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:
has received training from Guru Ranjanaa Devi in classical Indian Odissi dance since 1996 performing as a principle dancer with Nataraj Dancers at venues within the United States, India, Japan and elsewhere. She has studied Mohini Attam dance at Kerala Kalamandalam and at Nrithyashetra, in Kerala, India under various fellowships and grants including a Fulbright fellowship. Justine holds a PhD in Cultural Anthropology and an MA in Dance Studies.
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 an eloquent dancer continues her thirteen years of learning with Guru Ranjanaa Devi. She has performed with the Company in notable performances Festival of Lights (2002-2005), In praise of Tara, Mudra: The Gesture Speaks among so many more. She has also performed in schools, Museums and community locations and been a part of Nataraj Dancers school residencies programs throughout New England. Monica was part of the Nataraj Dancers 2009 Japan tour. She teaches beginning and intermediate level classical dance classes for young children at the Nataraj Center for Arts of India.
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:
Akshaya Tucker, a well-trained and expressive dancer has studied under Guru Ranjanaa Devi since childhood, performing solo pieces in many prestigious venues to audience acclaim. Her expressive abhinaya is noteworthy as is her skill in the Odissi technique. Some notable performances have included Mudra (2007), Goddess Imagined at Westfield State (2006), Festival of Lights (multiple shows 2002-2005) and many more in smaller venues. She was a part of the Company 2009 Japan tour.
Merli V. Guerra:
She is a member of Nataraj Dancers, with whom she performed for their Japan tour in 2009. She is also Artistic Director of Luminarium Dance Company along with Co-Founder Kimberleigh A. Holman. As an artistic filmmaker, she has having won several awards for her dance-on-camera films, and most recently presented her interdisciplinary work with Luminarium at the Boston Center for the Arts. Her interests lie in the layering of video projection with live performance, and in setting the visual arts into motion.
Usha Lincoln:
Usha Lincoln is an aspiring young dancer of beauty and grace of movement has been a part of the Company, performing in many New England venues with the Company.
Pankti Dalal:
Pankti Dalal, a rising dancer in the Company with strong movement skills has been studying classical Indian with Guru Ranjanaa Devi for the past 5 years. She is also studying Modern dance in her school dance program. Pankti shows great promise to become a principal dancer.
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