ANITHA ADDAGADDE
About me
Namasthe,
My name is Anitha Addagadde. I am dancer, teacher and founder of Lasya Ranjani. Let me share a little about my journey in becoming who I am today. My journey started when I was about 4 years old. I began learning dance under Smt. Meenakshi, wife of the legendary Guru, Dr. Radhakrishna. We moved and we had to find a new teacher. Fortunately, my parents met with Smt. Vijaya Marthanda and I enrolled in her dance classes. My journey took a steep curve under her able guidance. I learned diligently under my Guru, the different facets of dance. After my arangetrum in my 16th year, I continued my advanced training with her. During my advanced learning years, my guru saw the passion in me to become a choreographer. She encouraged me to learn the art of choreography under the legendary Kathak dancer and the founder of Natya Institute of Katha and Choreography, Late Guru Maya Rao. I trained and earned a Post Graduate diploma from Bangalore University. A few years later, I continued to do my master's in fine arts from Kalai Kaveri, Tamil Nadu University.
I moved to the US in 2008 and in 2010 started my dance school. Apart from being a dance teacher, I am employed as a para educator in the Cupertino Union School District. My employment in one of the most sought-after school districts greatly helped me to understand the psychology of the children growing in this country. This in turn improved my perspective as a dance teacher.
In the years that I have taught, I have many students taking different levels of dance examinations and students who completed their arangetrum and are currently pursuing their academic goals.
PERFORMANCES SO FAR
My Performances
I have performed on many stages as a student and now as a teacher. Some of the performances that gave me opportunity to learn and experience dance are:
My first performance was when I was about 6 or 7 years old. It was an event organized by ShivMoni steel Co. and the guest of honor were our Cricketers like Ravi Shastry, Roger Binny and Chandrashekhar.
Being part of my teacher’s dance school, Laya Lasya, I got many opportunities to perform in Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan, Bangalore. I was also part of many dance dramas choreographed by my guru.
In 2003, I was fortunate to be one of the dancers to travel to Sri Lanka to perform at the Second World Hindu conference at Sri Lanka in 2003. We performed on three different stages in Colombo, Candy and Mathale during our one-week trip.
In 2004 and 2005 was part of many productions at Natya Institute of Kathak and Choreography, Bangalore.
In 2004 performed at Woodlands Hotel auditorium during a conference where officials from Dhaka were invited.
In 2008, I performed at the Yuva Saurabha organized by the Department of Kannada Culture.
In 2008, performed at Indian Council for Cultural Relations Department of Kannada and Culture, in Bangalore.
Since 2008, I have performed in many temple events held in Bay Area, CA like the Mahashivaratri Natyotsava, KKNC events, VSNA events, ShivDurga temple festivals and anniversaries.
During my recent trips to India, I performed at 62nd Sai Nruthyotsav, 2014, Namma Samskruthi Foundation and NRI Arts Festival in 2018.
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MY EDUCATIONAL AND PROFESSIONAL QUALIFICATION
2018-2020 MASTERS IN PERFORMING ART, UNIVERSITY OF THANJAVUR, INDIA
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2003-2004 POST GRADUATE DIPLOMA IN CHOREOGRAPHY, NATYA INSTITUTE OF KATHAK AND CHOREOGRAPHY BANGALORE UNIVERSITY, INDIA
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1997-2000 BACHELOR’S IN COMPUTER SCIENCE, BANGALORE UNIVERSITY, INDIA
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