About Guru

Guru’s Profile

Shubhangi Bhalerao

Founder Director – Padanyaas, School of Bharatnatyam
Education : B.Com. (First Class, Pune University), LL.B. (First Class, 9th Rank, Pune University), LL.M. (Interational Business & Intellectual Property, ICFAI University)

As a cultural tribute, Shubhangi & senior students of Padanyaas recently performed for an NGO for a fund raiser event through a thematic production based on selected works of Mahakavi Bharatiyaar, a great freedom fighter, at Narada Gana Sabha, Chennai. Furthermore, Padanyaas academy presented nritya-pushpanjali for SVBC, a TV Channel of Tirupati Devasthana.

In addition to an accomplished Bharatnatyam exponent, the danseuse holds double bachelor’s degrees in Business and Law, and master’s degree in Law with specialization in International Business Law and Intellectual Property Rights. Nevertheless, passion for classical dance form is the cornerstone of her profession.

Shubhangi started learning Bharatnatyam at an early age under the tutelage of Guru Smt. Sucheta Joshi, Founder Director of Nupur Jhankar Dance Academy, Pune and completed her Arangetram in 1992. She continued her exploration of intricacies of Bharatnatyam from eminent gurus like Dr. Ranjani Ganeshan, Smt. Gayathri Keshavan, and Smt. Neela Jayaraman in Bangalore.

She has conducted many solo and group recitals for which she has received accolades for her choreography. Shubhangi and her students have performed at various cultural events and art forums like Aarudra and Natyanjali festivals at Chidambaram, Uttara guruvayoorappan temple at Chennai, Natyanjali at Karur, and Mandala Makara Vilakku Mahotsavam, Sri Ayyappan Temple, Bangalore to name a few. The students of Padanyaas have continued to shine in various forums after completing their Arangetram.

Being a firm believer in maintaining the integrity of tradition, Shubhangi explores her creativity without compromising on the classicism of the dance form. She has conceptualized, choreographed, and presented many thematic productions based on Ramayana, Mahabharata, Dashavataram, and Navavidha Bhakti which have received critical acclaim. Her Marathi origins have inspired her to choreograph many Abhangas which have become a unique signature to her group productions and Arangetrams.

Her teaching and choreography have been awarded with several awards, like Nadana Kala Acharya Siromani, Nattuvanga Acharya Thilagam, and Natana Nipuna Award, and many more. Recently she was awarded Mahadevpura Kala Ratna Award.