Aalokam's
Mission
Artistic Director, Bharathi Penneswaran’s primary mission for Aalokam is to promote, preserve and push the boundaries of Bharatanatyam, a traditional Indian dance form. Through out-of-the-box productions, unique class structure that blends dance and storytelling from the get-go, and an environment that fosters open dialogue; Aalokam has created a highly engaged dance community that has an increasing appreciation for the arts.
About Us
Aalokam marks the coming together of two talented Bharatnatyam dancers, Bharathi Penneswaran and Jyotsna Kalyansundar in 2015. Trained in the Kalakshetra style, they both bring together more than 25 years of experience each in training, performing, and teaching Bharatanatyam in India and in the USA.
While Aalokam Dance School nurtures and molds young dancers as they take their first steps into the dance form, Aalokam Dance Company creates new and innovative productions each year with its ever-expanding group of core dancers.
Bharathi Penneswaran
Bharathi Penneswaran is a New York–based Bharatanatyam dancer, choreographer, educator, and producer, and the Artistic Director and Co-founder of Aalokam. With over a decade of international performance experience, she teaches and creates work that balances rigorous traditional indian dance training with contemporary inquiry. Through Aalokam, she produces performances, festivals, and educational programs that are artist-driven and community-centered.
Shilpa Philip
Shilpa has trained in Carnatic music for over a decade, cultivating a deep appreciation for classical arts from an early stage. She holds an engineering degree from NIT Trichy. After beginning her career as an engineering consultant, she transitioned into the arts full-time, becoming a core member of Aalokam, where she has played a key role both artistically and organizationally. Her teaching journey includes introducing classical music to toddlers, nurturing a love for the tradition in the youngest learners. As head of marketing and public relations for Aalokam, she has been instrumental in expanding the organization’s visibility and reach. Her efforts led to performance opportunities in the TV series Barefeet Season 2, appearances at the Metropolitan Museum of Art and New York Public Library, and a showcase at the New York Fashion Week. In 2015, she helped launch Sparkles and Steps, an annual Diwali event for children, which has since become a cherished tradition. She oversees the event, including vendor coordination and on-site management.
Jyotsna Kalyansundar
Jyotsna is an accomplished Bharatanatyam dancer with over 25 years of training in the Kalakshetra style, under the tutelage of Padmabhushan Shri. V.P Dhananjayan and Smt.Shanta Dhananjayan from Chennai, India. She has performed and accompanied her gurus in several of their legendary productions and staged performances worldwide such as Tagore’s Tasherdesh and Rasa Samudra. She has also performed as a soloist in prestigious dance festivals like the Natyarangam and the December (Marghazhi) festival held annually in one of India’s main cultural hubs, Chennai. Her training in teaching and performance included complete immersion in the art form, through experiential dance camps (Gurukulam/Ashram) and learning from the best of Natyacharyas (faculty) in Bharatanatyam, Kalari and folk dances such as the late Nattuvannar Kamala rani and Professor N.S. Jayalakshmi of Kalakshetra fame. She also joined the NY based Navatman troupe in February 2012 and performed in their productions namely Rhythm Within and Dance of the Animals. She recently graduated with a Masters in Organizational Psychology at Teacher’s College Columbia University, NY and has now set up her own institution that promises to provide a culturally enriching learning experience across various South Asian art forms, integrating similar values that she imbibed under her gurus.