Prasanna
is a teacher, choreographer, organizer and a performer of two great traditional
Indian classical dances - Bharathanatyam and Kathak. His art has a pleasant
infusion of the key elements of literature, music, and
theatre.
Prasanna was fortunate to receive training from many great
legendary teachers of dance field. The main styles which he received training
are from Dr. K. Venkatalakshamma and Smt. Lalita Srinivasan of Mysore
style and later in Pandanallur style from Guru Narmada. He attended workshops of
Chitra Vishweswaran, T. Mahalingam Pillai, Adyar K. Lakshmanan and Pandanallur
GopalaKrishna. He received Kathak knowledge from Guru Maya Rao, a very well
known authority in Choreography and took Kathak workshops under Birju
Maharaj.
Prasanna has performed all around the
world and at present is the artistic director of "Soorya Dance Company" in Saint Louis,
Missouri. His major credentials include - a rank in Vidwath exam
conducted by Karnataka Government, more than a decade of Carnatic music
training, a 24 hour non-stop marathon dance feat and a Master's degree in
Information Technology.
Prasanna's major dance
productions include -
"Kadu
Kuniyithu" (1987) -Dance production for children on the story of
animals
"Kavya
Kinkini" (1989) - A Bharathanatyam repertoire based on poetry from Kannada
epics
"Subhadra
Parinaya" (1991) - A Sanskrit dance drama from Mahabharatha
"Shrungara
Naayakaru" (1994) - A Portrayal of Romantic heroes corresponding to the Nayikas
of Indian dance.
"Rasa Gati" (1996) - Adoption of Rasa theory and Carnatic tala
structures
"Jnana"
(1998) - Mini dance drama based on moral stories
"Avataara"
(1999) - Metaphysical interpretation of incarnations
"Cherishnu"
(2000) - A dance spectacle of Bengali literature
"Silambu"(2002)
- Dance drama based on 2nd century Tamil epic Silappadikaram
"Anubhava
Mantapa"(2002) - Dance reflection of 12th century Sharana
literature
"Maarga"
(2002) - A Bharathanatyam dance repertoi
"Thoughts"(2002) - A thought provoking dance presentation based
different works of philosophers of India
Rainbow - I (2004) - English poems into Indian Solo
dancing
Katha Kahe Kathaka (2004)
- Presentation of Kathak dances
Rhythms in
Motion (2005) – Rhythms across the life
Shaam
- e - Kathak (2006) – Dances on Ghazals - love-lorn
songs
Rainbow - II
(2006) –
English poems into Indian Dancing with a Grammy award winning
musician
Call of Flute (2007) – USA’s first Indian opera through classical
music and dance of India
Prasanna believes
that dance is universal and can include any movement in its vocabulary. Feelings
and emotions are the colors which a dancer enjoys painting, with his experience
of life to an avid lover of performing arts. Prasanna hails from a family of
writers and artists - his father Raghusutha - has published 300 works in Kannada
on various subjects, his mother has published 60 social novels, brother -
Pulikeshi and sister- Sushma are very good dancers. Prasanna is happily married
to Seema, who is a melodious singer, with 10 years of Carnatic Vocal training
and has a 5 year old daughter, Samanvita, who is a born talent with dance and
music.