Pulikeshi Kasthuri

As A dancer
Pulikeshi had his initial training under Smt.Lalitha Srinivsan, later from Smt Narmada and rigorous training in all aspects of dance from his brother Prasanna Kasthuri. A recipient of the govt. of India scholarship, he has also been trained under Smt Ranjani Ganesan, an alumni of Kalakshetra. He holds a Masters degree in dance from the Bangalore University. He has undergone training in martial arts of Manipur from Sri Sonar Chand and Sri Khilton Nongmaiten, Kalaripayattu from Sri Anil Kumar, Kerala, Abhinaya from T K Mahalingam Pillai and Kathak from Smt.Maya Rao.

As a Nattuvangist
Gifted with a magical voice, Pulikeshi with his stronghold on Laya (Rhythm) and his perfect pronunciation has been acclaimed as the best Nattuvangist of Bangalore and has been invited by all popular dancers of South India to accompany them on dance performances. Pulikeshi has undergone training in nattuvangam from his brother Prasanna Kasthuri and later learnt the intricacies from B R Sheshadri (Kanna), a well known mrudangist. Some of the artists with whom he has worked are Vani Ganapathy, Pratibha Prahlad, Shridhars, Vyjayanthi Kashi, Indira Kadambi, Ranjani Ganesan, Vivek Kinra (New Zealand), Malani KrishnaMurthy (California, USA), Lakshmi GopalaSwamy, Poornima Ashok and many more. His workshops in nattuvangam have been popular and the number of students attending his workshop is growing every season. He has conducted 5 workshops in Bangalore, San Antonio and St.Louis. Pulikeshi has conducted nattuvangam to arangetrams in Nashik & Bangalore, which is a unique and honourable invitation from teachers to conduct nattuvangam for their disciples.

As a Choreographer
Pulikeshi holds a choreography degree from the Natya Institute of Kathak and choreography, Bangalore University under the tutelage of Guru Maya Rao. He has choreographed ballets like Bakasura Vadha, Kirataarjuniya, Raghava Vyayoga, Matadaana, and Usha Parinaya and has assisted his brother in choreographic works like Subhadra Parinaya, Maheswari Vamshothpathi, Bali Moksha and Ashta Nayakaru.

International tours
As a member of "Tribhang" he visited England, France and Switzerland. Along with Maya Rao he visited the Middle East. As a Nattuvangist he has traveled Djibouti, Ethiopia, Russia, Europe and USA.

Dance festivals
He has participated in dance festivals like the Soorya dance festival, Soorya festival, Nitya Nruthya, National Jamboree 93, Natyotsava-96, EFCEP 98, Swarna Bharathi 98, Kanagal Festival, Golden Celebrations of Keshava Nruthya Shala Bangalore, Mysore Dasara celebrations, Sangeeth Nataka Academy festival in Bangalore 2002, Eka Aneka, etc.

As a dance teacher

Pulikeshi teaches dance at Kenshri International School and at Shanthala Arts academy, Bangalore. He also conducts classes in nattuvangam to deserving students.
Awards and Felicitations
Pulikeshi has been awarded by Aryabhata award as the best Nattuvanar of decade

Navia Natarajan

Bharatha Natyam, the supreme art form which skillfully embodies the three primary ingredients of dance - Bhava, Raga, Thala, fascinated Navia at a tender age.In her early years, she demonstrated keen interest and dedication coupled with sincerity and innate talent. She had her arengetram under Smt. Radhika Kalyani (A renowned student of Smt. Chitra Visweswaran and Guru K. J. Sarasa) at the age of ten at Madras, Tamilnadu state, India, in the year 1989.

With rigorous training under Guru Smt. Padmini Ramachandran (Director - NATYAPRIYA, the premier classical Bharathanatyam dance institute, Banglaore, India.) Navia has indeed blossomed into an accomplished dancer, performing all over India and in the United States of America.
Blessed with natural flair for the art, and relentless single-minded devotion, she has developed into her present status as an elite performing artist. Her abilities were recognized very early on and have been the recipient of numerous scholarships and awards, throughout her career.Her elaborate and elite performances have won all round appreciation and accolades from the press and public alike. She is an A+ grade auditioned artiste of National Doordarshan.
ACCOMPLISHMENTS AND PERFORMANCES

