Ranjanaa Devi, Artistic Director:
Ranjanaa Devi, artistic director of Nataraj Performing Arts of India is a specialist in the classical and folk dance styles of India. She has received her training in dance under several of India's great gurus, especially the Kathakali master Guru Gopinath from whom she learnt choreographic and dance theater techniques. She studied Bharatanatyam, Manipuri and folk styles under Guru Valmiki Bannerjee and the Odissi style from Gurus Mayadhar Rout and Deb Prasad Das. She holds graduate degrees in Indian music and musicology from Delhi University, India and has studied temple rituals and texts as they relate to dance and prayer with the leading Brahmanic scholar Pandit Uniyal and Tantric scholar at the Krishnattam temple in Kerala. She has been studying Tibetan Buddhist texts since 1982 with several learned Tibetan Lamas and scholars in the U.S. and in India. Her interest and knowledge of the Asian performing arts reflects in the unique events she presents as the Director of the Asian Arts and Culture Program at the University of Massachusetts. She is guest faculty at the Five College Dance Department and teaches yearly courses at Mount Holyoke College. Asian Arts & Culture Program

Namrita Singh:
Namrita Singh has been training in the Odissi style of Indian classical Dance with Ranjanaa Devi since the age of seven. As an American citizen of Indian parentage, Namrita decided to focus her interest and energy towards learning the cultural heritage of her roots through the study of classical dance. She values not only the artistry and discipline of the form but enjoys being a part of the Nataraj family.

Nidhi Mohan:
Nidhi Mohan has received her training in Indian classical dance under the tutelage of Ranjanaa Devi since an early age. She has performed in India and in the US at several prestigious conferences and continues her learning and performing with the Nataraj Dancers in New England.

Justine Lemos:
Justine Lemos graduated from Hampshire College in 1999 with a degree in World Dance and Religion. In this course of study she augmented her former education of Modern and Ballet with the study of Javanese, Balinese, African, Middle Eastern, Brazilian, Caribbean and classical Indian Dance. She has an M.A. in Dance and an M.A. in Anthropology. Currently, Justine is a PHd. candidate in dance ethnography at University of California at Riverside. She is a Fulbright scholar and has studied the Mohini Attam style at the Kala Mandalam in Kerala. In examining the relationship between dance and religion, she continues her study of the Odissi style with her Guru Ranjanaa Devi to the present day.

Abolee Joy Montanari:
Abolee Joy Montanari born in India but living in the U.S is a Nataraj Company dancer who is currently receiving dance training from Guru Ranjanaa Devi and mentoring several young students at the Nataraj dance school. She has performed with Nataraj Dancers in the last five years and assisted Ranjanaa Devi in teaching large groups of students for Residency Programs in New England schools.

Monica Bhowmik:
Monica Bhowmik of Indo-Canadian heritage is a graduate in Anthropology from UMASS and has had a keen interest in Indian dance. She receives dance training from Guru Ranjanaa Devi and has performed in many performances with Nataraj Dancers. She teaches beginning level classical dance classes at the Nataraj dance school.

Michelle Marroquin:
Michelle Marroquin hailing from Mexico graduated from Hampshire College with a degree in Dance. She is a trained Gyrokenesis instructor and a yoga teacher. Currently, she receives dance training from Guru Ranjanaa Devi at Nataraj Dance school and performs with the Nataraj Dancers.

Akshaya Tucker:
Born in an artistic family with her parents who are visual artists and a brother who is a musician, Akshaya was initiated into western music and Indian classical dance from a tender age. She receives training in the Odissi style under the guidance of Guru Ranjanaa Devi and has been performing with Nataraj Dancers in the last five years. Some notable performances have been Mudra (2007), Goddess Imagined at Westfield State (2006), Festival of Lights (multiple shows 2002-2005) and many more in smaller venues. Akshaya is a student at the Deerfield Academy, a private college preparatory school in Deerfield, MA.

Bankim Sethi is a well-known vocalist and composer in India who has been associated with Nataraj since its inception. He is a specialist in performing Odissi musical compositions Champoo and Chhanda that are specifically related to the odissi temple dance tradition. He has composed several unique Buddhist texts into music scores for Nataraj dance theater productions. He is the founder and Director of Odissi Sangeet Sabha, a music organization in Delhi, India, which trains and promotes singers and musicians in the unique Odissi style. Mr. Sethi has been an artist in residence at Nataraj in 1995 and 1998 and performed with the company in New England. He has also performed in many countries of the world.

Prafulla Mangaraj received his training on the Pakhwaj drum by Guru Banamali Moharana in Orissa, India. In the course of his learning he was awarded several prizes for excellence such as the title of Vadya Brahma in 1983 by the Music Academy in Orissa and a Fellowship from the Ministry of Culture and Human resource Development, Government of India. Mr. Mangaraj has been an artist-in-residence at Nataraj in 1995 and 1998 and has performed with the company and taught drum classes. He continues to tour the world with India's leading artists and musicians.