Lakshmi Ramaswamy'Dances with natural grace, extra-ordinary mobility and significance. In the field of bharathanatyam, there have been many blooms, but one which sheds lasting fragrance is Lakshmi '. Lakshmi, a professional Bharathanatyam dancer excels in both the important facets of the classical style, nritta: the rhythmic aspect & nritya: the emotional aspect. Involvement of high order in abhinaya and characterization is her speciality. Her nritta is joyous and musical.
Lakshmi started learning the art under Shri Karukkurichi Venkatanarayanan & Shri Nanchil Mani. Her arangetram in 1989 under Smt. Indira Krishnamurthy was a very grand success. Laurels and track records came through during her school and college life, such as twice winning the gold medal in the youth festival competitions.
She was one among the few selected by the Tamilnadu Eyal Isai Nataka Mandram in their scheme to promote young artists in different cultural fields.
In her pursuit for specialization of the art, Lakshmi is now under
the able guidance of Guru Padmashri Smt. Chitra Visweswaran. Besides being
a staff member in the reputed Chidambaram Academy of Dance, she is actively
participating in all dance–theatre and group productions choereographed
by her Guru. Apart from practical dancing she is also trained in allied
diciplines like Nattuvangam, theory, stage management and décor
and techniques of lighting.
Lakshmi Ramaswamy has been giving a number of solo, and group performences alongwith her guru in India and abroad. She has danced in many famous classical dance festivals, to name a few, are Konarak Dance Festival, Mahabalipuram Tourism Festival, Chidambaram Natyanjali, Malabar Mahotsav, Coutrallam Charal Thiruvizha & so on. She was specialy sponsored for a Bharatanatyam concert by the Madras Telugu Cultural Academy.
She considers 31st August ’96 very memorable in her career – the day she first performed nattuvangam for her guru at the famous Kalakshetra Auditorium, Chennai.
Lakshmi has received the Senior Scholarship and fellowship for Bharathanatyam, from the Department of Culture, Central Government of India. Conferred with titles Natya Kala Ranjini and Abinaya Aadalarasi, she is also an ‘A’ grade Bharathanatyam artist in Doordarshan, India. Apart from her career as a professional dancer she also runs her own school of Bharathanatyam in Chennai, Jeyam Chitraalaya, where she imparts special training to aspiring students in a holistic approach.
Lakshmi is the receipient of the coveted Balasaraswathi endownment prize, awarded by the reputed Krishna Gana Sabha, Chennai.
Lakshmi has been awarded the FULBRIGHT fellowship in Arts/Cultural
Management by the United States Education Foundation. She is in California,
till June 2000, pursuing courses at Golden Gate University, San Francisco,
related to Arts and Cultural Management.
Some Reviews…
News Today:
Excellent performance: Devotion, dedication, discipline, professionalism
and quality was in ample evidence at Lakshmi’s Bharathanatyam program.
She is naturally blessed with beautiful and striking personality. Her leaps
and jumps to various episodes were perfect, superb and scintillating. Her
classical look added maturity and quality to her projection and precision
of work in all spheres. Abinaya was of a high order and presentation was
excellent.
Dinasari (Tamil Daily): Her dance reflects the amount of interest and confidence in the art.
Indian Express: Delightful dance debut. She displayed her consummate skill and mastery of combined nritta and abinaya in each frame.
Dinakaran (Tamil Daily): Lakshmi’s nritta reflected perfection and her Abinaya had a good sense of imagination!
The Hindu: Enjoyable Dance Drama: Lovers of fine arts were treated by an enjoyable dance drama ‘Kutrala Kuravanji’ by Smt. Indira Krishnamoorthy. Out of her disciples who participated in the dance drama Lakshmi stood out with her lithe movements and fine bhava.
Indian Express: Panchali comes alive: Noteworthy was the effort of Lakshmi Ramaswamy who played the restrained role of Yudishtra.
Sudeshamitran (Tamil Daily): Highly energetic performance, and Abinaya was very neat and natural.
The Hindu: Graceful and involved: Lakshmi is a graceful dancer trained by Chitra in the Vazhuvur tradition. She has fine talent to exhibit involved abinaya.
News Today: A mesmerising performance: Lakshmi’s
footwork was gentle and musical. She adhered to the traditional style with
studied elegance. Exemplifying the spirit and aesthetics of Bharathanatyam
her presentation was beautiful and scholarly. Lakshmi with her dazzling
stage presence and luminous face has proved that with lot of grit, she
has moulded herself as a veteran dancer to take on the scene at National,
International level.
Contact Lakshmi:E-mail:
lakshmirramaswamy@yahoo.com
14th April, 7.15 pm, Natyaarpan, an offering through Bharathanatyam, at Concord Temple, CA
