About Me

Manaswini Sridhar Balakumar is a Bharatanatyam artist, teacher, choreographer, and nattuvangam practitioner based in Washington, USA. With over 20 years of training and performance experience, she is dedicated to preserving, practicing, and sharing the richness of Bharatanatyam through performance, teaching, choreography, and collaborative work.

Training and Artistic Background
Manaswini began learning Bharatanatyam at a young age. At her arangetram, at the age of nine, she had the rare privilege of receiving the blessings of the renowned danseuse Nattiya Peroli Padmini, who remarked that she saw “a little Shobana” in her.
Guided by her guru’s training and mentorship, Manaswini later presented her Shathathama Ranga Pravesham, marking her tenth year as a performing dancer and the 100th presentation of her guru’s productions. She considers this milestone a meaningful reflection of her long-standing guru–shishya relationship and the foundation it has given her artistic journey.
Manaswini has toured with Padma Bhushan awardee Guru Shobana as part of the production Krishna. She also studies the Karanas under the guidance of Padma Vibhushan awardee Dr. Padma Subrahmanyam at Nrityodaya, Chennai.

Performance Experience and Recognition
Known for her strong sense of rhythm, energetic nritta, and expressive abhinaya, Manaswini brings a thoughtful and engaging presence to the stage. Her work has received recognition at interschool and intercollegiate levels, as well as appreciation from audiences and the press.
Following one of her performances during the Chennai Music Season, The Hindu wrote:

• “With single-minded focus, Manaswini quickly established herself as a dancer with excellent timing, expressive face, supple body; her natural stage persona translated into easy and effective elaborations.”

In 2023, Manaswini’s solo work, Kurunthogai, was featured in Oregon ArtsWatch, recognizing her work in bringing classical Indian dance and literary expression to audiences in the Pacific Northwest.

Current Study and Nattuvangam Training
Manaswini continues to deepen her artistic practice through advanced study, choreography, and nattuvangam training. She trains in nattuvangam under RLV Hemanth Lakshman and has been a supporting nattuvangam artist for dance performances in the United States.

Her continued learning informs both her own creative work and her approach to teaching, enabling her to guide students with respect for tradition, musicality, discipline, and individual growth.

Spandana Classical Arts
Manaswini is the founder of Spandana Classical Arts, established in 2022 to share Bharatanatyam and Indian classical arts with students in the Seattle and Bothell area. Through Spandana, she teaches students from India and the United States, sharing the knowledge and artistic values gained throughout her training and performance journey.

At Spandana Classical Arts, students develop Bharatanatyam technique, rhythmic awareness, expressive ability, cultural understanding, and confidence through structured instruction. Teaching is adapted to support each student’s learning pace and experience level while encouraging discipline, curiosity, respect for tradition, and a meaningful connection to the art form.