- Prizes have come Navia's way in all the competitions
She secured the 1st rank in KARNATAKA BHARATHANATYAM JUNIOR EXAMINATION in the year 1990.
- She is a scholarship holder from CCRT [Centre For Cultural Resources And Training, New Delhi, India, under Cultural talent search scholarship scheme from the age of eleven. She received this from the year of August 1991 to August 1998.
- She was awarded the scholarship in the field of Bharathanatyam dance by the Department of Culture, Ministry of Human Resource Development, Government of India from December 1998 to December 2000.
- She is an "A+ " grade auditioned artiste of Prasar Bharathi, Broadcasting Corporation Of India, Doordarshan, New Delhi.
- She has won the 1st prize for the Bharathanatyam conducted by SOUTH CENTRAL ZONE CULTURAL CENTER, Nagpur, at Belgaum, Karnataka in the year 1999 for "Yuva Sangeet Nritya Mahotsava.
- She has also won the competition held by Tamilnadu Eyal Esai Nadaga Mandram, Government of Tamilnadu, India.

Her performances have won all round appreciation from press and public alike. Her performances include:

- MALLESWARAM SANGEETHA SABHA, Bangalore,

- EVERY FRIDAY CULTURAL PROGRAMME sponsored by ICCR, [Indian Council For Cultural Relations, Bangalore, India ]

- KARNATAKA LASYA RANGINI DANCE festival, Bangalore, India.

- 12th NATIONAL KANNADA SAMELANA, New Delhi,

- Ankura Festival, organized by Akila Karnataka Nrithya KalaParishat, Bangalore

- KINKINI FESTIVAL, organized by Kinkini, a not-for-profit voluntary association for propagation and popularization of classical dances, Bangalore, India .

- PALLAVOTSAVA, Mysore - SARAL VIZAH at Kutralam, sponsored by Eyal Esai Nadaga Mandram.

- PARANGAT, a festival of classical music and dance organized by South Central Zone Cultural Centre, Nagpur and Department of Kannada and Culture, Government of Karnataka.

Sushma Kasthuri

As A Dancer

Sushma had her initial training under brother Prasanna Kasthuri and later under Smt Ranjani Ganesan, an alumni of Kalakshetra. She received her advanced training from Guru Dhananjayans at Bhaskara, a gurukula run by the renowned dancer couple in Kerala.To enhance her dance skills, she undertook training in martial arts of Manipur from Sri Khilton Nongmaiten, Kalaripayattu from Sri Anil Kumar, Kerala, Abhinaya from T K Mahalingam Pillai and Kathak from Smt.Maya Rao. She practiced music from the late Guru Sri Ambhi Bhagavatar, the tutor of the legendary Papa Choodamani.

As A Nattuvangist
Sushma learnt nattuvangam from her brothers and went on to accompany popular dancers like Vani Ganapathy, Ranjani Ganesan, Prasanna Kasthuri and all the performances of Shanthala Arts Academy on nattuvangam.

As A choreographer
Sushma's talents as a choreographer have come to the foreground with her choreographic works like "Apoorva Sadashiva" a dance presentation of the compositions of Mysore Sadashivaraya, who lived in the 19th century in the court of Krishnadevaraja Wodeyar in Mysore. Her other presentations are Dashavataara, Navagraha, Yathiraaja Vaibhava, Mira and Gajendra Moksha. Sushma choreographed several ballets for the ISKCON temple Bangalore, IISc (Indian Institute of Science) Bangalore and was invited by the TTD (Tirupathi) to perform for their Brahmotsavam celebrations 2002.

As A Teacher
Sushma has trained students for more than 6 years at Shanthala Arts Academy Bangalore. Her students have received scholarships by the state and central govt. and have won prizes in various state level competitions. Three of her students have performed arangetram (formal dance debut) which have been acclaimed both by the press and public. All of her students who have attended the dance exam conducted by the Karnataka Secondary Education board have attained distinctions and ranks.

Dance festivals

She along with her brothers and students has participated in dance festivals like the EFCEP 98, Kanagal Festival, Golden Celebrations of Keshava Nruthya Shala Bangalore, Karnataka Sangeetha Nruthya academy festival (Kaivaara), Ankura 96, Mysore Dasara celebrations, EFCEP, Shanthala festival, etc.
Awards and prizes
Sushma won a prize for her home state when she represented Karnataka in the 4th National Yuva festival held at Chennai.
As a writer
Sushma writes several articles as a freelance journalist for the Chennai based dance and music based website www.kutcherbuzz.com and for magazines like "Bangalore trends".