Tanusree Shankar Dance Academy
Introduction
Tanusree Shankar Dance Academy
- We are dedicated to preserving and promoting the rich traditions of Indian dance forms
- Nurturing talent, fostering creativity, and instilling respect for technique
- We offer a range of courses designed for dancers of all levels.
- We work towards creating a pool of artistes who are committed to and focused on dance.
- At the heart of our philosophy is a focus on mastering technique, developing
performance skills, and fostering personal development.
This makes it a space of inspiration where talent is nurtured, and potential is realised. Our goal is to cultivate dancers who are not only technically proficient but also passionate ambassadors of India’s rich cultural heritage.
Style Overview
The curriculum is mindfully crafted to honour the unique Uday Shankar style of dance. Central to our teaching is Uday Shankar’s focus on the flow of movement, physical expression, storytelling through dance, and the blending of various dance traditions. These principles are at the heart of every class we offer.
We encourage our students to delve into the deeper emotional and philosophical dimensions of dance. Our approach invites them to connect with the art form in a meaningful way, viewing it as a language that communicates emotions, stories, and spiritual truths.
We place great emphasis on discipline, respect for tradition, and the nurturing of creativity.
Our Pillars
Tanusree Shankar
Empowered with the pioneering movement vocabulary of Uday Shankar, her artistry draws from India’s classical forms, folk traditions, and diverse martial forms.
She shapes these many influences into a language that is unmistakably her own — fluid, expressive, and quietly, deeply transformative.
Her work speaks not only to India’s cultural masses but to the shared emotional landscapes of audiences across the world.
Across a career spanning several decades, she has led her ensemble to stages throughout Asia, Europe, and the Americas, earning admiration for productions that balance visual refinement with deep emotional clarity.
Sreenanda Shankar
She began her formal training at the Tanusree Shankar Dance Academy, where she studied the distinctive dance vocabulary of Uday Shankar and further developed by Tanusree Shankar. Years of rigorous training and performance helped shape her strong foundation in technique and stagecraft.
Sreenanda pursued advanced dance training at The Ailey School in New York, where exposure to diverse contemporary techniques broadened her artistic range. Complementing her dance education, she also trained in acting at the Roshan Taneja School of Acting and the Lee Strasberg Theatre and Film Institute, enriching her presence as a performer.
As a dancer with the Tanusree Shankar Dance Company, Sreenanda has performed extensively across India and internationally, including the United States, the United Kingdom and Spain. She has also appeared in television dance-dramas portraying Goddess Durga and in films directed by noted filmmakers including Aparna Sen, Suman Ghosh and Srijit Mukherji.
With her deep grounding in the Shankar dance tradition and her evolving work as a performer, Sreenanda Shankar stands poised to carry this unique legacy forward into a new generation.
Rita Kundu
Date of joining: 1986
Trained in:
Uday Shankar style under Ananda Shankar and Tanusree Shankar
Mitali Sinha
Date of joining: 1986
Trained in:
Kathak under Guru Bela Arnab and the Uday Shankar style under Ananda and Tanusree Shankar
Chaitali Banerjee
Date of joining: 1986
Trained in:
Kathak, Bharatanatyam, and Rabindranritya (Prachin Kalakendra, Chandigarh), she completed the Advanced Class with a Merit Award at the Ananda Shankar Centre for Performing Arts
Baisali Bhattacharyya
Date of joining: 1986
Trained in:
Kathak, Bharatanatyam, and Rabindranritya, she holds a degree from Prachin Kalakendra, Chandigarh, and completed the Advanced Class at the Ananda Shankar Centre for Performing Arts
Trisha Ghosh Choudhury
Date of joining: 1986
Trained in:
Uday Shankar style of dance. Also trained in Bharatanatyam, Kathakali, Manipuri, and Rabindrik dance. She holds a Kathak degree from Bangiyo Sahitya Parishad and a Computer Studies qualification from YWCA
Sujit Brahmachary
Date of joining: 1986
Trained in:
Uday Shankar style of dance. He completed the three-year Senior Certificate Course at the Ananda Shankar Centre for Performing Arts in 1989
Nandi Roy
Date of joining: 1987
Trained in:
Uday Shankar style of dance; also holds degrees in Kathak, Rabindra Nritya, and Folk Dance
Avijit Mahato
Date of joining: 1987
Trained in:
Uday Shankar Style of Dance; Bharatnatyam (Diploma under Guru Thankamani Kutty and Guru Kalamandalam Venkit through the Allahabad Board)
Itu Pramanik
Date of joining: 1994
Trained in:
Uday Shankar Style of Dance; advanced training through the Ananda Shankar Centre for Performing Arts; Yoga practice and instruction.