Orchestra

Smt. Mythili Kumar (Choreography & Nattuvangam)

Biography: Here

Smt. Sindhu Natarajan (Vocalist)

Sindhu Natarajan is an accomplished vocalist in the South Indian Classical Music (Carnatic) tradition and hails from a family of musicians. She initially trained under her aunt, Smt. Vasanthi Kannan and later learned under her gradnfather, late Sri. P.V. Natarajan. She has also received advanced training from her other aunt, Smt. Raji Gopalakrishnan. Sindhu has given several solo concerts and has provided vocal accompaniment for several arangetrams and for professional dancers in the Bay Area and throughout the US. Sindhu has also learned Bharatnatyam under Smt. Mythili Kumar since 1994. As a Senior Company Dancer and Teacher, she has performed in many of Abhinaya Dance Company's productions, and has toured with the company to several US cities. She also mentors students towards their arangetrams.

Smt. Malavika Kumar Walia (Nattuvangam)

Malavika Kumar Walia is a senior company dancer, choreographer, and teacher, for the Abhinaya Dance Company of San Jose. She is the daughter of Artistic Director Mythili Kumar and has performed in many of Abhinaya Dance Company’s productions since 1992, as well as toured with the company to India and around the U.S.A. Malavika has been performing nattuvangam for the Abhinaya Dance Company since 2000 for both its Bay Area productions and on tour. In a 2004 performance in Chennai, she was lauded by a critic as ‘the star of the show’ for her ‘precise, well-intoned nattuvangam’. She currently is one of the main nattuvanars for Abhinaya's annual company productions, arangetrams, and Rasika Kumar’s solo performances. She additionally has composed numerous jathis and choreographed items for solo and group performance. In January 2020, she was appointed as the Director of the newly launched Junior Dance Company.

Sri. N. Narayanan (Mridangam and Kanjira)

N. Narayanan comes from an illustrious family of musicians who, in addition to singing classical Carnatic music, are proficient in Bhajana Sampradaya - the renderings of devotional songs and hymns on festival days. Narayanan had his training in mridangam under his father Sri. P.V. Natarajan and Sri. P.S. Parameswaran of Mumbai. He has accompanied several leading musicians and has won awards for his performances in India and in Bahrain. He is a much sought after mridangist for dance concerts. He has been playing consistently for all Abhinaya productions since 1990, contributing immensely to the company’s several successful productions. Additionally, Narayanan is a gifted vocalist who also plays the harmonium.

Smt. Shanthi Narayanan (Violin)

Shanthi Narayanan had her initial training in violin under Sri. A. Anantharama Bhagavathar. She has accompanied several leading artists both in India and Bahrain. She has played for many dance productions and music concerts in the Bay Area. She has been playing consistently for all Abhinaya productions since 1990, contributing immensely to the company’s several successful productions.