Saipriya Rahulan

 

Saipriya Rahulan began her Bharatanatyam journey at the age of four in Nigeria and continued her training under Guru Kalasuri Vasugy Jegatheeswaran in Sri Lanka, where she performed her Arangetram at ten. After relocating to Australia in 1992, she trained under Guru Anandavalli at the Lingalayam Dance Academy and later joined the Lingalayam Dance Company, performing extensively. Her passion for dance led her to train in Kuchipudi under Guru Vempati Ravi Shankar in Chennai. Since 2015, Saipriya has continued to refine her Bharatanatyam under Guru Sheela Unnikrishnan and has received guidance in Naatuvangam from Dr. G. V. Guru Bharadwaj.

 

In 2009, Saipriya founded the Shivam School of Dance to teach Bharatanatyam and nurture the next generation of dancers. Her students have performed at numerous prestigious cultural events, including the opening performance for Harinie Jeevitha’s Australian solo debut and the Sydney premiere of Apsaras Arts Dance Company’s “Parama Padam: Life’s Game of Snakes and Ladders.” In 2024, Saipriya and her students had the honor of traveling to India to participate in the Natyanjali Festival, deepening their connection to the spiritual essence of Bharatanatyam.

 

Saipriya is committed to instilling in her students the discipline, passion, and perseverance that her own gurus have imparted to her. Through the Shivam School of Dance, she inspires students to grow artistically, creatively, and spiritually, fostering a profound appreciation for Bharatanatyam’s rich traditions.