, with his experience of life to an avid lover of performing arts. Prasanna hails from a family of writers and artists - his father Raghusutha - has published 300 works in Kannada on various subjects, his mother has published 60 social novels, brother - Pulikeshi and sister- Sushma are very good dancers. Prasanna is happily married to Seema, who is a melodious singer, with 10 years of Carnatic Vocal training and has a 5 year old daughter, Samanvita is becoming a promising young artiste.

Prasanna's Dance Clips

Kathak Footwork 
Trikala Jati 
Caged Bird of Maya Angelou
 Dancing with Cymbols
 Tap Dance & Kathak Colloboration
 Ekalavya-Beralge Koral
 Another Jati from Varnam
Conflict - A contemporary dance
 Balegara - The Bangle Man

List of Prasanna Kasthuri's Previous Performances

Press Clips
Classical Connections