About Us

Smt. Lavanya Gopal is a distinguished Bharathanatyam artist and the Artistic Director of Kalanityam School of Bharathanatyam, an esteemed institution dedicated to nurturing talent in the sacred art form. A disciple of eminent gurus Smt. Rukmini Srinivasan, Smt. Ananthalakshmi Natarajan, and Smt. Padmini Ravi, Lavanya embarked on her Bharathanatyam journey at the age of six. She was one of the earliest students of Smt. Rukmini Srinivasan, training under her for eight years before furthering her expertise with Smt. Padmini Ravi and Smt. Ananthalakshmi Natarajan, with whom she performed extensively on prestigious stages. Her solo debut at the age of ten in Thirukovilur marked the beginning of an illustrious career in dance.  

Lavanya’s artistic training extends beyond Bharathanatyam. She pursued Carnatic music for eight years under the guidance of her aunt and guru, Smt. Vijayavalli Rajagopalan, and refined her skills in Nattuvangam under Kalaimamani Uma Dandayudhapani Pillai and Dr. Panruti D. Suresh. Additionally, she trained in Bharathanrityam and Chitra Nrityam with Smt. Anuradha Vikranth, a direct disciple of Dr. Padma Subramanyam.  

Her versatility as a dancer has been highlighted in iconic roles such as Krishna in Jayadeva’s Ashtapadi and Andal in Thiruppavai, performances that earned her widespread acclaim. She has also choreographed several thematic productions, including Bhaktha Prahalada, Dashavatharam, Srinivasa Kalyanam, and Thiruppugazh, blending classical storytelling with artistic brilliance.  

In addition to her contributions to the performing arts, Lavanya holds a Bachelor’s degree in Commerce from Mount Carmel College, a Postgraduate degree in Marketing Management, and a Master’s degree in Sanskrit. Her dedication to the propagation of Bharathanatyam has been recognized internationally—most notably when she was selected as the U.S. Cultural Ambassador for the Pravasi Bharatiya Divas in 2021.  

Having established herself in the U.S. since 2003, Lavanya remains committed to imparting the spiritual essence and joy of Bharathanatyam to her students. Through Kalanityam, she fosters an environment where dance becomes a transformative and enriching experience, ensuring that her students excel in both artistry and devotion to this divine tradition.  

Shri Gurubhyo Namaha.

Smt. Selvi Pragasam founded Kalanityam in October of 2012. Since then the school has grown rapidly.

​Selvi learnt Bharathanatyam for over 8 years and graduated from the prestigious Kalaikaviri School of Fine Arts, affiliated with Bharathidasan University in Trichy, India.
Kalaikaviri is based on the Kalashetra style of Bharathanatyam and she was taught by well known gurus from Kalakshetra. Her gurus included Shri V. P. Dhananjayan and Smt. Shanta Dhananjayan, Sri. Narasimha Chary and Smt. Vijaya Mugundan among others. She learnt Bharathanatyam along with extensive theory. She learnt Mohiniattam, a classical dance from Kerala. 

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She has had numerous performances in India, Europe and the USA. Her performances have won critical acclaim all over the world. She had played the lead in several of the Kalaikaviri’s productions. The highlight of her dance career was when she was asked to perform in front of His Excellency Pope John Paul II at the Vatican.

Smt. Selvi Pragasam also learnt Nattuvangam from Kalaimamani Uma Dandayudhapani Pillai and Smt.Hema Sharma. She enhanced her advanced choreography techniques with guidance from Padmashri Smt.Priyadarshini Govind. Very recently, she had the opportunity to also learn BharathaNrithyam from Smt. Anuradha Vikranth. She dedicates all the choreographies in this recital to her various gurus who have been her guide and inspiration.

Smt.Selvi Pragsaam is also the Founder and Director of Indian-Fusion Dance Academy (IFDA) that teaches fusion and folk dances. Smt.Selvi Pragasam has a Masters in Business Administration from India and an Associate Degree in Multimedia Programming from UCSC. She worked as a Web Developer for Lockheed Martin and NASA for almost 7 years before she founded IFDA.