Meet Aparna Kaushik | Bharathanatyam Dance artistic Director, Choreographer, performer, teacher, and a Yoga Instructor.
We had the good fortune of connecting with Aparna Kaushik and we’ve shared our conversation below.
Hi Aparna, we’d love for you to start things off by telling us something about your industry that we and others not in the industry might be unaware of?
Every time I say that I have my own school, or even if I say that I am working even on weekends, outsiders first think how much I am making financially. And some people think, since it is a fine arts, it is probably not an important work, and it is ok to just cancel the classes whenever I feel like or students feel like. There is a lack of education regarding this craft. Dance and music in fact are one of the most important activities that improves our life skills, especially in academia.
Please tell us more about your work. We’d love to hear what sets you apart from others, what you are most proud of or excited about. How did you get to where you are today professionally. Was it easy? If not, how did you overcome the challenges? What are the lessons you’ve learned along the way. What do you want the world to know about you or your brand and story?
I started my dance journey when I was 5 years old. And for sure I was extremely in love with this art. Its is called “Bharatanatyam” One of the most beautiful dance forms, and I fell in love with this art form when my mom took me to see dance performances of legendary dancers. It was so mesmerizing, that every time I saw the dance as an audience, I would come home and mimic the dances in front of a mirror. we lived in a small town in a southern state of Karnataka. So it was very hard to find a teacher with this kind of special craft. But thanks to my Mom and Dad who took all the hard work to find a Dance teacher, who not only taught dance but also taught me how to respect this craft. Thank you to my first Dance Teacher Sowbhagya Auntie for all the knowledge she shared with me and encouraged me to pursue dance in my life. Then, after my high school I had to move to a different city. And my parents started looking for Dance teacher again. And my mom found one of the finest dancer till date, Guru Vasundhara Doraiswamy, and Krupa Padke. Though I used to do yoga (not so regularly) Vasundhara Amma taught me how Yoga is the integral part of Bharatanatyam. She gave me an insight of how every pose has angles details. Krupa auntie showed me how dance reduces stress, and how creative we can get with an amazing imagination. I was older to comprehend with more analytical and critical thinking and I was truly enjoying my dance classes and I would look forward to my creative world. Just as i was getting deeper into my learning, I moved to US, Sunnyvale California. I continued my dance education from Guru Indumati Ganesh. She taught me how to nurture this art. just loving is not enough, but caring, nurturing, and giving your touch to this art is the most important part. I did my first Debut dance performance in 2003 in Bay Area, California. It was my dream come true. I was afloat in the air with joy. All I did was dream and practiced diligently every single day, and night. But my dearest husband sundar made my dream come true. I was the mother of a 2 year old when I gave my Debut dance performance that is called “Rangapravesha” in Sanskrit.
It was very hard to balance the motherhood, responsibility of a wife and pursue my dream. We had moved from Sunnyvale to San Diego in 2001, so I used to fly to the Bay every 15 days with my new born baby, and stay at my dance teacher’s house, and practice any small time I would get in between nursing, diaper changing, napping and repeat.
I officially started my dance school in 2005 and named it after the Goddess of Shakti “Swapanthi Dance Academy” with just 1 student and today I have close to 100 students and 18 students who successfully did their Rangapravesha. with a live band, where my son Amogh is the lead classical singer.
Swapanthi Dance Academy is unique in its own way. I teach my younger students by narrating them a story and connecting it to the dance. They will be learning Indian Mythological stories and enact them as a role play. I teach them the theories of dance using pure Sanskrit verses from Natyashstra. Our school has annual day performances, and I like to make it a musical or a dance drama. My senior students write their dialogues and I help them choreograph dances for the music part.
I invite guest teachers, to name some Guru Radhika Nandakumar, Guru Nirupama Rajendra from India and conduct workshops with unique dance movements that are taught by maestros of Bharatanatyam, who have done great research work on Natya Shastras.
As far as the problems, of course there are politics, biased opinions, and many more. This is true for every profession. But if we have the will, passion, determination, no one can stop us from moving on from these hurdles and becoming successful.
Swapanthi Dance academy provides Bharatanatyam classes for all age groups – from age 4 to adults and I teach them with lots of love and passion. I am very proud that I am capable of sharing my knowledge to my students who come from diverse cultures.
To master this craft, one life is not enough, it needs many more. That’s how wide and deep the knowledge of this art form goes. The more you dig, the more you uncover which is the best thing about learning.
My biggest advice to everybody is, don’t give up when things start to fall apart. The Universe does it for a reason, so just keep doing what you truly love, and the Universe will work with you and help you to fulfill your dreams.
I bow my head in humbleness to all my Gurus who gave me so much love and nurtured me and made me who I am today.
so much gratitude to my parents, my husband, my son who always encourage me to follow my passion and stand with me like a pillar of support.
Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
When my best friend visits, I would like to take her to all the beautiful beaches in San Diego. There are beautiful hiking places in San Diego. As I know my friend loves hiking, I will definitely explore hiking spots for 2 days. If my friend is visiting during spring, I will take her to one of my favorite place, Carlsbad flower show. My best friend also loves shopping, and food, so I will take her to Fashion Valley mall. I am not a restaurant explorer, so I might find some good vegetarian restaurants along with her. But I always enjoy the acaí bowl from jamba juice and Flower child restaurant. And lastly just relax at coffee place, my favorite is Bohemian Alchemist
Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
There are a lot of people in my life that have supported me and made me a confident woman and everything for what I am today. As there is a famous expression, “It takes a village to raise a child”. Firstly my Mom and Dad, who always encouraged me to do what I really love. They made sure I got a good Fine arts education, a college degree. My mom always made sure that I practiced dance everyday and was really good at it. After I got married, My husband walked with me and is still walking every step I take forward and is always there encouraging me to do better and better of myself. He is always with me as a pillar of support. He motivates me to keep up with my artwork by improvising the same craft. My son is a classical singer. From past 8 years he has been my vocalist for a live orchestra ensemble, and can’t say enough how much he boosts my confidence just by helping me by giving rhythmic beats, and with his cute smile.
But for what I am today wouldn’t have been possible without my Gurus. All my dance teachers recognised me and shared their knowledge to me with lots of love and patience. They taught me to be passionate. They taught me how professional work can also be passionate enjoyable.
Lastly, but not least a huge thank you to all my family and friends who are so proud of me, for what I am today, and always motivates me to be a better version of myself.
So, a huge shoutout to my Mom, Dad, my husband Sundar and my son Amogh for motivating me and encouraging me to dance in fervor.
A huge gratitude and Shoutout to all my Gurus – Sowbhagya, Vaundhara Doraiswamy, Krupa padke, and Indumthi Ganesh
A huge shoutout to all my friends and family who is always positive about me.
Website: www.swapanthi.com
Instagram: swapanthidance
Facebook: aparna Prabhakar
Youtube: Aparna S, Sundaram Nagaraj
Other: The other youtube link is Sundaram Nagaraj
Image Credits
sundar kartikeyan
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